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How can I access YouTube analytics?

To begin, you’ll need to access your YouTube Analytics Dashboard , by clicking your profile photo at the top of any YouTube page and then clicking “YouTube Studio beta.”

You’ll then be taken to the YouTube Studio dashboard. Click “Analytics”, located in the left-hand sidebar.

There are four tabs at the top of your YouTube Analytics dashboard style=”font weight: 400 ;”>,. There are four tabs: the first one is an overview. The next three tabs contain YouTube analytics metrics that relate to your goals.

Overview
Reach
Engagement
Audience

Click on any of the YouTube metrics to learn more.

New YouTube Studio and old Creator Studio

Before diving into YouTube metrics, it is important to note that the platform recently upgraded their analytics from Creator Studio beta to YouTube Studio beta, which is much more intuitive and easier to use.

You’ll be taken directly to the new YouTube Studio Dashboard instead of the old Creator Studio Dashboard when you log in. In the left column, you can access the Creator Studio features. You can choose from:

Playlists
Live events
Watch the live stream
Translation
Monetization
Status
Audio library
Customize the channel
VR Heatmaps

At the bottom of this page, you can switch to Creator Studio Classic.

This image shows the old Creator studio.

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To return to the latest version of YouTube Analytics, click on the Back to Studio Beta button at the top left of the sidebar menu.

YouTube Analytics: 10 ways to improve video performance

We’ll discuss what metrics you should track now that you understand how to navigate YouTube Analytics. Here are the 10 most important YouTube KPIs you should be measuring.

1. Watch the time

It’s hard to deny that video views are an important metric for determining a video’s success. They’re not the only thing to consider.

Views are not enough to provide the information you need to change your video strategy.

It’s better to concentrate on the watch time.

The estimated total number of minutes spent by people viewing your content is called the watch time. YouTube uses this metric in order to predict and measure the performance of your channel or video.

The YouTube Analytics Overview Tab

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Why is Watch Time such a high priority on YouTube? It’s the best way to determine how valuable and engaging a video really is.

It makes sense when you think about it: Does a View count if the viewer wasn’t interested in watching until the end of the video?

YouTube’s algorithm is based on the watch time of users.

The goal is to make viewers spend more time watching videos. The best way to achieve this is to create better videos, which people will want to watch.

2. Audience retention

You want to make your video more engaging, but how?

You should start by analyzing how each of your videos is able to hold people’s interest. You can then identify what works, and what does not.

Enter audience retention.

This metric lets you know the quality of views. You can use it to find out where the people stopped watching the video.

Below is a graph showing the audience retention dropping throughout a video. The video was five minutes, 27 seconds, but the average time people watched it was three minutes, 50 seconds. This is about 70% of the entire video.

This tool shows you the percentage of viewers who leave the video by moving the red line along the graph.

You can then see where your video lost the audience’s attention and identify what might have caused them leave. This will help you avoid making that mistake again in future videos.

Did you, for example, say something boring or offensive that didn’t match the taste of your audience? The video may lose its momentum or get off topic. This could cause them to lose their interest.

Before this point, you can add a YouTube card with a CTA to capture even more leads.

But That’s Not All.

You can also determine which parts of the video best capture people’s attention, and what was happening in the video during that particular moment. Then you can replicate that success in future videos.

It’s not surprising that YouTube’s algorithm prefers channels with a high retention rate.

You can also see the relative audience retention in addition to standard audience retention.

This tells you how many viewers each of your YouTube videos has compared to similar-length videos on YouTube.

Let’s go back to the example above. Although 70% is not ideal, it is above average. Most five-minute videos do not reach the 70% mark. Not bad.

3. Real-time Report

You can measure views immediately after you upload your videos with the Real-Time Report. Views from the last 48 hours or the last 60 Minutes can be seen for your entire channel, or specific videos.

These YouTube statistics aren’t only exciting to look at.

YouTube’s real-time reports can help you identify spikes in traffic, and correlate them with real-time events.

Say, for example, that you upload a video to Facebook but the views don’t increase. You post your video to Twitter 20 minutes later and you see a dramatic increase in views. Now you know that the Twitter audience is more open to this particular content than Facebook’s audience.

You can assume, if this trend continues that Twitter users prefer video content to Facebook users.

By leveraging their interests, you can capitalize on the information.

You may also notice an increase in views you cannot explain. After a bit of research, you might find out that an influential person or popular blog shared your video.

Then you can engage their audience and ride the wave.

4. Audience demographics

Researching your audience is crucial to marketing success.

It’s important to understand who you are creating content, products and services for. You can then tailor your efforts according to their exact needs and wants.

The Demographics tab of your YouTube Analytics tool has a wealth of information on YouTube audiences. These metrics can help you better understand the type of person who is watching your video.

