YouTube Analytics: what each number means
Where to find it, what views, watch time, impressions and click-through rate measure now, and which numbers to act on.
First brand read free. No filming.
The short answer
YouTube Analytics is in YouTube Studio under Analytics, with tabs for Overview, Content, Audience, Trends and, for Partner Program members, Revenue. Since 24 August 2026 a view counts from the first frame on every format, so engaged views (people who watched past the first seconds) and watch time are the better measures of interest. YouTube says half of channels have an impressions click-through rate between 2% and 10%.
Updated
Read it in this order
- 01
Open Analytics
In YouTube Studio, Analytics in the left menu for the channel; for one video, Content, then Analytics on that video.
- 02
Impressions and click-through rate
Did people who saw the thumbnail click? An impression counts when at least half the thumbnail shows for over a second on YouTube.
- 03
Engaged views and stayed to watch
Did they stay past the first seconds? For Shorts, stayed to watch is the share of times viewers kept watching.
- 04
Watch time and average view duration
How long they stayed. Average view duration is calculated from engaged views.
- 05
New and returning viewers
Are people coming back? Returning viewers are the clearest sign the channel is building an audience.
The sources
Read on 9 October 2026. YouTube says it is gradually rolling out an updated Studio from July 2026, so tab names may shift.
Engaged views, explained
“Starting August 24, 2026, views across YouTube are counted from the first frame going forward.”
Source: blog.youtube, read Invalid Date
- Says
- Views vs engaged views
- Page
- YouTube Official Blog
- Date
- 19 August 2026
Impressions and click-through rate
“Half of all channels and videos on YouTube have an impressions CTR that can range between 2% and 10%.”
Source: support.google.com, read Invalid Date
- Says
- CTR benchmark
- Page
- YouTube Help
- Date
- Read 9 October 2026
What counts as an impression
Thumbnail shown for more than 1 second with at least 50% visible, on YouTube.
Source: support.google.com, read Invalid Date
- Says
- Impression definition
- Page
- YouTube Help
- Date
- Read 9 October 2026
Analytics basics
Overview, Content, Audience, Revenue and Trends tabs.
Source: support.google.com, read Invalid Date
- Says
- Where things are
- Page
- YouTube Help
- Date
- Read 9 October 2026
The tabs
Overview
The headline numbers and Realtime: your top videos in the last 60 minutes and 48 hours.
Content
Performance by format: videos, Shorts, live and posts.
Audience
Who watches, when they are on YouTube, what else they watch and which formats they prefer.
Trends
What your audience and viewers across YouTube are searching for, including content gaps.
Revenue
Earnings, for YouTube Partner Program members only.
Read next
Your questions, answered
Short answers to what people ask next.
Sign in to YouTube Studio and select Analytics in the left menu. For one video, open Content, point at the video and select Analytics.
YouTube says half of all channels and videos have an impressions CTR between 2% and 10%. Compare a video with your own channel’s usual rate.
Since 24 August 2026 a view counts from the first frame. An engaged view means someone clicked to watch or watched past the first seconds, and it is what YouTube Partner Program earnings use.
The percentage of times viewers kept watching a Short past its first seconds instead of moving on.
The one that matches your problem: impressions CTR if few people click, stayed to watch and average view duration if they leave early, returning viewers if nobody comes back.
Yes. Percify makes a short video for your brand every day and posts the ones you approve to YouTube and up to nine other platforms.