Read on Twitter
Okay, I'm doing a thread of all I personally know about Уоutube views, with concrete primary sources.
There's a lot of source-less information in the fandom, I want to collate what I know before I forget it!
There's a lot of source-less information in the fandom, I want to collate what I know before I forget it!
1. View counts
Уоutube has several ways of displaying views: a counter under the video ("public views"), a counter in the creator studio ("analytics views"), a counter when you search the video ("search views") and the Уоutube API.
These can show different numbers.
Уоutube has several ways of displaying views: a counter under the video ("public views"), a counter in the creator studio ("analytics views"), a counter when you search the video ("search views") and the Уоutube API.
These can show different numbers.
Where does the difference come from?
Firstly, refresh rates. The public and search views only get updated once, when you load the page. Meanwhile, new views are being racked up. The API is constantly running in the back, ready to give any page load the most recent number.
Firstly, refresh rates. The public and search views only get updated once, when you load the page. Meanwhile, new views are being racked up. The API is constantly running in the back, ready to give any page load the most recent number.
Secondly, views get processed differently for different purposes. It appears that, at least in the past (linked thread discusses 2016 paper), the analytics views for monetization were higher than the public views at least for the tested videos. https://twitter.com/starkindler1/status/1278692584752386056
2. The Уоutube API
For me, when tracking views, it's most convenient to use the API. That way, I don't have to refresh the page often and risk getting my 'real' views flagged.
The API is basically a window into the inside of Уоutube that coders have. https://twitter.com/starkindler1/status/1276566887124656129?s=20
For me, when tracking views, it's most convenient to use the API. That way, I don't have to refresh the page often and risk getting my 'real' views flagged.
The API is basically a window into the inside of Уоutube that coders have. https://twitter.com/starkindler1/status/1276566887124656129?s=20
Back when I started using the API, I wanted the most detailed data! So I asked it every 30 seconds. As any reasonable coder, I let my code run and forgot about it.
When I came back to check, I noticed something... odd.
When I came back to check, I noticed something... odd.
I'm sorry that I don't have a source for this, I deleted the old logs...
But in any case, for many videos I was tracking, the API only updated every 10 'ticks' of my code - i.e. once in 5 minutes.
This was slightly after Gооba dropped, so probably in April?
But in any case, for many videos I was tracking, the API only updated every 10 'ticks' of my code - i.e. once in 5 minutes.
This was slightly after Gооba dropped, so probably in April?
Since then, I have only ever checked at intervals of 5 minutes (which is also great for my API quota, the limit of how many times I can pester it for data per day).
This brings me to...
This brings me to...
3. Live view trackers
I really hate those things. They confuse people and I don't trust them.
Either they do what I'm doing and only update every 5 minutes, making people think views are "frozen", or they do another sneaky trick.
I really hate those things. They confuse people and I don't trust them.
Either they do what I'm doing and only update every 5 minutes, making people think views are "frozen", or they do another sneaky trick.
If a view counter wants to look more 'live' than the data it's getting, it can make guesses in the gap - using an estimate of how many views the video has gotten in a shorter amount of time. Then, when the new number actually updates, the view counter sneakily changes.
I am willing to bet money that most of the recent claims about deleted views come from this effect (apart from the 5M 'ding' that Black Swan got).
4. Views freezing
The official statement https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/2991785?hl=en-GB suggests that views freezing is not a 'punishment' for bad streaming, merely what happens when their system gets overloaded.
(for those in the back: watching from multiple devices gets filtered!)
The official statement https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/2991785?hl=en-GB suggests that views freezing is not a 'punishment' for bad streaming, merely what happens when their system gets overloaded.
(for those in the back: watching from multiple devices gets filtered!)
For further proof, this is from when I was tracking another MV together with the Stay Gold drop. Note how the two view counters 'freeze' at the same times.
To me, the only thing to fear about freezing is that it could delay some views past the 24H mark.
To me, the only thing to fear about freezing is that it could delay some views past the 24H mark.
However, as we saw with the latest record-breaking video, a batch of views got added post the 24H mark - I would assumem this is simply the views logged before the 24 hours were up that didn't pass through the sieve in time.
5. The Уоutube Music charts
At the end of 2019, Уоutube changed the ways videos count for their music charts, as detailed in this https://blog.youtube/news-and-events/maintaining-credibility-and-consistency blog post.
At the end of 2019, Уоutube changed the ways videos count for their music charts, as detailed in this https://blog.youtube/news-and-events/maintaining-credibility-and-consistency blog post.
