Where does your channel stand compared to successful creators?
Here's the answer from 10 years of YouTube experience!
Did you know that 90% of new creators have no idea whether they're doing well or poorly?
They only look at subscriber count and forget about the MORE IMPORTANT metrics that determine whether their channel lives or dies!
Seriously, after 10 years of building 20+ YouTube channels and coaching over 30,000 students, I've collected data from hundreds of successful channels with anywhere from 100,000 to millions of subscribers.
Today, I'm going to share with you the REAL STANDARDS your channel should be aiming for.
These aren't theoretical numbers—this is battle-tested experience from channels that are making tens of thousands of dollars every month!
Click-Through Rate (CTR) – The Most Important Metric
What is CTR? It's the percentage of people who click on your video when they see your thumbnail and title.
My CTR standards:
Under 2% = TERRIBLE
2-3% = Bad
3-4% = Okay
4-6% = Good
6-8% = Very good
8-10% = Excellent
Over 10% = World-class
Aim for "Good" or higher!
Why is CTR so important?
Because it determines whether YouTube will recommend your video or not.
If your CTR is low, it doesn't matter how great your content is—nobody will see it!
Tips to improve CTR:
Your thumbnail must "pop"
Your title should create curiosity without being clickbait
Test at least 2 different thumbnails for each video
Average View Duration
This metric shows whether viewers are "hooked" on your content!
Standards by video length:
Videos under 5 minutes:
Under 30% = TERRIBLE
30-40% = Bad
40-50% = Okay
50-60% = Good
60-70% = Very good
Over 70% = Excellent
Videos 5-10 minutes:
Under 25% = TERRIBLE
25-30% = Bad
30-40% = Okay
40-50% = Good
50-70% = Very good
Over 70% = Excellent
Videos over 10 minutes:
Under 25% = TERRIBLE
25-30% = Bad
30-40% = Okay
40-50% = Good
50-60% = Very good
Over 60% = Excellent
Important note: YouTube cares more about ABSOLUTE watch time than percentages.
Upload Consistency
This is a factor that many creators OVERLOOK but is extremely important!
Ideal upload frequency:
New channels (under 1,000 subscribers):
Minimum: 3 videos/week
Ideal: 1 video/day
Maximum: 2 videos/day
Growing channels (1,000-100,000 subscribers):
Minimum: 2 videos/week
Ideal: 4-5 videos/week
Maximum: 1 video/day
Large channels (over 100,000 subscribers):
Minimum: 1 video/week
Ideal: 2-3 videos/week
Maximum: 5 videos/week
Golden rule: It's better to post 2 high-quality videos per week than 7 terrible ones!
Community Engagement Score
This is a metric I created to measure community "connection":
Formula: (Number of comments you reply to / Total comments) × 100
Under 5% = Bad
5-10% = Okay
10-20% = Good
20-30% = Very good
Over 30% = Excellent
Why does this matter?
Because YouTube prioritizes channels with high audience engagement!
When you reply to comments, YouTube understands that you're building a real community.
This is a combination of:
Channel age
Upload frequency
Rate of demonetized videos
Number of community guideline strikes
How to calculate: Base score: 100 points
Deduct points for:
Each community guideline strike: -20 points
Channel under 6 months old: -10 points
No uploads for 30 days: -15 points
Demonetized video rate over 10%: -10 points
Score ranges:
80-100 points: Excellent
60-79 points: Good
40-59 points: Average
Under 40 points: Needs improvement
Important Tips to Achieve These Metrics
Focus on the 3 MOST IMPORTANT metrics:
CTR (determines reach)
Average view duration (determines ranking)
Upload consistency (determines growth)
Don't compare with other channels simultaneously Each niche and audience will have different standards. Compare your channel to where it was 3 months ago!
Be patient with the process Seriously, these metrics can't improve in 1-2 weeks. You need at least 3-6 months to see significant change.
Invest in learning Successful YouTube channels aren't just lucky. They're the result of understanding the algorithm and applying the right strategies!
Conclusion
Remember: These numbers are guidelines, not unchangeable laws!
Some channels have low CTR but still succeed thanks to unique content.
Some channels have high engagement rates but don't make money because they target the wrong audience.
What matters most is that you understand WHY these metrics are important and HOW to improve them systematically.
Question for you: Where does your channel currently stand according to these standards?
Which metric will you focus on improving first?