Enhance Viewer Engagement: The Top 6 Methods for Higher YouTube Audience Retention

6 Ways To Increase Audience Retention on YouTube

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Audience retention is one of your most important stats on YouTube. It is even more important than your view count. Your view count really only tells you how many people are finding and clicking on your videos, not whether they are actually watching them. Audience retention refers to how much of a video a viewer watches before clicking away, which is very useful information to have. If you know when people are leaving your videos then you know what you need to work on.

You May Also Like: How to analyse your and your competitors’ YouTube Channel >>
How to structure a YouTube video >>

• Part 1: What is Audience Retention?
• Part 2: How to See Your Audience Retention Report in YouTube?
• Part 3: What is a Good Audience Retention Rate on YouTube?
• Part 4: 6 Ways to Increase YouTube Audience Retention

Part 1: What is Audience Retention?

To put it in simple terms, YouTube audience retention is about how much of each video your viewers watch. It’s usually expressed as a percentage, so if your viewer gets half way through, they will have a retention of 50 per cent.

For YouTube analytics, audience retention is taken as a mean of the retention figures for each of your viewers. For example, if you post a ten-minute video and half your viewers get to the five-minute mark, that’s a retention of 50 per cent. If the other half watch it right to the end, that’s a retention of 100 per cent. The mean of these two figures is 75 per cent, and that’s what YouTube will use as your audience retention figure.

This retention rate affects how highly your video is ranked on YouTube, with videos boasting higher audience retention rates appearing higher in the search results than those which do not. This is because both YouTube and Google are highly focussed on customer satisfaction, and a long watch time means a very happy customer was watching that video. For this reason, it’s well worth considering how to increase YouTube audience retention as it demonstrates that you’re making great content as well as helping you get more viewers.

Part 2: How to See Your Audience Retention Report in YouTube?

YouTube will produce reports to help you keep track of your audience retention. There are two types of audience retention reports; absolute and relative. Absolute allows you to view a graph of your video’s retention and see when people might be clicking away, or if they are skipping to later parts of your video. If you lose a lot of viewers in the first 15 seconds of your videos then that is a clear indication that your content is not what the viewers who find your videos really want. The relative report is where your video is compared to the average retention of similar videos.

Note that by ‘similar videos’, YouTube means videos of a similar length. There is no way to compare your videos only to other videos in your genre. The relative report will always be somewhat skewed because your videos will be measured against very different content.

To see an audience retention report log into your YouTube account and go to yourCreator Studio. There, selectAudience RetentionunderAnalytics.

Part 3: What is a Good Audience Retention Rate on YouTube?

When you’re considering how to increase YouTube audience retention, it can be good to have a goal in mind. Obviously 100 per cent is going to be the Holy Grail of retention rates, but how many videos are actually going to achieve that? It only takes for one person to ‘accidentally’ click on your video and rapidly click away, or for someone to have to stop for outside reasons, to drag your average down.

According to the YouTube community, a good goal to aim for is around 50 per cent, but as there is a lot which can affect your retention rate, that number may be different for you. Low view numbers sometimes get higher retention rates because it’s mainly subscribers watching, whereas channels with millions of views may suffer due to more people abandoning. Rather than setting yourself a golden number, focus instead on increasing your retention rate from wherever it is now, and celebrate your own success instead of measuring yourself against others.

Part 4: 6 Ways to Increase YouTube Audience Retention

If you’re serious about learning how to increase YouTube audience retention, here are five of the best ideas for you:

1. Compare your videos

Investigating your audience retention report will highlight the videos where you achieved maximum success. Think about what you did here, and work to replicate that technique. Perhaps you were talking about a product, or maybe your structured your video slightly differently. It’s up to you to dissect your video and find out what it was that kept people watching for longer, so that you can repeat this success in the future. You can also use some influencer marketing platform such as InflueNex to take a look at the videos in your similar channels, and learn the popular videos on their channels.

2. Get on with it

Research shows that YouTube viewers have an incredibly short attention span. Depending on who you believe, you could have as much as six seconds or as little as just three to grab their attention and compel them to carry on watching. If you want to improve your audience retention, coming in with an engaging, attention grabbing statement right at the start is crucial to your success. Nobody wants to waste their time watching someone waffle on for ages about their granny or their favorite hobbies, so get right down to it straight away, by telling them what’s in store.

3. Make it visually engaging

Perhaps all you’ve got is a presentation to make. You’re not a gamer, you’re not showing clips of your cat and you’re not doing a makeup tutorial, so surely all you need is a camera, good lighting and your face, right? Wrong. Viewers like to see the visual content changing, and videos which have a range of scenes are usually far more successful than those where it’s just a person talking to camera. Think about how you can insert cutaways, pop up text, different footage and other graphics to keep it interesting for your viewers.

4. Make it shorter

This one is a no brainer really. If you make a one-minute video, how hard is it going to be to keep viewers watching to the end compared to a 20-minute marathon. However, going too short can be negative too, unless you really do have something very quick and simple to showcase. Long videos work well for YouTubers in the gaming niche, in particular, because viewers want to know the end result, but for most of us, these sorts of viewing statistics are hard to reach.

