How to Calculate Views on YouTube
Last updated on September 18th, 2023 at 04:41 pm
YouTube has become one of the most famous platforms where people share videos. You upload your video on YouTube, and it starts to create an instant sensation. If you are looking to be YouTube famous, your video needs to be watched many times. Views on YouTube measure your overall popularity.
But the big question is, how does the platform calculate YouTube views? The system wants to ensure that your videos are watched by actual humans instead of computer programs. The system can take time to determine whether your YouTube views are legitimate or not.
Have you uploaded your video on YouTube within the last few hours? After your video is published, the system may not show you all the legitimate views as the system works. When the genuine views are counted, your YouTube view count begins to update frequently.
The amount of time taken to calculate YouTube views and updates depends on your video’s viewership and popularity. So, keep in mind that your YouTube views and counts change as the system validates your views.
Here are the ways YouTube calculates YouTube views
YouTube will only count your views that meet their set criteria. Your YouTube user has to initiate watching the video intentionally. Besides, any person who watches your video on the YouTube platform has to watch it for at least 30 seconds. So, anytime your video is watched for 30+ seconds, that view is counted. If a viewer watches your video for less than 30 seconds, there is a high likelihood that such a view is not going to be counted.
1. Repeated views
Your YouTube video may get repeated views. Such views are counted. But upon reaching a given number, the counting stops. The YouTube does not state the specific number your repeated needs to hit before counting stops.
You may decide to watch your video many times. Your friends can also watch your video multiple times upon your request. In such a situation, it is only a few views that are valid. Many YouTube experts believe that only 4-5 views within a day are enough. Beyond that, YouTube stops to add new views to your video view count number. Any effort to ask your friends to repeat watching your video may not add value to you.
2. Videos shorter than 30 seconds
You may wonder what happens to videos that may be shorter than 30 seconds. For any view to count on your video, it has to be viewed for 30+ seconds. YouTube sets that limit to get time to pick your videos that are good to monetize. If your video is less than 30 seconds, it cannot be monetized.
3. Watch bot not allowed
The system does not calculate YouTube views that come from the bot. YouTube wants to ensure those who watch your videos are real beings and bots. It is easier for YouTube to determine if a real person or a bot is watching your video. They analyze watching behavior.
A bot will jump randomly from one video to another. But if a real person is watching your video, that person will move from one video to another with a connection to the first one. Remember that if you use a bot to view your videos, such views will not count.
4. YouTube live video count
The system can calculate YouTube views from your live video. It has a live video feature. YouTube does not limit you to prerecorded and uploaded videos to be watched by people on their platform. With the live video feature, your YouTube viewers can watch your videos as they stream live in real time.
Your YouTube live video views count just like the regular views. But for the system to calculate YouTube views from your live video, they must follow the community guidelines. That is the only way your video will be accepted to stay up on the platform.
5. Less than 300 views
The YouTube homepage displays popular views watched based on the number of views. It was easy for you to twist the system to have your video appear on the YouTube front page. So, the system has been improved, and it is no longer accessible for you to earn false views.
The system can calculate YouTube views that are below 300 using the old-school reloading system. YouTube views of less than 300 do not affect the YouTube website. This method used to calculate YouTube views is an idea for low view counts. You may not get leeway to abuse the system within this counting system.
6. The view tipping point
Has your YouTube video hit 3001 views? If your views are more than 300, they can affect the quality of YouTube. It is easy to crowd the YouTube homepage with popular artificial videos.
You are likely to experience a view count freeze on your YouTube video if it hits 301 views. The YouTube database is designed in a way that it can freeze the view count once it reaches 301. This offers the employees time to verify manually if their views are legitimate.
They do this to prevent you from obtaining views by use of computer-automated processes. Many may use a bot to inflate their view count. Refreshing your YouTube video a hundred times may give your video credit that could not have received attention.
So, YouTube undertakes manual verification when you hit 301 views so as not to get an undue advantage. It is an excellent way to calculate YouTube views to ensure quality and deserving videos get the credit.
YouTube analysts will check where your YouTube video views are coming from. In case many of your views come from similar computers, they are frozen. But you do not need to panic when you encounter such a view freeze.
The system can calculate YouTube views even when they are removed. Your number of dislikes and likes is not affected. Despite the view count freeze, your video can be watched and monetized. When the view count is verified, your actual number of views is left free. Then your view count will start to increase again. At that point, you are closer to becoming YouTube famous.
7. Views exceeding 301
The rules to calculate YouTube views change again when your views go beyond 301. YouTube uses a new algorithm to help detect and remove fraudulent views. If you use the old method of refreshing your page, it will not work. They will track your account daily. Your account could be frozen as they verify if your views are genuine.
Conclusion
YouTube offers you an excellent opportunity to share your videos. The views you get for your video determine your popularity. However, the system uses various ways to calculate YouTube views. Your views need to be genuine. Your YouTube views will only count if they last for 30 seconds and above.
