
Growing a YouTube channel is no joke. While making videos is a fun hobby, it takes more than filming, editing, and uploading to reach the biggest YouTube milestones:

A trophy case filled with YouTube plaques

What you truly need is an understanding of YouTube analytics.

That means you’ll need to get cozy with the YouTube Studio. In it, you’ll find metrics for analyzing and growing your channel, from video views to click-through rate.

There’s a lot to explore when you first dive in, so here are the most important analytics on YouTube.

Click-through rate (CTR) is the percentage of people who click on a video after seeing the thumbnail.

If 10,000 people see a video’s thumbnail, but only 500 people click it, that’s a 5% CTR. In other words, 5% of people who saw the thumbnail decided to watch the video.

There’s an easy formula for calculating CTR: number of clicks / number of impressions x 100 = CTR.

You’ll never have to calculate it, though. YouTube’s channel dashboard shows your CTR for multiple time periods. 

Simply go to YouTube Studio > Analytics > Reach to see your channel’s CTR.

Why should you care about click-through rates when there are other things to analyze? It’s the only YouTube metric that opens 

. People have to click on a thumbnail before giving your video some Watch Time, a like, or a comment. Plus, viewers tend to subscribe after watching good videos.

6 Tips to Get a Good Click-Through Rate on YouTube

Want to grow your YouTube channel faster? Take a look at the audience retention on individual videos.

You’ll want to pay attention to the average percentage viewed (APV), which is how much of the video viewers watched.

For example, here’s a screenshot of our audience retention for a 10-minute video. As you can see, most people watched 33% of it.

YouTube recommends videos to viewers based on Watch Time metrics like APV. Try to boost yours to at least 50% so you can get more views.

How to Increase Audience Retention on Every YouTube Video

3. Traffic From Recommended YouTube Videos

“YouTube recommendations” is a critical traffic source on YouTube. As we mentioned above, having YouTube suggest your content to viewers is a massive help. You don’t have to do anything because the algorithm does the work for you.

By the way, YouTube shows a list of traffic sources for every video. 

Simply go to YouTube Studio > Content (pick a video to analyze) > Analytics > Overview

. Then scroll down to see where traffic is coming from for that particular video.

Keep an eye on this traffic source to see which videos get suggested the most, then make similar content for your audience.

YouTube Algorithm Guide - How Your Videos Are Recommended to Viewers

4. Subscribers Gained from Each YouTube Video

With its flashy, ego-boosting ways, subscriber count isn’t a useful YouTube stat. It doesn’t affect your views, and it doesn’t change your favor with the YouTube algorithm. 

The only way to get more views is to make good videos.

identify videos that bring in subscribers

 – not to track the overall count but to discover what’s growing your community. This is the only YouTube subscriber analytic you need.

. You’ll see a dashboard showing how many people subscribed after watching a particular video.

6 Honest Reasons You Might Be Losing YouTube Subscribers

5. YouTube Engagement (Comments, Likes, Video Shares)

Likes, comments, and video shares aren’t popular like other YouTube channel statistics. Many creators think video views are the thing to pay attention to, and hey, maybe they’re right.

But we can’t ignore the little things. Most viewers are passive on YouTube, so it 

 a triumph convincing them to do anything: liking, sharing, typing a comment. Even getting them to click on an end screen or info card is a win.

 You’re building a real community on YouTube when people start engaging with your content.

Are you obsessed with YouTube channel views? Well, don’t limit yourself to tracking video views only.

 metric, and you need it to grow your channel.

To see new versus returning viewers for any video, go to

 YouTube > Content (pick a video to analyze) > Analytics > Audience.

It’s a genius metric because it reflects every YouTube creator’s goal: growing an audience while satisfying current viewers.

How to Track Returning Viewers on Your Channel

Every Creator Needs These YouTube Analytics Tools

Are you ready to track your YouTube channel stats? Here are some tools to analyze your progress:

: A real-time stats bar that lets you see specific metrics without opening the YouTube Studio. See video views in the last 60 minutes, 48 hours, and seven days – or view the YouTube Watch Time tracker for monetization.