If you consider a viewer who watches three minutes of your content, would you rather they watched three minutes of a ten-minute video and then clicked away bored, or would you rather they finished an entire video that was only three minutes long? Both in terms of audience retention and of your own reputation, having a viewer finish a short video is much more valuable to you than losing someone half way through a long one. That person probably enjoyed your content to the end and will more than likely watch another one of your videos. Conversely, the one you lost half way through was bored enough to stop watching and will probably not bother viewing any other videos of yours in future.

5. Keep them hooked

Think carefully about your YouTube video structure. Ideally, you will tell them at the very start that you’ve got something amazing to share with them later on. This could be a tip, a tutorial, a new product reveal or even something funny. Whatever it is, tell them they’re going to love it from the start, and keep reminding them to watch from the end to get this gift. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give them great content all the way through, just that you should save a carrot for the end of the ride to reward those loyal viewers.

So, now you know how to increase YouTube audience retention, what are you going to do about it? Have a go at modifying your videos to boost the numbers who will watch to the end and let us know how you got on.

6. Use an Excellent Video Editor

Content is the king. It is necessary to use a powerful video editor to help you edit videos. With an excellent video editor like Filmora, you can custom stunning videos effortlessly.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Audience retention is one of your most important stats on YouTube. It is even more important than your view count. Your view count really only tells you how many people are finding and clicking on your videos, not whether they are actually watching them. Audience retention refers to how much of a video a viewer watches before clicking away, which is very useful information to have. If you know when people are leaving your videos then you know what you need to work on.

You May Also Like: How to analyse your and your competitors’ YouTube Channel >>
How to structure a YouTube video >>

• Part 1: What is Audience Retention?
• Part 2: How to See Your Audience Retention Report in YouTube?
• Part 3: What is a Good Audience Retention Rate on YouTube?
• Part 4: 6 Ways to Increase YouTube Audience Retention

Part 1: What is Audience Retention?

To put it in simple terms, YouTube audience retention is about how much of each video your viewers watch. It’s usually expressed as a percentage, so if your viewer gets half way through, they will have a retention of 50 per cent.

For YouTube analytics, audience retention is taken as a mean of the retention figures for each of your viewers. For example, if you post a ten-minute video and half your viewers get to the five-minute mark, that’s a retention of 50 per cent. If the other half watch it right to the end, that’s a retention of 100 per cent. The mean of these two figures is 75 per cent, and that’s what YouTube will use as your audience retention figure.

This retention rate affects how highly your video is ranked on YouTube, with videos boasting higher audience retention rates appearing higher in the search results than those which do not. This is because both YouTube and Google are highly focussed on customer satisfaction, and a long watch time means a very happy customer was watching that video. For this reason, it’s well worth considering how to increase YouTube audience retention as it demonstrates that you’re making great content as well as helping you get more viewers.

Part 2: How to See Your Audience Retention Report in YouTube?

YouTube will produce reports to help you keep track of your audience retention. There are two types of audience retention reports; absolute and relative. Absolute allows you to view a graph of your video’s retention and see when people might be clicking away, or if they are skipping to later parts of your video. If you lose a lot of viewers in the first 15 seconds of your videos then that is a clear indication that your content is not what the viewers who find your videos really want. The relative report is where your video is compared to the average retention of similar videos.

Note that by ‘similar videos’, YouTube means videos of a similar length. There is no way to compare your videos only to other videos in your genre. The relative report will always be somewhat skewed because your videos will be measured against very different content.

To see an audience retention report log into your YouTube account and go to yourCreator Studio. There, selectAudience RetentionunderAnalytics.

Part 3: What is a Good Audience Retention Rate on YouTube?

When you’re considering how to increase YouTube audience retention, it can be good to have a goal in mind. Obviously 100 per cent is going to be the Holy Grail of retention rates, but how many videos are actually going to achieve that? It only takes for one person to ‘accidentally’ click on your video and rapidly click away, or for someone to have to stop for outside reasons, to drag your average down.

According to the YouTube community, a good goal to aim for is around 50 per cent, but as there is a lot which can affect your retention rate, that number may be different for you. Low view numbers sometimes get higher retention rates because it’s mainly subscribers watching, whereas channels with millions of views may suffer due to more people abandoning. Rather than setting yourself a golden number, focus instead on increasing your retention rate from wherever it is now, and celebrate your own success instead of measuring yourself against others.

Part 4: 6 Ways to Increase YouTube Audience Retention

If you’re serious about learning how to increase YouTube audience retention, here are five of the best ideas for you:

1. Compare your videos

Investigating your audience retention report will highlight the videos where you achieved maximum success. Think about what you did here, and work to replicate that technique. Perhaps you were talking about a product, or maybe your structured your video slightly differently. It’s up to you to dissect your video and find out what it was that kept people watching for longer, so that you can repeat this success in the future. You can also use some influencer marketing platform such as InflueNex to take a look at the videos in your similar channels, and learn the popular videos on their channels.

2. Get on with it

Research shows that YouTube viewers have an incredibly short attention span. Depending on who you believe, you could have as much as six seconds or as little as just three to grab their attention and compel them to carry on watching. If you want to improve your audience retention, coming in with an engaging, attention grabbing statement right at the start is crucial to your success. Nobody wants to waste their time watching someone waffle on for ages about their granny or their favorite hobbies, so get right down to it straight away, by telling them what’s in store.

