youtube analytics explained & made simple!

Top YouTube Analytics Tips for New Channels: What I Wish I Knew Starting Out

Starting a new YouTube channel can feel like shouting into the void. If you're not seeing views or growth, it's probably not your content — it's where the algorithm is placing it. Here's what I’ve learned (and wish I knew sooner) about YouTube analytics, viewer behavior, and how to work with the system instead of against it.

Understand Traffic Sources in YouTube Studio

When you're just getting started, one of the best things you can do is learn where your views are coming from. Head into YouTube Studio → Analytics → Reach → See More. This section is gold.

Here’s what to look at:

• YouTube Search – People searching on youtube directly. This is where your keywords matter most. It’s also where new creators have the most control.

• Suggested Videos – Controlled mostly by YouTube (and their advertisers). Your video may show up after someone watches another video.
  
  
  

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• Browse Features – Think homepage, subscription feeds, and recommended sections. When someone has not entered anything in the search bar.

• External Traffic – Like Google or Bing. Tougher to rank here early on but great for long-term growth. (Some social media sources will segment out in their own category - like "LinkedIn")

• Channel Pages – Views from your own channel or others that feature your video.

Focus your early energy on YouTube Search and Channel Pages, because these are things you can actually optimize.

How to Get Suggested on YouTube as a Small Channel

Getting a high CTR in Suggested Videos is harder than it seems. YouTube may to decide that your content is a good fit for someone who just watched something else — or it fits a certain demographic for an advertiser. Otherwise, the videos my videos get suggested in are often really off-base to me, and probably has something to do with the individual viewer.

My stance is this: people are either in “work mode” (looking to learn) or “play mode” (ready to be entertained). If your video helps someone solve a problem, it’s harder for the system to guess what they’ll want next. But if you're making music or lifestyle content, that next suggestion is much easier to figure out (aka people who watch Tayor Swift videos will want to watch another one).

So, here’s what helps:

• Niche down but be really clear about your topic.

• Use targeted video titles and descriptions.

• Pair with a thumbnail that matches the topic visually.

• Read for Spikes in YouTube Analytics and take note of time of day, later you may want to analyze best posting time for your videos.

Again, in Reach → See More, you’ll see patterns. Here’s a real example from my channel:

• First Spike (Suggested): This showed up about 5 hours after uploading.

• Flatline: YouTube stops suggesting the video if CTR does not meet their standard (my guess is above 1% for Suggested).

• Second Spike (Search): About a day and a half later. Here is where the algorithm decided to boost my video in search for about 20 hours.

• Third Spike (Browse): Around 60 hours in, it started suggesting to people in browse mode

• These things do not always happen in the same order

• I suspect the category you put your videos in also matters here, so try different ones

What I’ve learned? Most spikes happen within the first 72 hours. After that, your video will just slowly "tick-tick" along. And that’s totally normal.

If your video flatlines early, don’t panic. It may get picked up by search or browse later. I've heard stories of videos also sitting for weeks or months and suddenly get a spike. This is likely due to a breakout trend or advertiser preferences...let your videos sit and do their thing :)

How to Improve Average View Duration on Educational Videos

Let’s talk about a major factor in ranking: average view duration. YouTube loves when viewers stick around. Ideally, you're aiming for:

• 35%+ view duration on "average" length videos

• 65–70% if possible, especially on shorter videos

But here's the catch: If you're using YouTube chapters for SEO, that can lower your watch time. People click right to what they want, which means they don’t watch from start to finish. Still, chapters are great for discoverability — they help your video show up in Google search results as "key moments."

To increase your retention:

• Edit tighter. Cut fluff. Keep pacing fast.

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• Add pattern interrupts. Jump cuts, text overlays, camera angle changes.

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• Use mini hooks. Tease what’s coming in the next section.

Why Watch Time Is a Balancing Act with SEO

YouTube is always weighing engagement. If someone finds what they need and clicks away, that’s still a success. But if everyone leaves in the first 30 seconds, the algorithm sees that as a failure.

So it’s a balancing act:

• Use search-friendly titles and chapters to get found.

• Make sure your content keeps people watching once they click.

• Use short intros, clear structure, and a consistent format your audience can follow.

Final Advice: Focus on What You Can Control

There are a lot of moving parts in YouTube’s algorithm. Some you can control. Some you can’t. Early on, here’s where to focus:

• Your channel setup. Add channel keywords and a clear about section.

• SEO for YouTube search. This is your best shot at getting discovered.

• Average view duration. Watch your first 15-30 seconds — are people clicking off?

• Upload schedule. Be consistent. YouTube loves patterns.

If you’re just starting out, know this: Even flatline videos can start ticking upward over time. Stay consistent, keep improving, and check those analytics regularly!

Cheers,

Marcie