: Too busy to audit your channel? This tool does the hard work for you, identifying your best content and suggesting improvements to your channel.

: Want a YouTube growth tool that plugs into your channel? Download vidIQ to see channel stats, YouTube keywords, and video ideas.

Doing a YouTube analysis of all your content can be intimidating. That’s why you need these powerful metrics to cut the fluff and find tangible ways to make better videos.

Speaking of satisfaction, do you want to satisfy the YouTube algorithm and get more views? Here are six signs you’re well on your way.

Which video metrics are important for growing on YouTube? There’s a lot to explore with YouTube channel analytics, but here are six that lead to better videos.

YouTube Channel Analytics: The 6 Most Important Video Metrics

is a welcome change after making videos by yourself. It’s not just the extra company that makes you feel happier and lighter. There’s an assurance that you'll never run out of good ideas. Someone will always be there to say, “What if we do 

Overall, it’s nice to work with someone who loves filming, editing, and posting on YouTube too.

Have we inspired you to find collab partners, collect email addresses, and pitch a themed YouTube video?

Before you send a flurry of emails, learn 

Audience size is the first thing to consider when planning great collabs. Don't worry: 

You don’t need thousands of subscribers for a video project

. You just need a collaborator whose channel size is close to your own.

 for a video collab. His largest channel has more than 80 million subscribers, and even if you have 1 million, that’s not an equivalent partnership. You would gain millions of views and subscribers, but MrBeast wouldn’t get much from the deal. He’s already 

So if you have 1,000 subscribers, for example, look for creators who have between 500 and 5,000. That levels the playing field so you both benefit from a collab.

How to Find Small YouTubers to Collab With

Are you an up-and-coming content creator? Despite what others may think, now is the time to collaborate with fellow YouTubers. All you need is a firm understanding of your 

 to find small YouTubers to collaborate with. This website lets you search channels by category, subscriber size, total videos, and more.

 room on Clubhouse is another option. Creators gather there to network and learn YouTube tips, so you’re bound to find YouTubers looking to collab.

2. Collaborate with Creators in Your YouTube Niche

Don’t forget about your channel’s theme when seeking collaborations. Even if a creator shares your channel size, that doesn’t mean they fit your YouTube niche. Find someone who covers the same topics as you, whether that's beauty, gaming, real estate, or something else.

 If your channel is about personal finance, and you collaborate with a salsa dancer, that’s going to confuse your viewers; they might even unsubscribe from your channel.

3. Brainstorm Video Ideas Before You Send Collab Emails

Many YouTubers are looking for partners, but they don’t have unlimited time to search for one. People are busy filming, editing, and spending extra time on their YouTube thumbnails. The worst thing anyone could do is ask for a collab without sharing YouTube collab ideas.

7 Tips to Craft Irresistible Video Ideas on YouTube

Before you email creators, come up with three to five video ideas. Explain how the partnership would benefit their channel, and overall, just make it easy for the person to say 

 agree to collaborate with you, the next step is nailing a video style.

There are four ways to do a YouTube collab:

 and film two different videos. The first video will go on creator A’s channel, and the second video will go on creator B’s channel. However, both creators appear in each video.

Both creators film their scenes separately

 and send clips back and forth to create a single video.

 on each other’s channels. So, for example, creator A makes a video that 

 include creator B, but the video gets published on creator B’s channel. Then they do the same thing for creator A. This is best for popular YouTube channels of 500,00 or more subscribers.

. For this idea, creator A appears in the first half of the video, and creator B appears in the second half. For example, in a video titled “6 Ways to Get Free Airline Tickets,” the creators each present three tips within the same video.

5. Set a Realistic Date to Publish Video Collabs

YouTube collaborations are fun, but they take time to plan and execute. That’s why you need realistic deadlines for everything: when to film collabs, when to edit them, and when to push them live.

The first two deadlines are up to you, but we have some advice on when to publish. 

If you’re doing a collab where separate videos go on each partner’s channel, 

. That way, you can ask viewers to watch part one or part two at the end of whichever video they’re watching. It only works if both videos are available from the start.