3. Make it visually engaging

Perhaps all you’ve got is a presentation to make. You’re not a gamer, you’re not showing clips of your cat and you’re not doing a makeup tutorial, so surely all you need is a camera, good lighting and your face, right? Wrong. Viewers like to see the visual content changing, and videos which have a range of scenes are usually far more successful than those where it’s just a person talking to camera. Think about how you can insert cutaways, pop up text, different footage and other graphics to keep it interesting for your viewers.

4. Make it shorter

This one is a no brainer really. If you make a one-minute video, how hard is it going to be to keep viewers watching to the end compared to a 20-minute marathon. However, going too short can be negative too, unless you really do have something very quick and simple to showcase. Long videos work well for YouTubers in the gaming niche, in particular, because viewers want to know the end result, but for most of us, these sorts of viewing statistics are hard to reach.

If you consider a viewer who watches three minutes of your content, would you rather they watched three minutes of a ten-minute video and then clicked away bored, or would you rather they finished an entire video that was only three minutes long? Both in terms of audience retention and of your own reputation, having a viewer finish a short video is much more valuable to you than losing someone half way through a long one. That person probably enjoyed your content to the end and will more than likely watch another one of your videos. Conversely, the one you lost half way through was bored enough to stop watching and will probably not bother viewing any other videos of yours in future.

5. Keep them hooked

Think carefully about your YouTube video structure. Ideally, you will tell them at the very start that you’ve got something amazing to share with them later on. This could be a tip, a tutorial, a new product reveal or even something funny. Whatever it is, tell them they’re going to love it from the start, and keep reminding them to watch from the end to get this gift. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give them great content all the way through, just that you should save a carrot for the end of the ride to reward those loyal viewers.

So, now you know how to increase YouTube audience retention, what are you going to do about it? Have a go at modifying your videos to boost the numbers who will watch to the end and let us know how you got on.

6. Use an Excellent Video Editor

Content is the king. It is necessary to use a powerful video editor to help you edit videos. With an excellent video editor like Filmora, you can custom stunning videos effortlessly.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Audience retention is one of your most important stats on YouTube. It is even more important than your view count. Your view count really only tells you how many people are finding and clicking on your videos, not whether they are actually watching them. Audience retention refers to how much of a video a viewer watches before clicking away, which is very useful information to have. If you know when people are leaving your videos then you know what you need to work on.

You May Also Like: How to analyse your and your competitors’ YouTube Channel >>
How to structure a YouTube video >>

• Part 1: What is Audience Retention?
• Part 2: How to See Your Audience Retention Report in YouTube?
• Part 3: What is a Good Audience Retention Rate on YouTube?
• Part 4: 6 Ways to Increase YouTube Audience Retention

Part 1: What is Audience Retention?

To put it in simple terms, YouTube audience retention is about how much of each video your viewers watch. It’s usually expressed as a percentage, so if your viewer gets half way through, they will have a retention of 50 per cent.

For YouTube analytics, audience retention is taken as a mean of the retention figures for each of your viewers. For example, if you post a ten-minute video and half your viewers get to the five-minute mark, that’s a retention of 50 per cent. If the other half watch it right to the end, that’s a retention of 100 per cent. The mean of these two figures is 75 per cent, and that’s what YouTube will use as your audience retention figure.

This retention rate affects how highly your video is ranked on YouTube, with videos boasting higher audience retention rates appearing higher in the search results than those which do not. This is because both YouTube and Google are highly focussed on customer satisfaction, and a long watch time means a very happy customer was watching that video. For this reason, it’s well worth considering how to increase YouTube audience retention as it demonstrates that you’re making great content as well as helping you get more viewers.

Part 2: How to See Your Audience Retention Report in YouTube?

YouTube will produce reports to help you keep track of your audience retention. There are two types of audience retention reports; absolute and relative. Absolute allows you to view a graph of your video’s retention and see when people might be clicking away, or if they are skipping to later parts of your video. If you lose a lot of viewers in the first 15 seconds of your videos then that is a clear indication that your content is not what the viewers who find your videos really want. The relative report is where your video is compared to the average retention of similar videos.

Note that by ‘similar videos’, YouTube means videos of a similar length. There is no way to compare your videos only to other videos in your genre. The relative report will always be somewhat skewed because your videos will be measured against very different content.

To see an audience retention report log into your YouTube account and go to yourCreator Studio. There, selectAudience RetentionunderAnalytics.

Part 3: What is a Good Audience Retention Rate on YouTube?

When you’re considering how to increase YouTube audience retention, it can be good to have a goal in mind. Obviously 100 per cent is going to be the Holy Grail of retention rates, but how many videos are actually going to achieve that? It only takes for one person to ‘accidentally’ click on your video and rapidly click away, or for someone to have to stop for outside reasons, to drag your average down.

According to the YouTube community, a good goal to aim for is around 50 per cent, but as there is a lot which can affect your retention rate, that number may be different for you. Low view numbers sometimes get higher retention rates because it’s mainly subscribers watching, whereas channels with millions of views may suffer due to more people abandoning. Rather than setting yourself a golden number, focus instead on increasing your retention rate from wherever it is now, and celebrate your own success instead of measuring yourself against others.

Part 4: 6 Ways to Increase YouTube Audience Retention

If you’re serious about learning how to increase YouTube audience retention, here are five of the best ideas for you:

1. Compare your videos

Investigating your audience retention report will highlight the videos where you achieved maximum success. Think about what you did here, and work to replicate that technique. Perhaps you were talking about a product, or maybe your structured your video slightly differently. It’s up to you to dissect your video and find out what it was that kept people watching for longer, so that you can repeat this success in the future. You can also use some influencer marketing platform such as InflueNex to take a look at the videos in your similar channels, and learn the popular videos on their channels.

