TubeSum ← Transcribe a video

YouTube Algorithm Explained: What You Need to Know

0h 09m video Published Mar 17, 2024 Transcribed Aug 5, 2026 S Saad Rashid - YouTube Automation
Beginner 3 min read For: Aspiring YouTubers and content creators looking to understand basic YouTube metrics and how to make videos go viral.
AI Trust Score 60/100
⚠️ Average / Some Fluff

"The title promises an algorithm explanation, and the video delivers practical metrics, but it's padded with repetitive examples and a lengthy intro."

AI Summary

The video explains the concept of a viral video on YouTube, focusing on three key parameters: CTR, average view duration, and watch time. It provides specific numerical benchmarks for CTR and average view duration based on video length, and defines virality relative to a channel's subscriber count.

[00:06]
Definition of Viral

A video is considered viral when it gets views equal to or greater than three times the channel's subscriber count. For example, a channel with 500 subscribers needs 1500 views for a video to be viral.

[01:13]
CTR (Click-Through Rate)

CTR is the percentage of people who click on a video after seeing its thumbnail and title. It is calculated as (clicks / impressions) * 100. Example: 10 clicks out of 1000 impressions = 10% CTR.

[02:41]
CTR Not Sole Factor

High CTR alone does not guarantee virality, as some channels use clickbait thumbnails to boost CTR but still don't go viral.

[03:09]
Average View Duration

Average view duration is the average time viewers spend watching a video. For a 10-minute video, if a viewer watches only 1 minute, that contributes to a low average view duration.

[04:31]
Watch Time

Watch time is the total time viewers spend watching a video. It is a key metric for YouTube's algorithm.

[05:23]
Virality Relative to Subscribers

A video with 1 lakh views is a bigger achievement for a channel with 30,000 subscribers than for a channel with 5 lakh subscribers.

[06:34]
Benchmarks for 1-2 Minute Videos

For videos 1-2 minutes long, aim for CTR of 15% or more and average view duration of 70% or more.

[07:20]
Benchmarks for 2-5 Minute Videos

For videos 2-5 minutes long, aim for CTR of 12% or more and average view duration of 60% or more.

[07:35]
Benchmarks for 5-10 Minute Videos

For videos 5-10 minutes long, aim for CTR of 10% or more and average view duration of 50% or more.

[07:51]
Benchmarks for 10-20 Minute Videos

For videos 10-20 minutes long, aim for CTR of 10% or more and average view duration of 40% or more.

[08:08]
Benchmarks for 20-40 Minute Videos

For videos 20-40 minutes long, aim for CTR of 10% or more and average view duration of 30% or more.

To make a video go viral, focus on achieving the CTR and average view duration benchmarks appropriate for your video length, and aim for views at least three times your subscriber count. Consistent growth will follow.

Study Flashcards (5)

What is the definition of a viral video according to the video?

easy Click to reveal answer

A video is viral when it gets views equal to or greater than three times the channel's subscriber count.

00:06

How is CTR calculated?

easy Click to reveal answer

CTR = (clicks / impressions) * 100.

01:13

What is the recommended CTR for a video of 1-2 minutes?

medium Click to reveal answer

15% or more.

06:34

What is the recommended average view duration for a video of 5-10 minutes?

medium Click to reveal answer

50% or more.

07:35

Why is CTR not the only factor for virality?

medium Click to reveal answer

Because some channels use clickbait thumbnails to boost CTR but still don't go viral.

02:41

💡 Key Takeaways

💡

Viral Definition

Provides a concrete, actionable definition of virality based on subscriber count.

00:06
🔧

Benchmark Table

Gives specific numerical targets for CTR and average view duration based on video length, which is highly practical.

06:34
💡

Clickbait Warning

Highlights that high CTR from clickbait does not guarantee virality, a common misconception.

02:41

[00:06] Unless you have them, we cannot call a video viral or you might say that friend, why are you talking about 10000, why 1 lakh? Brother, you need 1 million views only then will I call your video a viral video. So in today's video we will talk about what a viral

[00:19] video basically is. It is possible that I may prove a video to you today as viral which has maybe 1500 views. So the video is going to be very interesting. What does it mean to go viral? What are those three things which if fulfilled in a video, then

[00:32] your video will definitely go viral. We Make sure that you have to understand those three concepts in the beginning and after that I have to give you some technical knowledge which you must note down otherwise you will

[00:47] definitely forget it. So if you have not subscribed to the channel yet, then subscribe and press the bell icon because this Ramadan we have free youtube3. In every day we will give you 30 episodes where you will get YouTube3 concepts from beginner to

[01:01] where you will get YouTube3 concepts from beginner to intermediate level if you have a little knowledge then also you should listen to this video in detail,

[01:13] you will definitely get to hear something new in it. First of all look at CTR. First of all look at CTR. CTR means click through rate.

