Click-through rate (CTR) is the percentage of people who click your video when shown as an impression. It is one of the most important metrics for growth, yet also one of the most misunderstood. Many creators panic at 3% CTR, not realizing it is perfectly normal for their niche and channel size.
Most channels see CTR between 2% and 10%. The platform average hovers around 4–5%, but this is largely meaningless without context. A 5% CTR for a 10-million-subscriber channel is very different from a 5% CTR for a 1,000-subscriber channel.
| Channel Size | Expected CTR | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1,000 subs | 1% – 5% | Small sample; data is unstable |
| 1K – 10K subs | 3% – 8% | Subscriber feed boosts CTR |
| 10K – 100K subs | 4% – 9% | Algorithm starts recommending widely |
| 100K – 1M subs | 3% – 7% | Broader audience, more cold impressions |
| 1M+ subs | 2% – 6% | Massive reach = many cold impressions |
| Niche | Typical CTR | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Viral/Entertainment | 7% – 15% | High emotion, curiosity-driven |
| Gaming | 5% – 12% | Loyal fandoms, high thumbnail quality |
| Finance/Investing | 3% – 7% | Less impulsive clicking |
| Technology/Reviews | 4% – 9% | Product-focused, intent-driven |
| Education/Tutorials | 3% – 8% | Search-driven, specific intent |
| Cooking/Food | 4% – 10% | Visual appeal drives clicks |
| News/Current Events | 2% – 5% | Broad distribution, cold audiences |
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