2. Get on with it

Research shows that YouTube viewers have an incredibly short attention span. Depending on who you believe, you could have as much as six seconds or as little as just three to grab their attention and compel them to carry on watching. If you want to improve your audience retention, coming in with an engaging, attention grabbing statement right at the start is crucial to your success. Nobody wants to waste their time watching someone waffle on for ages about their granny or their favorite hobbies, so get right down to it straight away, by telling them what’s in store.

3. Make it visually engaging

Perhaps all you’ve got is a presentation to make. You’re not a gamer, you’re not showing clips of your cat and you’re not doing a makeup tutorial, so surely all you need is a camera, good lighting and your face, right? Wrong. Viewers like to see the visual content changing, and videos which have a range of scenes are usually far more successful than those where it’s just a person talking to camera. Think about how you can insert cutaways, pop up text, different footage and other graphics to keep it interesting for your viewers.

4. Make it shorter

This one is a no brainer really. If you make a one-minute video, how hard is it going to be to keep viewers watching to the end compared to a 20-minute marathon. However, going too short can be negative too, unless you really do have something very quick and simple to showcase. Long videos work well for YouTubers in the gaming niche, in particular, because viewers want to know the end result, but for most of us, these sorts of viewing statistics are hard to reach.

If you consider a viewer who watches three minutes of your content, would you rather they watched three minutes of a ten-minute video and then clicked away bored, or would you rather they finished an entire video that was only three minutes long? Both in terms of audience retention and of your own reputation, having a viewer finish a short video is much more valuable to you than losing someone half way through a long one. That person probably enjoyed your content to the end and will more than likely watch another one of your videos. Conversely, the one you lost half way through was bored enough to stop watching and will probably not bother viewing any other videos of yours in future.

5. Keep them hooked

Think carefully about your YouTube video structure. Ideally, you will tell them at the very start that you’ve got something amazing to share with them later on. This could be a tip, a tutorial, a new product reveal or even something funny. Whatever it is, tell them they’re going to love it from the start, and keep reminding them to watch from the end to get this gift. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give them great content all the way through, just that you should save a carrot for the end of the ride to reward those loyal viewers.

So, now you know how to increase YouTube audience retention, what are you going to do about it? Have a go at modifying your videos to boost the numbers who will watch to the end and let us know how you got on.

6. Use an Excellent Video Editor

Content is the king. It is necessary to use a powerful video editor to help you edit videos. With an excellent video editor like Filmora, you can custom stunning videos effortlessly.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Audience retention is one of your most important stats on YouTube. It is even more important than your view count. Your view count really only tells you how many people are finding and clicking on your videos, not whether they are actually watching them. Audience retention refers to how much of a video a viewer watches before clicking away, which is very useful information to have. If you know when people are leaving your videos then you know what you need to work on.

You May Also Like: How to analyse your and your competitors’ YouTube Channel >>
How to structure a YouTube video >>

• Part 1: What is Audience Retention?
• Part 2: How to See Your Audience Retention Report in YouTube?
• Part 3: What is a Good Audience Retention Rate on YouTube?
• Part 4: 6 Ways to Increase YouTube Audience Retention

Part 1: What is Audience Retention?

To put it in simple terms, YouTube audience retention is about how much of each video your viewers watch. It’s usually expressed as a percentage, so if your viewer gets half way through, they will have a retention of 50 per cent.

For YouTube analytics, audience retention is taken as a mean of the retention figures for each of your viewers. For example, if you post a ten-minute video and half your viewers get to the five-minute mark, that’s a retention of 50 per cent. If the other half watch it right to the end, that’s a retention of 100 per cent. The mean of these two figures is 75 per cent, and that’s what YouTube will use as your audience retention figure.

This retention rate affects how highly your video is ranked on YouTube, with videos boasting higher audience retention rates appearing higher in the search results than those which do not. This is because both YouTube and Google are highly focussed on customer satisfaction, and a long watch time means a very happy customer was watching that video. For this reason, it’s well worth considering how to increase YouTube audience retention as it demonstrates that you’re making great content as well as helping you get more viewers.

Part 2: How to See Your Audience Retention Report in YouTube?

YouTube will produce reports to help you keep track of your audience retention. There are two types of audience retention reports; absolute and relative. Absolute allows you to view a graph of your video’s retention and see when people might be clicking away, or if they are skipping to later parts of your video. If you lose a lot of viewers in the first 15 seconds of your videos then that is a clear indication that your content is not what the viewers who find your videos really want. The relative report is where your video is compared to the average retention of similar videos.

Note that by ‘similar videos’, YouTube means videos of a similar length. There is no way to compare your videos only to other videos in your genre. The relative report will always be somewhat skewed because your videos will be measured against very different content.

To see an audience retention report log into your YouTube account and go to yourCreator Studio. There, selectAudience RetentionunderAnalytics.

Part 3: What is a Good Audience Retention Rate on YouTube?

When you’re considering how to increase YouTube audience retention, it can be good to have a goal in mind. Obviously 100 per cent is going to be the Holy Grail of retention rates, but how many videos are actually going to achieve that? It only takes for one person to ‘accidentally’ click on your video and rapidly click away, or for someone to have to stop for outside reasons, to drag your average down.

