YouTube Engagement Rate
Calculator

A good engagement rate on YouTube typically ranges from 2-6% for overall engagement (likes + comments / views). For like rates specifically, 4-8% is considered healthy, while comment rates of 0.5-2% indicate an active community. Top-performing videos can achieve engagement rates of 8-12% or higher, especially in niches with passionate audiences like gaming or education.

The most common formula is: (Likes + Comments) / Views x 100. For a more complete picture, include shares: (Likes + Comments + Shares) / Views x 100. You can also calculate individual metrics like Like Rate (Likes/Views x 100) or Comment Rate (Comments/Views x 100) to understand which types of engagement you're strongest in.

Sudden engagement drops can be caused by several factors: 1) Algorithm pushing your content to new, less engaged audiences, 2) Content shift that doesn't resonate with your core audience, 3) Posting at sub-optimal times, 4) Longer videos where viewers don't reach the CTA, 5) Increased competition in your niche. Analyze your audience retention graphs to find where viewers drop off.

Yes, but less than you might think. While YouTube hid public dislike counts in 2021, they still track dislikes internally. A heavily disliked video may get fewer recommendations. However, any engagement (including dislikes) can signal that your content provokes strong reactions, which isn't always bad. Focus on creating quality content rather than obsessing over dislikes.

To boost comments: 1) Ask specific, easy-to-answer questions, 2) Create slightly controversial or debatable content, 3) Respond to comments quickly (first 2 hours are crucial), 4) Pin engaging comments to encourage more, 5) Feature top comments in future videos, 6) Run polls or ask for viewer opinions on future content. The key is making commenting feel rewarding for viewers.

Both matter, but for different reasons. Views indicate reach and ad revenue potential, while engagement rate signals content quality and audience loyalty. For long-term growth, engagement rate is arguably more important because it affects how YouTube recommends your content. A video with 10K views and 8% engagement will often lead to more growth than one with 100K views and 0.5% engagement.

The optimal time to ask for engagement is after you've delivered significant value - typically 30-60% through your video. Asking at the very beginning feels pushy since you haven't earned it yet. The sweet spot is right after an "aha moment" or valuable insight when viewers are most satisfied. Some creators also add a reminder at the end, but early-video CTAs convert better since many viewers don't watch to the end.

Yes, shares are tracked by YouTube and are a strong engagement signal. When viewers share your video externally (WhatsApp, Twitter, email, etc.), it brings new traffic to YouTube, which the platform rewards with increased recommendations. Shares are often undervalued but can be more impactful than likes because they indicate viewers found your content worth recommending to others.

Engagement indirectly affects monetization through increased recommendations (more views = more ad revenue) and sponsor appeal (brands prefer engaged audiences). Higher engagement often correlates with longer watch times, which means more mid-roll ad opportunities. For sponsorships, an engagement rate of 4%+ makes you more attractive to brands than a larger channel with 1% engagement.

Click-Through Rate (CTR) measures how often people click your thumbnail from impressions (on home page, search, etc.). Engagement rate measures how viewers interact after clicking (likes, comments, shares). CTR gets people TO your video; engagement keeps YouTube recommending it. Both are important - high CTR with low engagement suggests clickbait, while low CTR with high engagement means great content that isn't being discovered.

Generally, no. Deleting videos rarely helps and can hurt. Low-performing videos don't significantly drag down your channel - YouTube evaluates videos individually. Instead, focus on creating better new content. The only exception might be if a video has extremely negative engagement (massive dislikes, harmful comments) or violates guidelines. Otherwise, let old videos potentially find their audience over time.

Shorts typically have different engagement patterns than long-form. They often get higher like rates (easy quick tap) but lower comment rates (less time to think). Shorts are measured separately in analytics. For channel health, don't compare Shorts engagement directly to long-form. A Shorts strategy focused on awareness can feed into long-form content with deeper engagement.

Absolutely yes. Bought subscribers are "dead" - they never watch or engage with your content. This tanks your engagement rate because your denominator (subscriber count) grows while engagement stays flat. YouTube also detects fake subscribers and may penalize your channel. It's far better to have 1,000 real subscribers who engage than 50,000 fake ones who don't.

Brands typically look for minimum 3-4% engagement for consideration, with 5-8%+ being highly attractive. More important than the rate itself is showing consistent engagement across multiple videos. Brands also look at comment quality - thoughtful comments from real fans are more valuable than emoji spam. Smaller channels with 8%+ engagement often command higher per-view rates than large channels with 1% engagement.

This calculator uses standard industry formulas to compute engagement rates. The calculations are mathematically accurate based on the numbers you input. For real engagement data, always cross-reference with YouTube Studio Analytics. Note that YouTube tracks additional engagement signals internally (saves, playlist adds, end screen clicks) that aren't publicly available but affect recommendations.