Watch Time / Average View Duration

[Rod71]

So Youtube bases more importance on minutes watched rather than view count. What would be classed as "better" in Youtubes eyes in the following 2 examples.

Channel A with videos averaging 40 minutes duration, and a retention rate of 15%

Or

Channel B with videos averaging 4 minutes duration, and a retention rate of 45%

Cheers
Rod

 

[darkstarmedia]

This feels like a Maths exam. UHHHHH.

Honestly, I think it looks better if people are watching up to half of your shorter videos than a fraction of the longer ones. I think my average watch time is just under 3 minutes? And my videos are between 4 - 9 minutes on average, so I don't think that's bad, considering I am a tiny YouTuber.

The shorter videos may take longer to add up, but they'll draw in the views because they're not as time-consuming.

 

[chottom]

Obviously A
6.5 minutes versus less than 2 minutes (channel B).

I assume the number of views is equal.
BTW most important is channel watch time not so much individual videos even though they are obviously.

 

[Sabrina]

There are people in this forum with very successful channels who say that 'relative audience retention' is most important, but then there are YouTube consultants like Tim Schmoyer who say it's total minutes watched.

Basically I don't know what to believe anymore
It matters when it comes to promotion, because in the first case you'd do no promotion and in the latter case you'd promote the heck out of it.

 

[PinProject]

I would definitely lean towars the one with a higher retention rate I would think youtube basis it on number of minutes compared to your total video length but who knows??

 

[Aviticus_Dragon]

Watch Time is the most important according to YouTube with probably Audience Retention coming in second.

You'll want to see growth each month in your Watch Time and Per Quarter! Go to your Analytics and look at "This Quarter", and see if you are expected to end the quarter with greater percentages than the previous quarter. Right now I have 25% more watch time this quarter compared to last quarter, and 25% more views with a month and half left in the quarter!

Essentially, the more Watch Time you have per month, the better rankings you are going to get from YouTube. The better rankings, the more views, and the more people who will find your videos.

Unfortunately that means that there are plenty of people who spam out videos to increase watch time, so it's even more important to release content on a more regular basis. 1 video a week isn't going to cut it, unless you've already got a very large audience.

At least that's how I see things.

Edit: But just to note that YouTube did also say that their algorithm punishes content that no one watches, so that's where audience retention comes into play.