According to the YouTube community, a good goal to aim for is around 50 per cent, but as there is a lot which can affect your retention rate, that number may be different for you. Low view numbers sometimes get higher retention rates because it’s mainly subscribers watching, whereas channels with millions of views may suffer due to more people abandoning. Rather than setting yourself a golden number, focus instead on increasing your retention rate from wherever it is now, and celebrate your own success instead of measuring yourself against others.

Part 4: 6 Ways to Increase YouTube Audience Retention

If you’re serious about learning how to increase YouTube audience retention, here are five of the best ideas for you:

1. Compare your videos

Investigating your audience retention report will highlight the videos where you achieved maximum success. Think about what you did here, and work to replicate that technique. Perhaps you were talking about a product, or maybe your structured your video slightly differently. It’s up to you to dissect your video and find out what it was that kept people watching for longer, so that you can repeat this success in the future. You can also use some influencer marketing platform such as InflueNex to take a look at the videos in your similar channels, and learn the popular videos on their channels.

2. Get on with it

Research shows that YouTube viewers have an incredibly short attention span. Depending on who you believe, you could have as much as six seconds or as little as just three to grab their attention and compel them to carry on watching. If you want to improve your audience retention, coming in with an engaging, attention grabbing statement right at the start is crucial to your success. Nobody wants to waste their time watching someone waffle on for ages about their granny or their favorite hobbies, so get right down to it straight away, by telling them what’s in store.

3. Make it visually engaging

Perhaps all you’ve got is a presentation to make. You’re not a gamer, you’re not showing clips of your cat and you’re not doing a makeup tutorial, so surely all you need is a camera, good lighting and your face, right? Wrong. Viewers like to see the visual content changing, and videos which have a range of scenes are usually far more successful than those where it’s just a person talking to camera. Think about how you can insert cutaways, pop up text, different footage and other graphics to keep it interesting for your viewers.

4. Make it shorter

This one is a no brainer really. If you make a one-minute video, how hard is it going to be to keep viewers watching to the end compared to a 20-minute marathon. However, going too short can be negative too, unless you really do have something very quick and simple to showcase. Long videos work well for YouTubers in the gaming niche, in particular, because viewers want to know the end result, but for most of us, these sorts of viewing statistics are hard to reach.

If you consider a viewer who watches three minutes of your content, would you rather they watched three minutes of a ten-minute video and then clicked away bored, or would you rather they finished an entire video that was only three minutes long? Both in terms of audience retention and of your own reputation, having a viewer finish a short video is much more valuable to you than losing someone half way through a long one. That person probably enjoyed your content to the end and will more than likely watch another one of your videos. Conversely, the one you lost half way through was bored enough to stop watching and will probably not bother viewing any other videos of yours in future.

5. Keep them hooked

Think carefully about your YouTube video structure. Ideally, you will tell them at the very start that you’ve got something amazing to share with them later on. This could be a tip, a tutorial, a new product reveal or even something funny. Whatever it is, tell them they’re going to love it from the start, and keep reminding them to watch from the end to get this gift. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give them great content all the way through, just that you should save a carrot for the end of the ride to reward those loyal viewers.

So, now you know how to increase YouTube audience retention, what are you going to do about it? Have a go at modifying your videos to boost the numbers who will watch to the end and let us know how you got on.

6. Use an Excellent Video Editor

Content is the king. It is necessary to use a powerful video editor to help you edit videos. With an excellent video editor like Filmora, you can custom stunning videos effortlessly.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

From Capture to Curve: An Insider Look at Editing and Sharing 360° Videos on YouTube

360 Video Editors: How to Upload 360 Video to YouTube

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

360 degree videos have become incredibly popular on the Internet. Not only do they give people a complete look at a scene, but they also allow for a lot of artistic freedom. Those who are using VR-capable devices can get an even more immersive experience. It is why many content creators want to learn about the best 360 video editor they can use on their computers.

Here is a look at the 5 best 360 video converter and editor programs that you can use on your Windows or Mac computer.

• Part 1: 5 Best 360 Video Editor for You
• Part 2: How to Upload 360 Degree Videos to YouTube

Part 1: 5 Best 360 Video Editor for You

1. Movavi

Movavi is an affordable 360 degree video editor that makes it easy for you to create, edit and share these videos online. You can even add filters, titles and transitions to your videos, while soundtrack addition is also possible.

You can use the preview window in the program to see how your video will look if it is published as is. Plus you can use the software with both Windows and Mac, depending on the version that you download.

Pros:

• Works with all mainstream video formats
• Features support for 4K videos
• Includes color adjustment and picture in picture, even in 360 videos
• Speed adjustment capabilities

2. Premiere Pro

Adobe Premiere Pro CC is seen by many as the leading product that you can get if you want to edit high quality videos, including 360 degree content.

Any type of video format will be compatible. You should have no issues editing different segments of the content that you are creating, as Premiere Pro CC is known for having very efficient workflow screens.

Pros:

• Tools to adjust color, audio and graphics
• Works seamlessly with other Adobe apps
• Possible to create and edit content on the go using smartphones

3. After Effects

If you are attempting to add many unique graphics and transitions to your videos, then you will want to use Adobe After Effects. Most would recommend that be combined with Premiere Pro to get the best experience.

