What is a good CTR on YouTube?

Published 2023-08-15

CTR (What is CTR?) is influenced by a myriad of factors including, but not limited to, video content, thumbnail quality, title relevance, and the audience being targeted. Considering these variables, CTR can fluctuate even among videos on the same channel. Generally, a CTR that falls between 2% to 10% is considered average for YouTube. While this range might seem broad, it underscores the diverse nature of content, creators, and viewers on the platform.

Having a CTR closer to or exceeding 10% typically indicates that your video's thumbnail and title effectively resonate with viewers, successfully drawing them in. On the flip side, a CTR below 2% might suggest that there's room for improvement in these areas. Perhaps the thumbnail isn't engaging enough, or the title might not be capturing the essence of the video's content adequately.

Furthermore, as your videos gain more views, CTR might naturally decline. This is because as YouTube recommends your content to a broader audience, it's being shown to people outside your core demographic, who might be less inclined to click.

In conclusion, while aiming for a CTR above 2% is a general rule of thumb, the best approach is to continuously iterate and refine based on feedback and analytics. It's a journey of understanding your audience, tweaking your content strategy, and finding what resonates most.


SmarterTube is here to assist with that constant iteration, allowing you to iterate before you upload your thumbnails and titles and optimize your content and engage your audience like never before. Embark on a journey of data-driven content creation with us today.


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