A YouTube collaboration isn't done when the content is published. The next step is promoting the video on social media to a wider audience.

Planning a collaboration with other YouTubers doesn’t have to be complicated. You just need three things to make it work:

A like-minded partner who wants to grow on YouTube

Now that you’re an expert on video collabs, learn five tips to grow your channel faster.

YouTube collaborations are a brilliant way to grow your channel. Here are six tips to find the right video partners, choose ideas, and execute collabs flawlessly.

YouTube Collabs: 6 Tips for an Awesome Video Project

, and we can see why. For one, it’s a free, hands-off way of advertising your content to the right people. You know the algorithm will promote your best videos no matter what's happening on your channel.

But, seriously: What are YouTube recommendations based on? How do you get your YouTube videos seen by thousands of people on the platform?

A model that chooses videos for the YouTube homepage

A model that recommends what you should watch next

, explains why YouTube recommends some videos over others. Some people think the secret is high video resolution, subscribers, and other 

As it turns out, there are no “lucky” videos. When YouTube recommends something, that means the video performs well in six areas.

Has YouTube ever asked you to complete a survey after watching a video? Most likely, your audience saw a similar notification for your content. If they chose to participate, they answered one question for YouTube’s algorithm: “What did you think of this video?” Below that prompt was a section to rate the video and describe it with words like “enjoyable” or “life-changing.”

“We serve out millions of surveys per month to viewers,” says YouTube product manager Rachel Alves in a Creator Insider 

. “Now, they’re not served on every single video…. But we use this data to train prediction models to identify which videos are highly satisfying.”

Gielen adds another point: The more “niche” your community is, the more it engages with your content universe. So while some people ignore surveys, an engaged audience could respond with higher satisfaction.

Most aren’t aware, but a large number of likes will influence YouTube’s recommendation system. It starts to think, 

People are enjoying this video, and I should share it with more viewers. 

Or at least, that’s what I imagine a super-smart algorithm to sound like.

Average view duration (AVD) is how long most viewers watch a video, whether that’s two minutes or a whopping 25. The algorithm loves this metric, but it’s not easy to master. Few people have the attention span (or the time) to watch video content from start to finish.

That’s why higher AVDs appeal to the algorithm. The 

 means thousands of people were willing to explore a video deeply.

“The vast majority of viewership on YouTube is passive – it’s not engaging, it’s not commenting, it’s not liking [videos],” Gielen says. “And so a great indication of someone being satisfied is that they watched the video [for a long time].”

Not all Watch Time is equal, though. Some people watch an entire video and leave feeling dissatisfied, so context matters. Even if a video has a high AVD, it doesn’t mean it will become a popular YouTube suggestion by that standard only.

You’ve heard the common outro for most videos: “Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe to my YouTube channel!” This call to action comes after a tutorial video, product review, explainer video, reaction video, or prank of some kind.

But something is missing from that script. Few people realize that 

 is one way to get your video recommended on YouTube.

Why? Video shares are a sign you've satisfied hundreds of viewers. That metric tells the algorithm that your video is enjoyable and worth suggesting to more people.

Click-through rate (CTR) is the percentage of viewers who click on a video after seeing its thumbnail. For example, if you have a 10% CTR, that means 10% of people who saw your video decided to click on it. The official formula for CTR is number of clicks / number of impressions x 100 = CTR.

Getting a Good Click-Through Rate on YouTube - 6 Powerful Tips

“When videos are recommended to viewers, what do they do with [them]?” Alves says in a Creator Insider 

. “Do they click to watch, do they click 

, do they ignore it and watch something else?”

The algorithm treats CTR like a performance metric. If a video has many 

, it might become a YouTube video suggestion.

Collaborative filtering sounds like some complicated feature of the algorithm, but it’s pretty simple. All it means is that hypothetically, some viewers have so much in common that they’ll enjoy the same videos. To prove this theory, YouTube recommends videos to like-minded viewers until the content starts to underperform.