After Effects is ideal for adding introductions, end credits, transitions and other effects to the content that you have produced. You can use it to take the videos that you have created to the next level.

Pros:

• Support for movie titles, introductions, transitions and end credits
• Possible to animate logos and characters
• Works with Adobe Premiere Pro

4. Final Cut Pro X

Mac users who want to use their laptop or desktop to edit 360 videos will be happy to know that it is supported in Final Cut Pro X. It is one of the fastest and most powerful programs to use on a Mac, as it is completely optimized for the operating system and hardware.

It is possible to edit and playback 360 videos using a VR headset. It allows creators to not only put in great videos and edit them, but also see how they look after various adjustments.

Pros:

• Advanced color grading options
• Full HDR and 4K support
• View files with VR headset
• Optimized for Macs
• Includes free trial

Cons:

• Little bit expensive

5. Molanis VR

Molanis VR is ideal for anyone who wants to create 360 video that will look incredible when viewed through VR glasses. It is one of the most flexible software options, as it is inexpensive and includes many great features.

IT is possible to trim, cut and fade, include text and images, add effects and make other changes to videos on the fly. The software is intuitive to use, which is great for beginners who have not edited much in the past.

Pros:

• Support for 4K videos
• Options to add text, images and effects to videos
• Can manage color, correct horizon and stabilize 360 videos
• Includes a tree trial

Cons:

• Not as many tutorials on how to use the software compared to bigger brands

Part 2: How to Upload 360 Degree Videos to YouTube

It is possible to add 360 degree videos onto YouTube . Using YouTube to promote such content is sensible, as it is one of the largest streaming video platforms in the world. These videos can be seen on any of the major browsers and on certain mobile devices. But they must be uploaded from a desktop.

YouTube 360 Video Specification

The first step of the process is to create a video that YouTube will approve as a 360 submission. Such a video should be either 24, 25, 30, 48, 50, or 60 frames per second. Do not go any higher or it will not be approved.

It is also a good idea to have videos that are between 7168x3584 and 8192x4096 in resolution. Any lower and the quality of the video will not be good enough to provide a pleasant viewing experience to the audience.

How to Upload to YouTube

Now that you have your video edited, you are a step closer to uploading it onto YouTube. But there are some steps that you must follow . These include downloading the 360 Video Metadata app on your Mac or Windows device.

Then you will choose the file, check the Spherical box and save it. Make sure that 3D top-bottom is not checked when you save the file. The file should be created in the folder where the original was located. Now you can upload that file to YouTube.

Read More to Get : YouTube Video Dimensions/Size: Guide for Upload Settings

Conclusion

If you want to upload 360 video to YouTube or some other platform, using a 360 video editor is the way to go. The best 360 video converter and editor program will let you take the raw footage that you have shot and turn it into a stunning video that anyone can enjoy.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

360 degree videos have become incredibly popular on the Internet. Not only do they give people a complete look at a scene, but they also allow for a lot of artistic freedom. Those who are using VR-capable devices can get an even more immersive experience. It is why many content creators want to learn about the best 360 video editor they can use on their computers.

Here is a look at the 5 best 360 video converter and editor programs that you can use on your Windows or Mac computer.

• Part 1: 5 Best 360 Video Editor for You
• Part 2: How to Upload 360 Degree Videos to YouTube

Part 1: 5 Best 360 Video Editor for You

1. Movavi

Movavi is an affordable 360 degree video editor that makes it easy for you to create, edit and share these videos online. You can even add filters, titles and transitions to your videos, while soundtrack addition is also possible.

You can use the preview window in the program to see how your video will look if it is published as is. Plus you can use the software with both Windows and Mac, depending on the version that you download.

Pros:

• Works with all mainstream video formats
• Features support for 4K videos
• Includes color adjustment and picture in picture, even in 360 videos
• Speed adjustment capabilities

2. Premiere Pro

Adobe Premiere Pro CC is seen by many as the leading product that you can get if you want to edit high quality videos, including 360 degree content.

Any type of video format will be compatible. You should have no issues editing different segments of the content that you are creating, as Premiere Pro CC is known for having very efficient workflow screens.

Pros:

• Tools to adjust color, audio and graphics
• Works seamlessly with other Adobe apps
• Possible to create and edit content on the go using smartphones

3. After Effects

If you are attempting to add many unique graphics and transitions to your videos, then you will want to use Adobe After Effects. Most would recommend that be combined with Premiere Pro to get the best experience.

After Effects is ideal for adding introductions, end credits, transitions and other effects to the content that you have produced. You can use it to take the videos that you have created to the next level.

Pros:

• Support for movie titles, introductions, transitions and end credits
• Possible to animate logos and characters
• Works with Adobe Premiere Pro

4. Final Cut Pro X

Mac users who want to use their laptop or desktop to edit 360 videos will be happy to know that it is supported in Final Cut Pro X. It is one of the fastest and most powerful programs to use on a Mac, as it is completely optimized for the operating system and hardware.

It is possible to edit and playback 360 videos using a VR headset. It allows creators to not only put in great videos and edit them, but also see how they look after various adjustments.

Pros:

• Advanced color grading options
• Full HDR and 4K support
• View files with VR headset
• Optimized for Macs
• Includes free trial

Cons:

• Little bit expensive

5. Molanis VR

Molanis VR is ideal for anyone who wants to create 360 video that will look incredible when viewed through VR glasses. It is one of the most flexible software options, as it is inexpensive and includes many great features.

