How to Check Your Videos on YouTube: A Deep Dive for Creators

Checking your videos on YouTube isn’t just about seeing if they’re live; it’s about understanding their performance, diagnosing potential issues, and gleaning insights to optimize your content strategy. Mastering this process is crucial for any creator serious about growth and engagement. Let’s get right into how you do it and everything you need to know.

The Core Process: Checking Your YouTube Videos

The most direct way to check your videos on YouTube is through the YouTube Studio. Think of it as your creator command center. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown:

1. Log in to YouTube: Go to YouTube and make sure you’re logged in to the Google account associated with your YouTube channel.
2. Access YouTube Studio: Click on your profile picture in the top right corner and select “YouTube Studio” from the dropdown menu.
3. Navigate to “Content”: In the left-hand sidebar, click on “Content“. This will display a list of all the videos you’ve uploaded.
4. Review the Video List: Here, you’ll see essential information at a glance:
   • Thumbnail: The visual representation of your video.
   • Title: The video’s title.
   • Visibility: Whether the video is public, unlisted, or private.
   • Restrictions: Any copyright claims or community guideline strikes.
   • Date: The date the video was published.
   • Views: The number of times the video has been watched.
   • Comments: The number of comments on the video.
   • Likes (Ratio): The number of likes and the like/dislike ratio (if enabled).
5. Click on a Video: Click on the thumbnail or title of a specific video to access its individual details and analytics.
6. Explore Video Details: This page provides a wealth of information, including:
   • Description: The video’s description text.
   • Tags: The keywords associated with the video.
   • Category: The video’s category (e.g., education, entertainment).
   • End Screens and Cards: Whether you’ve added these interactive elements.
   • Subtitles/CC: Whether subtitles are available.
7. Dive into Analytics: Click on the “Analytics” tab within the video details page. This is where the real magic happens. You’ll find data on:
   • Views: How many views the video has received over time.
   • Watch Time (Hours): The total amount of time viewers have spent watching the video.
   • Subscribers: How many subscribers the video has gained (or lost).
   • Audience Retention: A graph showing how much of the video viewers typically watch before dropping off. This is gold for identifying engagement issues.
   • Realtime Data: Performance data for the last 48 hours and 60 minutes.
   • Reach: Data about impressions, click-through rate, and traffic sources.
   • Engagement: Data about likes, comments, shares, and end screen click rates.
   • Audience: Demographics about your viewers, including age, gender, and location.
8. Check Comments: Review and respond to comments in the “Comments” section of YouTube Studio. Engagement is key!

Troubleshooting and Optimization

Beyond simply checking if your videos are live and racking up views, use YouTube Studio to actively troubleshoot potential issues and optimize your content:

• Copyright Claims: If you see a copyright claim, investigate it immediately. You might need to dispute the claim if you believe it’s unwarranted or remove the copyrighted content.
• Community Guideline Strikes: These are serious. Understand why you received the strike and take steps to prevent future violations. Multiple strikes can lead to account termination.
• Low Audience Retention: Analyze the audience retention graph to identify where viewers are dropping off. Is there a slow intro? A confusing explanation? Use this information to improve future videos.
• Poor Click-Through Rate: A low click-through rate (CTR) means your thumbnail and title aren’t compelling enough to attract clicks. Experiment with different thumbnails and titles to see what resonates with your audience.
• Limited Reach: If your video isn’t reaching a wide audience, focus on optimizing your title, description, and tags for search. Promote your video on social media and other platforms.

YouTube Analytics: Your Secret Weapon

YouTube Analytics is far more than just vanity metrics. It’s a powerful tool for understanding your audience, identifying trends, and making data-driven decisions about your content. Regularly reviewing your analytics will help you refine your content strategy and grow your channel.

FAQs: Checking Your Videos on YouTube

Let’s dive deeper with some frequently asked questions:

1. How long does it take for a video to appear on YouTube after uploading?

Generally, a video will appear on YouTube almost immediately after the upload process is complete and YouTube has finished processing it. Processing time depends on the video’s length and resolution. Longer and higher-resolution videos will take longer to process.

2. How can I check if my video is private or public?

In YouTube Studio, under the “Content” tab, the “Visibility” column will clearly indicate whether your video is public, unlisted, or private.

3. Can I check my video’s performance on the YouTube mobile app?

Yes, you can use the YouTube Studio mobile app (available for iOS and Android) to check your video’s performance. The app offers most of the same features as the desktop version, including analytics, comments, and editing options.

4. What does “audience retention” tell me about my video?

Audience retention tells you how much of your video viewers are watching. A high retention rate indicates that your content is engaging, while a low retention rate suggests that viewers are losing interest and clicking away.

5. How do I find out where my viewers are coming from?

In YouTube Analytics, under the “Reach” tab, you’ll find information about your traffic sources. This shows you where viewers are finding your video, such as YouTube search, suggested videos, external websites, or social media platforms.

6. What’s the difference between “impressions” and “views”?

Impressions refer to the number of times your video’s thumbnail is shown to viewers on YouTube. Views refer to the number of times viewers actually click on your thumbnail and watch your video. A high number of impressions with a low number of views indicates a poor click-through rate.

7. How can I see which keywords are driving traffic to my video?

In YouTube Analytics, under the “Reach” tab, scroll down to “Traffic Source: YouTube Search“. This will show you the top search terms that viewers are using to find your video.

8. How do I check if my video has been demonetized?

In YouTube Studio, under the “Content” tab, look for the monetization icon (a dollar sign). If it’s green, your video is monetized. If it’s yellow or grey, your video has been demonetized. Click on the monetization icon to see the reason for the demonetization.

9. How do I respond to comments on my videos?

In YouTube Studio, go to the “Comments” section. Here, you can view, reply to, and moderate comments on your videos.

10. Can I download the analytics data for my videos?

Yes, in YouTube Analytics, you can download the data in CSV format for further analysis. This allows you to create custom reports and track your progress over time.

11. What are “end screens” and “cards,” and how do I check if they’re working?

End screens and cards are interactive elements you can add to your videos to promote other content or encourage viewers to subscribe. You can check their performance in YouTube Analytics, under the “Engagement” tab. This will show you how many clicks each end screen element and card received.

12. How do I schedule a video to be published at a later date?

When uploading a video, set the “Visibility” to “Schedule”. Then, choose the date and time you want the video to be published. You can check and manage your scheduled videos in the “Content” tab of YouTube Studio. Filter by “Scheduled” to quickly view your pending uploads.