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These simple graphs from YouTube allow you to determine your audience’s gender and age, as well as their device, location, etc. You can then use this information to create better targeted marketing campaigns.

Location is a key factor for any ecommerce business.

If you are Dropshipping , you may find a large audience in a country that you don’t currently serve.

5. Traffic sources

It is important to understand where the majority of your traffic originates.

By doing so, you can avoid wasting your resources on low traffic sources and focus on those that are effective.

YouTube Analytics is easy to use.

Click on the graphs to get more information.

The second chart breaks down external traffic sources even further.

You can use this information.

You may, for example, find that your traffic source is not performing well. You can then cut your losses and redirect the resources to a more effective channel.

You may choose to increase your resources in a particular traffic source if you notice that it is growing.

You may also find that you are not focusing enough on one of your sources, but it is still a very strong source. It would be a great opportunity to increase views by dedicating more time and resource.

6. Impressions Click-through Rates

First, let’s look at the variables involved:

Impressions: When one of your videos appears as a thumbnail on the screen of a YouTube user, that is an impression. The data on impressions will help you to understand what videos are the most popular and why. You may be able, for example, to determine whether a particular format or format has a higher success rate or if it has an unusually high or low impressions reach.
Impressions Click-through Rate (CTR): Impressions CTR shows the percentage of impressions which resulted in views. It shows the number of people who clicked on your thumbnail.

YouTube Analytics shows you a simple graph that shows how many views are generated from impressions, and how these views relate to the watch time.

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Impressions click-through rate is a measure of your video’s appeal to people. It measures how well it can entice them to click and watch your video.

If you get a high click-through, it means your title and thumbnail are good and that the topic is popular with YouTube users.

Let’s take a look at one common pitfall.

Let’s say you have a very high click-through ratio, resulting in a lot of views. However, your average viewing duration is low.

This bad

This means that you’ve captured attention but could not hold it. This is often the case with clickbait video.

Check your video title and thumbnail if this happens. They could be misleading.

You don’t want to mislead your viewers.

7. Card click through rates

Cards can be used to motivate viewers to perform a specific action.

You can use them to promote another channel, playlists, polls and videos.

This image shows an example YouTube Card:

YouTube Analytics lets you view the click-through rates for each card. You can use this information to identify the CTAs that resonate with your audience. Use more of the CTAs that perform best in future videos.

8. Likes and dislikes

The Likes and Dislikes are a simple and quick way to measure audience feedback.

You want to minimize dislikes, but remember that they are inevitable. Instead of viewing dislikes as an omen of doom it is important to look at them in relation to the number likes you receive. This is a more practical and helpful approach.

Ask yourself these questions if you notice that one of your videos is receiving a lot dislikes:

Does the title and thumbnail accurately reflect the video content?
Does the content match my target audience?
Is the video of poor quality production?
Do you disagree with the content of the video?

Checking your comments is a great way to find out about possible issues. It’s not always necessary to use your Sherlock Holmes skills. Sometimes it is right in front of you. Direct feedback from your audience is the best.

Just like YouTube SEO, social media sharing can be a major factor in the success of videos.

YouTube analytics tools allow you to see how your videos have been shared on different social media channels .

YouTube Analytics allows you to view the number shares received by your channel over time or for each video.

YouTube Analytics shows you the locations of these shares:

10. Subscriber Rate

YouTube metrics show how well your channel performs consistently. After all, they’re your regular subscribers.

You should monitor the growth or decline of your subscribers .

This simple metric will allow you to measure the reach of your entire channel. It also helps you understand the impact of each video on gaining or loosing Subscribers.

You can take advantage of a video or topic that results in more subscribers.

You can avoid a particular topic in the future if it is not performing well and you are losing subscribers.

Conclusion

YouTube Analytics provides a wealth of useful insights you can use to enhance your videos and grow the channel.

You might find it intimidating at first but a simple introduction will help you master YouTube data analysis.

YouTube’s algorithm rewards viewers who watch for a long time. The best advice we can give is to keep viewers interested and returning for more.

Even if you are achieving your goals, this is a process that shouldn’t stop. Top YouTube performers are constantly analyzing their YouTube Analytics metrics in order to determine what works and what doesn’t, as well as how to close the gap.

What metric from this list do you find most useful? Tell us in the comments!

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Table of Contents

How can I access YouTube analytics?

New YouTube Studio and old Creator Studio

YouTube Analytics: 10 ways to improve video performance

1. Watch the time

2. Audience retention

3. Real-time Report

4. Audience demographics

5. Traffic sources

6. Impressions Click-through Rates

7. Card click through rates

8. Likes and dislikes

9. Shares of Social Media

10. Subscriber Rate

Conclusion

Do you want to learn more?

Author: Thomas J Law

Are You a Business Solution or B2B Service Pro?