Gielen explains the YouTube recommendation algorithm like this: “If person A likes something, and person B and person C are similar to person A based on their past actions, [YouTube serves] the video to person B and C.”

Think of collaborative filtering like a virus.

 Every time someone enjoys your content, YouTube recommends it to someone who might feel the same way. The more people you satisfy, the more YouTube recommends your video. 

The algorithm sends your content through this chain of “similar viewers” until the original prediction (that people will enjoy your video) is no longer valid. That's the power of machine learning.

What Matters Most to the YouTube Algorithm

 there’s no such thing as a YouTube algorithm hack.

 If your views skyrocket overnight, it’s not because you learned how to beat the YouTube algorithm.

Instead, you’re getting better at two things:

Understanding which videos your audience likes

Creating videos that satisfy your viewers

More than anything, a satisfied viewer is what creates a YouTube algorithm boost.

Want more tips on how to get recommended on YouTube? Here’s a longer post to help you understand the YouTube algorithm.

Are you confused by the YouTube algorithm? Keep reading to discover six positive metrics that lead to more video suggestions on YouTube.

What the YouTube Algorithm Likes to See on Creators' Videos

. These partnerships are the secret sauce fueling the creator economy. As you make videos, you get to advertise products in exchange for cash on social media.

But pitching brands is hard work. Before you do anything, you need a media kit for branded content. You’ll also spend lots of time crafting emails, figuring out your rates, and avoiding sponsorship scams. Meanwhile, you still have YouTube videos to film and edit.

Getting a Brand Deal on YouTube - 10 Terrible Mistakes to Avoid

Sometimes it’s easier to go in the opposite direction. Instead of looking for companies that sponsor YouTubers, find companies that match creators to brand campaigns. Then you can earn money via product reviews, affiliate marketing deals, and more. All of this is possible with 

How to Get Sponsored by Brands: 11 Companies That Can Help You Out

Are you ready to make money in the influencer economy? Here are 11 companies that connect creators and brands for awesome collaborations.

 is a comprehensive growth service for creators. Go to the website, and you’ll find different “plans” for 

, including services for creating, distributing, and monetizing content. The company will even resolve YouTube strikes for you.

Even with all those perks, we’re most excited about income services at Air Media-Tech. This department barters brand deals for creators, making the YouTube journey a million times easier.

Semaphore specializes in brand integrations, matching brands with digital entrepreneurs. The company has a long list of brand partners, including Disney, Audible, and Nintendo. 

 to see if your channel is a match for Semaphore's services.

 helps creators earn a reliable income through brand sponsorships. According to the website, Makrwatch connects “hundreds of YouTube creators with brands looking to sponsor content.” And that’s every single month. You also can review sponsorship offers and track your earnings with a free Makrwatch account.

Want to forge lasting relationships with brands in your niche?

Tracking the progress of brand sponsorships

Before you sign up, you’ll need to connect your YouTube channel and verify your identity. You also need 

, but the website encourages micro-influencers to apply.

 is for creators who make food, fashion, beauty, or lifestyle content. You’ll partner with brands in those specific niches, making it easier to find authentic sponsorships.

Sign up for a free account, then create a profile.

Add your rates and some information about your personal brand.

Bid on brand opportunities whenever you receive an invite from marketers.

 is a directory for brands looking to partner with creators. It’s mostly for marketers who want to run tons of searches and find channels for specific campaigns.

That might sound tedious, but Channel Pages has many search filters. Anyone can search by niche, channel size, target audience, monthly viewership, subscribers, and more.

Don’t leave any cash behind; make sure your channel is listed in this popular directory for brand campaigns.

Are you tired of looking for brands that will sponsor you? Give 

 a try. This company connects video creators with brands that endorse family content. Imagine a Cheerios ad that features a mom, dad, and two siblings, and you’ve got the right idea.

While the website targets clients (aka brands), Trending Family does have a “creator group” it uses for campaigns.

“Trending Family-Approved creators have all been rigorously vetted against our ever-evolving standards for content quality, digital presence, and influencer fraud. And it should go without saying that our influencers only share content that parents can feel good about co-viewing with their kids.”