IT is possible to trim, cut and fade, include text and images, add effects and make other changes to videos on the fly. The software is intuitive to use, which is great for beginners who have not edited much in the past.

Pros:

• Support for 4K videos
• Options to add text, images and effects to videos
• Can manage color, correct horizon and stabilize 360 videos
• Includes a tree trial

Cons:

• Not as many tutorials on how to use the software compared to bigger brands

Part 2: How to Upload 360 Degree Videos to YouTube

It is possible to add 360 degree videos onto YouTube . Using YouTube to promote such content is sensible, as it is one of the largest streaming video platforms in the world. These videos can be seen on any of the major browsers and on certain mobile devices. But they must be uploaded from a desktop.

YouTube 360 Video Specification

The first step of the process is to create a video that YouTube will approve as a 360 submission. Such a video should be either 24, 25, 30, 48, 50, or 60 frames per second. Do not go any higher or it will not be approved.

It is also a good idea to have videos that are between 7168x3584 and 8192x4096 in resolution. Any lower and the quality of the video will not be good enough to provide a pleasant viewing experience to the audience.

How to Upload to YouTube

Now that you have your video edited, you are a step closer to uploading it onto YouTube. But there are some steps that you must follow . These include downloading the 360 Video Metadata app on your Mac or Windows device.

Then you will choose the file, check the Spherical box and save it. Make sure that 3D top-bottom is not checked when you save the file. The file should be created in the folder where the original was located. Now you can upload that file to YouTube.

Read More to Get : YouTube Video Dimensions/Size: Guide for Upload Settings

Conclusion

If you want to upload 360 video to YouTube or some other platform, using a 360 video editor is the way to go. The best 360 video converter and editor program will let you take the raw footage that you have shot and turn it into a stunning video that anyone can enjoy.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

360 degree videos have become incredibly popular on the Internet. Not only do they give people a complete look at a scene, but they also allow for a lot of artistic freedom. Those who are using VR-capable devices can get an even more immersive experience. It is why many content creators want to learn about the best 360 video editor they can use on their computers.

Here is a look at the 5 best 360 video converter and editor programs that you can use on your Windows or Mac computer.

• Part 1: 5 Best 360 Video Editor for You
• Part 2: How to Upload 360 Degree Videos to YouTube

Part 1: 5 Best 360 Video Editor for You

1. Movavi

Movavi is an affordable 360 degree video editor that makes it easy for you to create, edit and share these videos online. You can even add filters, titles and transitions to your videos, while soundtrack addition is also possible.

You can use the preview window in the program to see how your video will look if it is published as is. Plus you can use the software with both Windows and Mac, depending on the version that you download.

Pros:

• Works with all mainstream video formats
• Features support for 4K videos
• Includes color adjustment and picture in picture, even in 360 videos
• Speed adjustment capabilities

2. Premiere Pro

Adobe Premiere Pro CC is seen by many as the leading product that you can get if you want to edit high quality videos, including 360 degree content.

Any type of video format will be compatible. You should have no issues editing different segments of the content that you are creating, as Premiere Pro CC is known for having very efficient workflow screens.

Pros:

• Tools to adjust color, audio and graphics
• Works seamlessly with other Adobe apps
• Possible to create and edit content on the go using smartphones

3. After Effects

If you are attempting to add many unique graphics and transitions to your videos, then you will want to use Adobe After Effects. Most would recommend that be combined with Premiere Pro to get the best experience.

After Effects is ideal for adding introductions, end credits, transitions and other effects to the content that you have produced. You can use it to take the videos that you have created to the next level.

Pros:

• Support for movie titles, introductions, transitions and end credits
• Possible to animate logos and characters
• Works with Adobe Premiere Pro

4. Final Cut Pro X

Mac users who want to use their laptop or desktop to edit 360 videos will be happy to know that it is supported in Final Cut Pro X. It is one of the fastest and most powerful programs to use on a Mac, as it is completely optimized for the operating system and hardware.

It is possible to edit and playback 360 videos using a VR headset. It allows creators to not only put in great videos and edit them, but also see how they look after various adjustments.

Pros:

• Advanced color grading options
• Full HDR and 4K support
• View files with VR headset
• Optimized for Macs
• Includes free trial

Cons:

• Little bit expensive

5. Molanis VR

Molanis VR is ideal for anyone who wants to create 360 video that will look incredible when viewed through VR glasses. It is one of the most flexible software options, as it is inexpensive and includes many great features.

IT is possible to trim, cut and fade, include text and images, add effects and make other changes to videos on the fly. The software is intuitive to use, which is great for beginners who have not edited much in the past.

Pros:

• Support for 4K videos
• Options to add text, images and effects to videos
• Can manage color, correct horizon and stabilize 360 videos
• Includes a tree trial

Cons:

• Not as many tutorials on how to use the software compared to bigger brands

Part 2: How to Upload 360 Degree Videos to YouTube

It is possible to add 360 degree videos onto YouTube . Using YouTube to promote such content is sensible, as it is one of the largest streaming video platforms in the world. These videos can be seen on any of the major browsers and on certain mobile devices. But they must be uploaded from a desktop.

YouTube 360 Video Specification

The first step of the process is to create a video that YouTube will approve as a 360 submission. Such a video should be either 24, 25, 30, 48, 50, or 60 frames per second. Do not go any higher or it will not be approved.