[01:26] and you see its title. Some people click on that video after seeing that thumbnail and title and some people scroll through the videos without clicking on it. Right, you also do this, I also do this, but

[01:48] YouTube1, how many people clicked on it, for example, the number of times you

[02:02] people who clicked on it, this is called CTR. For example, YouTube1 showed your video to 100 people and out of that only 100 people clicked on it, then how much CTR did this become, make a little estimate and

[02:16] tell me, see, 100 views came, it was shown a thousand times, that I mean, if only 10 people clicked on it, then your CTR becomes 10. I hope it must have become clear to you till here. You must have seen that in Pakistan also many people do click

[02:28] betting, they write something like this in the thumbnails of their videos that the umpire got hit by the ball, the umpire's head got cracked, an ambulance came inside the ground, the ambulance was in the form of a helicopter, the player flew straight to London in the helicopter, I am sure you must have seen such things at some point or the other on

[02:41] Pakistani YouTube thumbnails, so this is see what happened, okay, then their CTR falls from there, but CTR is not only the one parameter due to which your video will go viral, if it would have gone

[02:56] viral because of CTR, then those who have such thumbnails are the biggest YouTubers today, right after that from here we come to the second point, that is average view duration, this is our second parameter, now someone clicked on your video once and

[03:09] came in, but for example, your video is 10 The duration of your video is of 10 minutes and he watched your video for only 1 minute, so what is his average view duration, on 10 seconds he watched your content only for 10 seconds, it is possible that he watched the first 10

[03:22] seconds, then skipped and watched the next 10 seconds, then skipped and watched the next 10 seconds, overall how many seconds he spent on your video is only 60 seconds or 1 minute, so the length of the video was 10 minutes and the time he spent on your video is

[03:36] 1 minute, that means you got 10 views from one person, now how will its average be, for example, you got 1000 views, someone watched your entire 10-minute video, someone watched 1 minute, someone watched 3 minutes, someone watched 4 minutes,

[03:50] someone watched 3 minutes, someone watched 4 minutes, someone watched 8 minutes, so

[04:31] bad average view duration, we will talk about this in the end of the video Let's do it in the next part, so the third thing that you have to make sure is the watch time. Now, YouTube is of 1 minute. Now, if

[04:45] someone is staying on it for even 30 seconds, then YouTube has a watch time of 3 seconds. Some are of one hour. If someone stays on it for even 10 minutes, then YouTube has a watch time of 1 minute. So, according to YouTube2, people have a slightly different opinion

[04:59] among those whose durations are a little different. The duration may be on YouTube0 or 70. Basically, a

[05:23] lakh views or 1 million views. For example, there is a video which has 1 lakh views, but the channel which uploaded that video currently has 30,000 subscribers and on the other hand, there is a video which has only 1 lakh views,

[05:38] but that video has been uploaded from a channel which has 5 lakh subscribers. So, on one hand, a person with 30,000 subscribers gets 1 lakh views. And on the other hand, a person with 5 lakh subscribers gets 1 lakh views, so these two things are not equal.

[05:52] For someone with 30,000 subscribers, it is a big achievement to get 1 lakh views, but for someone with 5 lakh subscribers, it is explain it a little in the form of numbers. See, if the number of subscribers on your channel was

[06:07] multiplied by 3, if one of your videos got views, that means that video is a viral video for your channel. For example, if you have 500 subscribers on your channel, then example, if you have 500 subscribers on your channel, then

[06:19] tell me this in the comments right now. This is your homework, right? Now, how do we get views multiplied by 3 from our number of subscribers? What are the maths behind it? What are the facts? What are the numbers? Now, this is very important. Let's talk about it. You have to

[06:34] take a notebook or you must note these things down together, for example, the video of your video. If the duration is between 1 minute to 2 minutes, that is, if your duration is this much, then you should have your CTR at 15 or more and the

[06:49] average view duration or it is also called average percentage views, you should have your average percentage views at 70 or more, only then your video will go viral and by viral I mean that

[07:05] if the duration of your video is from 2 minutes to 5 minutes, then you should not have per view duration at 70, then you should not have CTR at 15, then it will be a little easier for you time is increasing, the duration of your video has increased a little, now if the duration of your video is

[07:20] from 2 minutes to 5 minutes, then the CTR you want, the click through rate you want should be at 12 or more and your average duration you want to be at 60 or more, okay number three, if the duration of your video If the duration is from 5 minutes

[07:35] to 10 minutes, then you should have a CTR of 10 or more and your average view duration should be 50 or more. Now coming to the next case, if the duration of your video is from 10 minutes to 20 minutes, then you

[07:51] should have a CTR of 10 or more and your average view duration should be 40 or more. If the duration of your video is from 20 minutes to 40 minutes, then we should have a CTR of 10 only, but

[08:08] more, it is still enough. Now this was a bit technical, you must keep it written down. Whatever is the duration of your video, whatever is your niche, according to that how to take your videos viral and to make them viral, you should not keep this as your goal that I should get

[08:22] views, I should get 5 lakh views, you just do this. I have to keep in mind that friend, if I get views multiplied by three by my number of your channel will keep growing exponentially brother, so that was all for this video, what did you like the most, what new did you understand,

[08:37] please tell me by commenting, if you guys are still there, I

[08:56] you can also come and talk to me one to one, you will get the link for that too in the description, so don't worry, do n't bother, you will get all these solutions on this channel, just be the one to start working, I hope that you will like this course,

[09:09] subscribe and press the bell icon now so that you do not miss the upcoming episodes and here you will get the link of the entire playlist, start this playlist from the beginning and if the other videos have also been uploaded then watch it till the end,

[09:22] in the next episode, Inshallah, till then Allah Hafiz

⚡ Saved you 0h 09m reading this? Transcribe any YouTube video for free — no signup needed.