We recommend reaching out to Trending Family to learn more.

The website also mentions micro-influencers, so do check it out if you’re seeking 

. That could be a game changer for small channels and nano-influencers.

Spacestation has a cosmic aesthetic, but it’s not a cheesy gimmick. The company genuinely wants to lift creators to new heights via paid sponsorships.

Take a look at the featured collaborations on 

 partner with brands like Polar and Skillshare, respectively. When you’re ready, scroll down a bit farther to submit an inquiry to Spacestation.

Did you know there’s a marketplace just for creators? This digital job board – built by Aspire – is a place for searching and applying to active campaigns. 

Click here to join Aspire’s Creator Marketplace

 connects brands to influencers, and it’s free to sign up and create your profile. Like TapInfluence, Izea specializes in food, fashion, beauty, and lifestyle.

Izea also has Shake, a marketplace for creators of all types. When you sign up as a seller, you can create “Shakes” – ads that showcase your skills and digital services. From there, buyers can view your Shakes and (fingers crossed) purchase your services.

The last company on our list is YouTube itself. The platform has a monetization service called 

, which pairs video creators with brands and their campaigns. The only downside is that 

. That’s going to change in the future, though, so keep an eye out for updates.

In the meantime, make sure you meet the entry-level requirements for this program:

A clean YouTube record (no active Community Guideline strikes)

Additionally, you must be over 18 and live in Canada, the U.S., or the United Kingdom.

These 11 companies will help you get paid brand deals with common YouTube sponsors like Skillshare, Audible, and Blue Apron. But that’s just a tiny sample. 

80% of marketers believe in influencer marketing

, so more companies will embrace YouTube sponsorships.

Now that you know how to get brands to sponsor you, learn three alternative ways to monetize YouTube content.

For some YouTube creators, getting sponsored by brands is a challenge. These 11 media companies are bridging the gap by connecting influencers to paid brand deals. 

11 Companies Matching YouTubers with Amazing Brand Deals

Almost no one watches a YouTube video from start to finish. If the title teases a “juicy” segment, it’s hard not to fast forward or rewind to the good stuff.

Of course, doing all of that with your cursor is a pain. Hovering over the video player to boost the volume is time consuming, as well as skimming frame by frame or searching for YouTube's full-screen mode.

YouTube keyboard shortcuts for Mac and PC

. These 30 functions create a better viewing experience and make YouTube accessible for everyone.

YouTube Keyboard Shortcuts You Need to Know

 to see a list of (most) YouTube keyboard controls.

These YouTube hotkeys will help you view content faster, and we’ve listed them below for convenience.

 to watch the next video in a playlist or the next suggested video.

 to go back to the last video in a playlist.

YouTube frame advance (forward): Pause the video and press “

YouTube frame advance (backward): Pause the video and press “

 to advance by 10% increments. Example: Press nine to go 90% into the video.

Go back to the beginning of a video: Press 

 to increase video volume by 5%, and press the 

Turn captions and subtitles on/off: Press 

Change the transparency of caption backgrounds: Press 

YouTube Spherical Video Controls (360 VR)

Did you know there are several YouTube keyboard shortcuts? Whether you’re a video creator or casual viewer, you need these game changers in your life. Keep reading for a list of handy shortcuts.

Posts Written By Lydia Sweatt

YouTube Channel Analytics: The 6 Most Important Video Metrics

YouTube Collabs: 6 Tips for an Awesome Video Project

What the YouTube Algorithm Likes to See on Creators' Videos

11 Companies Matching YouTubers with Amazing Brand Deals

30 YouTube Keyboard Shortcuts to Save Yourself Some Time

Creator Economy Cash: 3 Unique Ways to Repurpose YouTube Content

YouTube Thumbnail Guide: 9 Ways to Boost Click-Through Rate

Is Your YouTube Channel on Track to Become a Business? Here are 5 Positive Signs

How to Choose the Best Niche for Your YouTube Channel

How to Reach 1 Million YouTube Subscribers In 5 Years or Less

5 Things to Remember When Your YouTube Channel Isn’t Growing

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