One of the most frustrating – and frightening – things you can experience as a YouTube creator is viewing your video on the platform and noticing that the views don’t match the views that you’re seeing in YouTube Analytics.
Not only that, but the views on your video aren’t increasing, even after a day or two and even if you’ve seen steady growth until now.
We’re going to put your mind at ease by explaining the reasons why your YouTube view count is stuck. Plus, we’ll provide you with tips on what to do if this happens to any of your content.
Why Your YouTube Views Are Stuck? (Reasons)
There’s really only one reason why your YouTube views are stuck: they’re being audited by the platform.
We know that “audited” is a scary word, but there’s really no reason for you to be worried. YouTube routinely audits the views on YouTube videos. Here’s why.
YouTube is always on the lookout for fake engagement metrics. So, when you post a video and it generates a lot of views, YouTube may decide to audit those views to verify that they are genuine. Basically, they’re checking to make sure none of your YouTube views came from bot accounts and not real human beings.
When YouTube audits the views on a video, they temporarily slow down, freeze, or change the view count as shown under the video player on its public page. They typically take three days to complete their audit, during which time they remove any views that were found to originate from bot accounts.
Just because you’re being audited doesn’t mean you’ve done anything wrong. YouTube routinely audits videos that don’t have a history of bot activity, as well as those that do. It’s simply one of the methods they use to reduce the number of fake engagements on their platform.
View Count vs Realtime Views in Analytics
We still haven’t answered the question of why the views on your YouTube video look different from what you’re seeing in YouTube analytics.
The difference lies in the fact that YouTube Analytics shows you Realtime views. This number is only an estimate of the potential number of views your video has received.
So, while YouTube is auditing your views, your Realtime views, or estimate, will remain high. But the views displayed on the public page for your video will have slowed down, remain the same, or be completely different than they were the last time you saw them.
When YouTube is finished with their audit, your view count may still be lower than your Realtime views, especially if the platform found any bot views that they decided to remove. Ultimately, this is for your benefit, as only real views from real YouTube users qualify as genuine engagement for your content.
What To Do When Your Views Are Stuck on YouTube?
Now that you know why your YouTube views are stuck, you can breathe a little easier. You can also develop a plan of action. Here’s four tips to help you navigate this audit as painlessly as possible.
1. Wait Three Business Days for the Audit to Complete
If you start to panic, remember that YouTube audits views on all kinds of videos, even those that come from channels with zero history of bot activity.
As we mentioned above, the YouTube audit typically takes only three business days to complete. That’s not so long! In the meantime, keep working on your content and stick to your social media marketing plan. Don’t let the stuck views get you down or derail your entire YouTube growth plan.
Furthermore, remember that it’s beneficial for you to have bot views removed from your videos. It improves your reputation and ensures that you only get views from real users who can interact with your channel in other meaningful ways.
2. If You Buy YouTube Video Views, Only Buy Real Views
One reason that a high view count is a possible indicator of bot views is because many YouTube creators buy a large number of views from bot accounts to boost their channel watch hours.
This is the wrong tack to take. While buying YouTube views is a common practice, even for the most popular creators, you should only ever buy real views from legit YouTube users. That way, if you’re ever audited, all the users that your views came from will look real – because they are real!
3. Reach Out to Google for Clarification
If the results of your audit come back and a lot of views were removed, reach out to Google directly to get clarification. They may be able to tell you why they removed so many views, as well as give you tips on how to avoid a situation like this happening again in the future.
Frequently Asked Questions
My YouTube Views are Stuck. Am I in Trouble?
Not necessarily. YouTube audits video views on a regular basis, whether you’re suspected of bot activity or not.
Why are My Realtime Views Different From My Video View Count?
Your Realtime views are an estimate of the number of potential views your video has received. Your video view count, as displayed on your video’s public page, is the number YouTube has confirmed to be legitimate.
Conclusion
We understand that seeing a slowdown or a complete freeze of your YouTube view count is distressing, to say the least. But now you know that there’s a perfectly logical explanation for it. You can also rest easy knowing that it’s probably not due to anything you’ve done, and that your views will be back to normal soon.