It is also a good idea to have videos that are between 7168x3584 and 8192x4096 in resolution. Any lower and the quality of the video will not be good enough to provide a pleasant viewing experience to the audience.

How to Upload to YouTube

Now that you have your video edited, you are a step closer to uploading it onto YouTube. But there are some steps that you must follow . These include downloading the 360 Video Metadata app on your Mac or Windows device.

Then you will choose the file, check the Spherical box and save it. Make sure that 3D top-bottom is not checked when you save the file. The file should be created in the folder where the original was located. Now you can upload that file to YouTube.

Read More to Get : YouTube Video Dimensions/Size: Guide for Upload Settings

Conclusion

If you want to upload 360 video to YouTube or some other platform, using a 360 video editor is the way to go. The best 360 video converter and editor program will let you take the raw footage that you have shot and turn it into a stunning video that anyone can enjoy.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

360 degree videos have become incredibly popular on the Internet. Not only do they give people a complete look at a scene, but they also allow for a lot of artistic freedom. Those who are using VR-capable devices can get an even more immersive experience. It is why many content creators want to learn about the best 360 video editor they can use on their computers.

Here is a look at the 5 best 360 video converter and editor programs that you can use on your Windows or Mac computer.

• Part 1: 5 Best 360 Video Editor for You
• Part 2: How to Upload 360 Degree Videos to YouTube

Part 1: 5 Best 360 Video Editor for You

1. Movavi

Movavi is an affordable 360 degree video editor that makes it easy for you to create, edit and share these videos online. You can even add filters, titles and transitions to your videos, while soundtrack addition is also possible.

You can use the preview window in the program to see how your video will look if it is published as is. Plus you can use the software with both Windows and Mac, depending on the version that you download.

Pros:

• Works with all mainstream video formats
• Features support for 4K videos
• Includes color adjustment and picture in picture, even in 360 videos
• Speed adjustment capabilities

2. Premiere Pro

Adobe Premiere Pro CC is seen by many as the leading product that you can get if you want to edit high quality videos, including 360 degree content.

Any type of video format will be compatible. You should have no issues editing different segments of the content that you are creating, as Premiere Pro CC is known for having very efficient workflow screens.

Pros:

• Tools to adjust color, audio and graphics
• Works seamlessly with other Adobe apps
• Possible to create and edit content on the go using smartphones

3. After Effects

If you are attempting to add many unique graphics and transitions to your videos, then you will want to use Adobe After Effects. Most would recommend that be combined with Premiere Pro to get the best experience.

After Effects is ideal for adding introductions, end credits, transitions and other effects to the content that you have produced. You can use it to take the videos that you have created to the next level.

Pros:

• Support for movie titles, introductions, transitions and end credits
• Possible to animate logos and characters
• Works with Adobe Premiere Pro

4. Final Cut Pro X

Mac users who want to use their laptop or desktop to edit 360 videos will be happy to know that it is supported in Final Cut Pro X. It is one of the fastest and most powerful programs to use on a Mac, as it is completely optimized for the operating system and hardware.

It is possible to edit and playback 360 videos using a VR headset. It allows creators to not only put in great videos and edit them, but also see how they look after various adjustments.

Pros:

• Advanced color grading options
• Full HDR and 4K support
• View files with VR headset
• Optimized for Macs
• Includes free trial

Cons:

• Little bit expensive

5. Molanis VR

Molanis VR is ideal for anyone who wants to create 360 video that will look incredible when viewed through VR glasses. It is one of the most flexible software options, as it is inexpensive and includes many great features.

IT is possible to trim, cut and fade, include text and images, add effects and make other changes to videos on the fly. The software is intuitive to use, which is great for beginners who have not edited much in the past.

Pros:

• Support for 4K videos
• Options to add text, images and effects to videos
• Can manage color, correct horizon and stabilize 360 videos
• Includes a tree trial

Cons:

• Not as many tutorials on how to use the software compared to bigger brands

Part 2: How to Upload 360 Degree Videos to YouTube

It is possible to add 360 degree videos onto YouTube . Using YouTube to promote such content is sensible, as it is one of the largest streaming video platforms in the world. These videos can be seen on any of the major browsers and on certain mobile devices. But they must be uploaded from a desktop.

YouTube 360 Video Specification

The first step of the process is to create a video that YouTube will approve as a 360 submission. Such a video should be either 24, 25, 30, 48, 50, or 60 frames per second. Do not go any higher or it will not be approved.

It is also a good idea to have videos that are between 7168x3584 and 8192x4096 in resolution. Any lower and the quality of the video will not be good enough to provide a pleasant viewing experience to the audience.

How to Upload to YouTube

Now that you have your video edited, you are a step closer to uploading it onto YouTube. But there are some steps that you must follow . These include downloading the 360 Video Metadata app on your Mac or Windows device.

Then you will choose the file, check the Spherical box and save it. Make sure that 3D top-bottom is not checked when you save the file. The file should be created in the folder where the original was located. Now you can upload that file to YouTube.

Read More to Get : YouTube Video Dimensions/Size: Guide for Upload Settings

Conclusion

If you want to upload 360 video to YouTube or some other platform, using a 360 video editor is the way to go. The best 360 video converter and editor program will let you take the raw footage that you have shot and turn it into a stunning video that anyone can enjoy.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

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