The changes include discounting paid advertising views - i.e. when the MV plays as an ad instead of you choosing to watch it. The charts will now only include 'organic' views.
In other blog posts, 'organic' views includes streams on desktop and mobile, shares and embedded videos
In other blog posts, 'organic' views includes streams on desktop and mobile, shares and embedded videos
From this https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/9014376?p=artists_charts&visit_id=637039085685502170-403378327&rd=1#topic=7505892 post, there are three main charts.
A thing to note is that for the Top Songs chart, user videos with the song count, too.
A thing to note is that for the Top Songs chart, user videos with the song count, too.
6. Billboard 200/Hot 100 charts and Уоutube
The Hot100 chart has included Уоutube streams since 2013 ( https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1549399/hot-100-news-billboard-and-nielsen-add-youtube-video-streaming-to-platforms) and the Albums 200 chart includes them since 2020 ( https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/8546247/billboard-200-changes-youtube-video-data-streaming-album-charts).
The Hot100 chart has included Уоutube streams since 2013 ( https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1549399/hot-100-news-billboard-and-nielsen-add-youtube-video-streaming-to-platforms) and the Albums 200 chart includes them since 2020 ( https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/8546247/billboard-200-changes-youtube-video-data-streaming-album-charts).
There is a slight difference between how the two count streams: the Hot 100 works more like the Уоutube Song chart, including user-generated videos, but the BB200 only includes licensed MV views.
The BB200 (as per https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/8427967/billboard-changes-streaming-weighting-hot-100-billboard-200) has counted 1250 paid streams as one album sale, same as 3750 free streams, since 2018. While I couldn't find anything specific about Уоutube Premium, it should theoretically count as a paid stream.
The numbers used for BB should roughly correspond to the numbers shown in the Уоutube music charts.
According to https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9380654/billboard-hot-100-number-one-calculations-6ix9ine this article, BB takes streams reported to Nielsen.
According to https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9380654/billboard-hot-100-number-one-calculations-6ix9ine this article, BB takes streams reported to Nielsen.
The rules are "excluding streams that do not meet long-standing charting parameters, such as U.S.-based-only plays, minimum play length, excessive plays and lack of user verification". So, the number could be much lower for a BTS MV, since many streams come from outside the US.
I couldn't find the primary source for this claim, but a secondary source http://www.mediaor.com/2020/02/the-orchard-breakdown-youtube-views-in.html claims a limit of 50 views per user per day for Hot100. Note that this is not per video, but per ISRC - basically, across all videos having the same track.
So, again, we have confirmation - lyric videos (that properly use and credit the track) can offer another boost for song charts.
Confirmation that fan videos (called UGC, user-generated content) count: https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/8547900/roddy-ricch-the-box-hot-100-number-one
Confirmation that fan videos (called UGC, user-generated content) count: https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/8547900/roddy-ricch-the-box-hot-100-number-one
7. 24 hour records
Again going back to https://blog.youtube/news-and-events/maintaining-credibility-and-consistency this blog post, which talks about the 24H records, too.
Again going back to https://blog.youtube/news-and-events/maintaining-credibility-and-consistency this blog post, which talks about the 24H records, too.
Firstly, their definition of which views count as organic and will count for that record: "direct links to the video, search results, external sites that embed the video and YouTube features like the homepage, watch next and Trending."
Paid ad views are specifically not included
Paid ad views are specifically not included
The 24H record appears to factor in views which were created, but not necessarily filtered before the 24H mark: the official latest record
https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2020/6/blackpinks-return-sets-new-youtube-records-with-how-you-like-that-622453 claims 86.3M, while the API gave about 82M at the 24-H mark.
https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2020/6/blackpinks-return-sets-new-youtube-records-with-how-you-like-that-622453 claims 86.3M, while the API gave about 82M at the 24-H mark.
8. Word of caution for embeds
Most sources above claim that video embeds should count as organic views, however charts require 'user verification'. While generally embeds will keep you logged in and use your data to tailor recommendations, it is possible to 'force' a log-out.
Most sources above claim that video embeds should count as organic views, however charts require 'user verification'. While generally embeds will keep you logged in and use your data to tailor recommendations, it is possible to 'force' a log-out.
When embedding a video, the option of 'privacy-enhanced' mode stops Уоutube from reading your cookies. This, in effect, makes it almost identical to you watching in incognito mode.
How to figure if a particular embed is doing this?
Right-click in your browser and inspect element. The code should look something like this:
Right-click in your browser and inspect element. The code should look something like this:
If the video is in privacy-enhanced mode, the code changes to this instead - note the "-nocookie" in the URL.
