What Are YouTube Views?

There are over 2 billion videos on YouTube, which is why views are a vital metric for marketers to track. Views influence the algorithm that YouTube uses to promote your video and get it in front of more people, and they are an indicator that someone is engaged with your content. However, the nuances of what counts as a view can be difficult to pin down and can change at any time.

In general, a view is defined as a viewer-initiated intended play of your video for at least 30 seconds. This includes replays, rewatches, and even watching your video in a playlist or on a social network like Facebook. Views also count when your video is embedded or shared, but the number of unique viewers is only updated every day or two (this can be seen in YouTube analytics).

Ultimately, it’s important to remember that just because a video is viewed doesn’t necessarily mean that it was watched by a qualified audience. The best way to bring new eyes to your content is to rank highly in YouTube search results, which will expose your video to a wider, more relevant audience.

One of the most effective strategies to do this is by optimizing your video’s description. The first 200 characters will be displayed in search results, so it’s crucial that your description is filled out correctly. This should include keywords that are relevant to the video and be written in a way that grabs the attention of viewers. It can also help to include a call to action at the end of your video, such as asking viewers to subscribe or visit your website. YouTube views