A view on YouTube is counted when a video has been watched for at least 30 seconds. This applies to both desktop and mobile views. Simply clicking on a video and letting it play for less than 30 seconds will not add to the view count.
What qualifies as a view?
For a view to be counted on YouTube, the following criteria must be met:
- The video must be played for a minimum of 30 seconds continuously.
- Views are counted when the video plays on any YouTube platform like the website, mobile app or TV app.
- The video must be played in full. Simply scrolling through or skipping around does not count as a view.
- The viewer is not required to watch the full video. As long as any 30 second clip within the video is played, it counts as a view.
- Views are counted whether the video is played in full screen or minimized as long as it’s visible.
So in summary, a view is counted when:
- The video has been played for over 30 seconds continuously.
- It occurs on any YouTube platform like website, mobile or TV app.
- Any 30 second clip within the video is played.
- It plays in full screen or minimized view as long as it’s visible.
What does not count as a view?
The following actions do NOT constitute a view:
- Clicking on the video but not actually playing it.
- Refreshing the video page.
- Looping the same short segment of the video.
- Playing multiple short clips less than 30 seconds.
- Minimizing the video outside of the visible area.
- Playing the video in the background tab while browsing elsewhere.
- Bots and automated views are also filtered out.
Essentially, any playback that is less than 30 continuous seconds or intended to artificially inflate view count is not considered a valid view.
How does YouTube count views?
YouTube uses sophisticated algorithms and filtering processes to ensure view counts remain accurate. Here is a brief overview of how it works:
- The raw view data is registered from all platforms.
- Filters remove invalid views like bots, fake views, etc.
- Additional verification checks are run.
- After processing, valid views are added to the official public view count.
This process means view counts fluctuate initially as YouTube’s systems work to filter out invalid views. The speed of the process depends on the volume of traffic on the video.
For very popular videos, it can take up to 48 hours for view counts to stabilize. On average though, view counts accurately reflect valid views within the first 24 hours.
Why do view counts freeze sometimes?
Sometimes the view count may seem frozen for a period even as people are actively watching the video. This happens when there is a sudden surge in traffic on the video.
YouTube’s processing and filtering systems work hard to verify all the incoming traffic. To prevent inflating view counts through artificial spikes, the public view counter freezes temporarily.
Once systems have had time to properly verify and process the surge in raw traffic, the view count will start updating again. Just allow up to 24-48 hours for counts to stabilize after viral spikes.
Can you buy views on YouTube?
There are sites claiming to sell YouTube views. However, this is against YouTube’s terms of service and could result in penalization. Purchased views also run the risk of being filtered out and removed by YouTube’s algorithms.
The best way to get more views organically is to optimize your content for discovery – attractive thumbnails, compelling titles, good description, and relevant quality content that provides value to viewers.
How many views equals a good video?
There is no magic number for what counts as a “good” amount of views. A few factors determine whether a view count is decent or not:
- Type of content – Certain topics like music, gaming and viral content tend to get more views.
- Age of the video – Older videos have longer to accumulate views.
- Quality of content – Higher quality typically attracts more engagement.
- Size of channel – Bigger channels have more existing subscribers.
As a benchmark, for newer videos from smaller channels, view counts in the low hundreds can be considered good. For established channels, view counts in the thousands are more typical.
Focus less on comparing view counts. Just aim to make the highest quality content you can. The views will follow.
Tips to get more YouTube views
Getting views on YouTube is very competitive. Here are some top tips to get your videos seen:
- Optimize titles, descriptions and tags for maximum SEO value.
- Create custom thumbnails that make people click.
- Promote new uploads on social media.
- Engage with viewers in comments.
- Make content on trending topics and news that goes viral.
- Collaborate with other creators for cross-promotion.
- Analyze high-performing competitors in your niche.
- Publish content consistently – at least once a week.
It takes time to build an audience on YouTube. But using smart SEO strategies and consistently publishing engaging content optimized for discovery will steadily grow your views over time.
Other YouTube metrics to track besides views
While view count is the most common metric, there are other important YouTube stats you should monitor to assess video performance:
- Watch time – Total time viewers spent watching your video.
- Audience retention – Percentage of video watched before viewers click away.
- Traffic sources – Where views are coming from – YouTube search, suggested videos, external sites.
- Engagement – Likes, dislikes, comments are key engagement metrics.
- Subscribers – Tracking new subscribers gained from each video.
Optimizing these additional factors beyond just view counts will help improve YouTube algorithm ranking and grow your channel.
In conclusion
Counting views on YouTube is a nuanced process. At its core, a view is counted when at least 30 continuous seconds of a video is watched on any YouTube platform. Complex filtering removes invalid views to maintain accuracy.
Focus on creating high-quality content optimized for discovery. Views will come through consistent effort and audience-building over time. Track all key metrics like watch time, traffic sources and engagement to make data-driven optimizations.
YouTube rewards patience and persistence. Stay committed to your channel and audience for the best chance of YouTube success.
