Rising Creators Forum

I'm getting conflicting advice on whether I should focus on improving my click through rate or my watch time. My CTR is pretty good (5.8%) but my average view duration is only 42%

Which metric matters more to the youtube algorithm? Should I prioritize getting more clicks or keeping people watching longer?

I'd say retention matters more long term but you need minimum viable CTR to get impressions in the first place

youtube's goal is total watch time across the whole platform. They want people watching videos for hours. so they promote videos that keep people engaged

a video with 4% CTR and 60% retention will perform better than a video with 8% CTR and 30% retention over time

That said, if your CTR is below 3% your video won't get enough impressions for the algorithm to even evaluate your retention. so you need at least decent CTR

your 5.8% CTR is good so now focus entirely on retention. Watch your own videos and be honest about what's boring or unnecessary. cut those parts out. tighten up your pacing. get to the point faster

Once you can consistently get 50%+ retention with 5%+ CTR your channel will grow way faster

You need both but they matter at different stages of the algorithm

CTR determines whether youtube keeps showing your video to more people. If your CTR is low, you'll get fewer impressions and the video dies quickly. if your CTR is high, youtube shows it to more people

watch time determines whether youtube promotes your video beyond your existing audience. if people click but leave quickly, youtube learns that people regret clicking and stops promoting it. if people watch most of the video, youtube promotes it more aggressively

so the answer is: CTR gets you in the door, watch time keeps you in the game

In your case with 5.8% CTR and 42% retention, you're getting people to click but not giving them what they expected or your pacing is off. Focus on improving retention now since your CTR is already solid

Make sure your thumbnail and title accurately represent what's in the video. clickbait gets clicks but kills retention