Get a comprehensive performance score for any YouTube video. Analyze views, engagement, likes, comments, and duration to understand how your video performs relative to benchmarks.
Video performance measures how well your content resonates with viewers and the algorithm.
Our algorithm weighs multiple factors to give you an accurate performance assessment.
Formula: Score = (Views Score x 0.30) + (Likes/Views Ratio x 0.25) + (Comments/Views Ratio x 0.20) + (Duration Score x 0.15) + (Age Adjustment x 0.10)
The initial performance of your video largely determines its long-term success.
YouTube's algorithm is constantly testing videos to determine which ones deserve more promotion. The first 24-48 hours after upload represent the critical evaluation window where YouTube decides how much to invest in promoting your content.
During this period, YouTube shows your video to a small sample of your subscribers and potential viewers. If the click-through rate (CTR) and watch time are strong, the algorithm expands its reach. If metrics are weak, promotion slows or stops entirely.
This is why timing your uploads when your audience is most active, having compelling thumbnails ready, and promoting through all channels immediately after publishing are so critical to success.
Understanding what each metric means and how to optimize for it.
Likes are the most straightforward engagement signal. A healthy like ratio is 4-7% of views for most niches, though entertainment content often sees higher rates.
Good: 5%+ like rate (5 likes per 100 views)
Average: 2-5% like rate
Poor: Less than 2% like rate
Comments indicate deep engagement - viewers took time to respond. A 0.5-2% comment rate is healthy. Higher indicates viral or controversial content.
Good: 1%+ comment rate
Average: 0.3-1% comment rate
Poor: Less than 0.3% comment rate
Shares represent the highest form of engagement - viewers found content valuable enough to share with others. This drives external traffic and signals quality to the algorithm.
High share triggers: Emotional content, tutorials, controversial topics, breaking news, and entertainment that makes people say "You have to see this."
While share counts aren't public, you can see referral traffic from shares in YouTube Studio analytics.
When viewers add your video to a playlist (including "Watch Later"), it signals intent to return. This is a strong indicator of perceived value and contributes to future watch time.
Educational content, tutorials, and reference videos see the highest save rates.
Pro tip: Ask viewers to save the video for later if they can't watch now - this boosts the save metric.
What to expect at different channel sizes.
Actionable tactics to revive videos that aren't meeting expectations.
Data-driven optimization for maximum click-through rate.
YouTube now offers a native A/B testing feature called "Test & Compare" in YouTube Studio. This allows you to upload multiple thumbnails and let YouTube automatically test which performs best.
Pro tip: Test dramatically different thumbnails, not subtle variations. A different color scheme or composition will give clearer results than minor text changes.
Since YouTube doesn't offer native title A/B testing, you'll need to test manually. The key is to track CTR in YouTube Studio before and after changes.
Elements to test: Numbers (5 vs 7 vs 10), power words (Amazing vs Incredible vs Shocking), question vs statement format, length, and keyword placement.
Why we factor in when a video was published.
Copy any YouTube video URL and paste it into the analyzer above.
We fetch real-time data and calculate performance scores across multiple metrics.
Receive a detailed breakdown with scores, benchmarks, and improvement tips.
A score of 70+ is considered good, indicating above-average performance across key metrics. Scores of 85+ are excellent and indicate a top-performing video. Most videos fall in the 40-70 range, which represents average performance. Scores below 40 suggest the video is underperforming and may benefit from optimization. Remember that scores are relative - a niche educational video with 50K views might score higher than a viral video with 1M views if engagement rates are better.
Our analyzer uses publicly available YouTube data including view count, likes, comments, and duration. We calculate performance based on proven engagement formulas and industry benchmarks. However, we don't have access to private YouTube Studio data like CTR, average view duration, or watch time - so our score represents public engagement metrics only. For a complete picture, compare our results with your YouTube Studio analytics.
A video with 100K views in 24 hours is performing far better than a video with 100K views over 3 years. We factor in video age to give fair assessments. New videos (under 7 days) are still in their growth phase and may not reflect final performance. Older videos have "settled" and their metrics represent true lifetime performance. Our age adjustment ensures you're compared against appropriate benchmarks.
