what is a good ctr on youtube? click through rates explained.

How I Got a 57% Click-Through Rate From YouTube Search 

If you’ve been struggling to get views on your YouTube channel, this post is for you. I recently launched a brand-new YouTube channel—just three weeks old—and one of my videos hit a 57% click-through rate from YouTube Search. That’s right: more than half of the people who saw it in search results clicked.

Eventually, it will fall down in search as the algorithm sometimes gives new channels a temporary boost, but still gave me a strong signal that I am doing things right.

Let me break down exactly how that happened, what I learned, and how you can apply this to your own videos—especially if you're creating educational or evergreen content and want consistent views.

Why Video Performance Depends on Your YouTube Niche

Before I dive into the numbers, let’s talk about niches. I’ve had multiple YouTube channels. Some take off faster than others, and your niche plays a big role in that. This new channel is only three weeks old and already outperforming an older channel I’ve had for months. Why? Because I’m targeting searchable, intentional content that aligns with what people are actively looking for.

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So when I say “it depends on your niche,” I mean: if you’re creating how-to videos, YouTube tips, or keyword research tutorials, you’re already on the right track.

How I Optimized for YouTube Search (And Why It Worked)

The video that performed so well is all about finding keyword gold. I published it at 6:00 a.m. on a Friday—far from perfect timing—but it still took off in search. Within the first 24 hours:

• 57.1% of views came from YouTube Search

• My thumbnail and title did the heavy lifting

• "Suggested" CTR? Not so great (more on that in a second)

I nailed the search-intent match between my title, thumbnail, description, and the actual words I said in the video. That’s key. YouTube’s algorithm understood what the video was about—and more importantly, it matched what users were typing into search.

Suggested Video Click-Through Rate: Why It’s Lower (And That's Okay)

My CTR from suggested videos was much lower, and that’s normal. Suggested views depend on user behavior, viewing history, and timing. One person got my video suggested after watching a video on industrial chicken farming. Make it make sense, YouTube!

But here's the takeaway: don’t rely too heavily on suggested video traffic when you’re starting out. Focus on search.

Avoiding Keyword Confusion in Your Video Script

Now, here's something weird I noticed. In the video, I used an analogy involving a certain piece of sporting equipment (intentionally not naming it here again). I said it so many times that YouTube thought my video was about that equipment.

Sure enough, I started showing up in search for that unrelated topic. That’s a huge lesson: be mindful of your repeated phrases, especially if they don’t match your main topic.

Pro tip: Adding “negative keywords” to tags doesn’t work. Tags have minimal impact these days, and putting a minus sign in front of them like you would in Google Ads doesn’t do anything. That was a YouTube myth I heard another youtube suggest. Proceed with caution.

How Split Testing Thumbnails Boosted My CTR

Over the weekend, I ran an A/B test on my thumbnails. The new version seemed to help a bit, but even before that, I saw solid CTR numbers. As of Sunday evening, here’s what I saw:

• 8.4% CTR from YouTube Search (still high)

• Overall CTR dropped slightly to 3% (likely due to suggested views being factored in)

• Video isn’t ranking as high anymore, but still performing well for a brand-new channel

What does this mean? The video had strong initial traction thanks to search optimization, not luck. And my thumbnail/title combo continues to hold up.

Use Evergreen Video Ideas With Long-Term Value

If you want sustainable growth, go for a hybrid content strategy:

• Mix evergreen tutorials with some timely or trending topics

• Focus on video titles that match searchable phrases

• Publish consistently, but think through your topic and keywords first

Videos with clear, evergreen value will continue getting views months down the road. That’s the strategy I’m betting on with this channel.

Key YouTube SEO Tips From This Experiment

Let me wrap this up with the biggest lessons:

• Target high-intent, search-friendly topics: YouTube Search is where new channels can win.

• Match your metadata with your message: Your title, description, and spoken words should align.

• Split test thumbnails (after a period of time): A small visual change can improve CTR.

• Think like your viewer: consider when, where, and why they might click your video.

• CTR drops are normal: As your video gets shown more broadly, expect the numbers to dip.

Want to Replicate My Results?

If you're just starting out or want to improve your video performance, watch my video on finding keyword gold (click "previous article" below). It walks through the exact process I used.

And remember: the goal isn't to go viral overnight. It’s to build a solid foundation using YouTube SEO best practices, especially when your channel is young.

Stick around—I’ve got more analytics breakdowns and keyword strategies coming up next. 

Cheers,

Marcie