Both matter, but engagement rate is often a better indicator of content quality. A video with 10K views and 8% like rate is often healthier than one with 100K views and 1% like rate. High engagement signals to YouTube that viewers are satisfied, leading to more recommendations. Views measure reach; engagement measures resonance. The best videos have both high views AND high engagement rates.
Yes, though results vary. You can change thumbnails and titles at any time, which can boost CTR and revive older content. Adding the video to playlists, featuring it in end screens of newer videos, and sharing externally can drive new traffic. Updating descriptions with current keywords helps search discovery. However, a video that performed poorly initially rarely becomes a top performer - focus optimization efforts on your best content.
YouTube Shorts use a completely different algorithm and viewer behavior patterns. Shorts typically see explosive initial views (first 24-72 hours) then drop off sharply. Engagement rates are usually lower since viewers swipe through quickly. Our analyzer accounts for this by treating videos under 60 seconds differently. Compare Shorts to other Shorts, not long-form content.
Industry average is around 4% (4 likes per 100 views). Entertainment and gaming content often sees 5-8%. Educational and B2B content may see 2-4%. Anything above 5% is excellent. Below 2% suggests viewers aren't connecting with the content. Note that controversial content may have high engagement but mixed like/dislike ratios - pure like count doesn't tell the whole story.
YouTube doesn't publicly suppress content outside of policy violations. However, low CTR and retention cause the algorithm to stop promoting content - this isn't suppression, it's the algorithm responding to viewer signals. Signs of limited promotion: views plateau quickly, "Browse features" traffic is near zero in Studio, video doesn't appear in suggested. Usually this means the thumbnail/title isn't compelling or content doesn't retain viewers.
Several possible causes: 1) Viewers are watching via embeds where engagement is harder. 2) Content is informational but not emotionally engaging. 3) Video is auto-playing in playlists without active watching. 4) Viewers are dropping off before they'd engage. 5) You haven't asked viewers to engage. Add clear calls-to-action asking for likes/comments, and focus on making content that creates emotional responses.
Generally no. Unless a video is embarrassing, outdated, or harming your brand, keep it. Even low-performing videos contribute to total watch time and may attract search traffic over time. YouTube doesn't penalize channels for having some underperforming content. However, if a video has very few views (under 100) and you want to re-upload an improved version, deletion may make sense to avoid duplicate content issues.
For new videos: Check daily for the first week to understand initial trajectory. After that, weekly reviews are sufficient. For your channel overall: Monthly performance reviews help identify trends without obsessing over daily fluctuations. Avoid checking more than once per day - performance anxiety doesn't help growth, and metrics need time to stabilize.
YouTube's algorithm primarily values: 1) Click-through rate (CTR) - do people click on your video? 2) Average view duration - how long do they watch? 3) Watch time - total minutes watched. 4) Engagement - likes, comments, shares, playlist adds. 5) Session time - do viewers keep watching after your video? We analyze the publicly available engagement metrics; for CTR and retention, check YouTube Studio.
Common causes: 1) Initial subscriber push ended (normal after 24-48 hours). 2) Algorithm tested it with broader audience and CTR/retention dropped. 3) A competing video on the same topic is performing better. 4) Seasonal or news-related interest waned. 5) YouTube algorithm updates (rare but happens). Check if the drop correlates with any changes you made, and review YouTube Studio for specific traffic source changes.
Absolutely! Enter any public YouTube video URL to analyze its performance. This is valuable for competitive research - see what's working in your niche, identify content gaps, and benchmark your performance against successful videos in your category. Compare multiple competitor videos to understand what engagement levels are achievable in your niche.
This pattern (few views, high like/comment rates) usually indicates a discovery problem, not a content problem. Your loyal audience loves the content, but YouTube isn't showing it to new viewers. Focus on: improving thumbnails for higher CTR, optimizing titles for search, and ensuring the first 30 seconds hook viewers. The content quality is there - you just need better packaging.
Get detailed insights for any video and discover how to optimize for better results.