Understanding YouTube Retention Curves

Master YouTube Retention Analysis

YouTube retention curves show you exactly when viewers stop watching - powerful data for improving your content.

What Is a Retention Curve?

A retention curve graphs the percentage of viewers still watching at each moment of your video:

• X-axis: Time in the video
• Y-axis: Percentage of viewers still watching
• Shows exactly where people drop off

How to Access Retention Curves

1. Connect your YouTube account via OAuth (must be your own channel)
2. Navigate to your YouTube videos
3. Click on any video
4. Select "View Retention" (costs 2 credits)
5. Retention curve loads with analysis

Reading the Curve

Good retention looks like:

• Gradual decline throughout
• 50%+ retention at 30 seconds
• Slight uptick at the end (viewers watching to completion)

Problem areas:

• Sharp drops: Boring moment or misleading hook
• Steady steep decline: Content isn't engaging enough
• Early drop: Hook didn't deliver on promise

Improving Based on Retention Data

If viewers drop in first 10 seconds:

• Your hook is weak or misleading
• Start with the most interesting moment
• Cut slower intros

If viewers drop at specific moments:

• That section is boring or too long
• Cut or tighten that part
• Add pattern interrupts (cuts, b-roll, text)

If steady decline throughout:

• Overall pacing is too slow
• Content doesn't maintain interest
• Consider shorter videos or faster editing

Retention Benchmarks

Average YouTube retention rates:

• 30 seconds: 60-70%
• 1 minute: 50-60%
• 2 minutes: 40-50%
• 5 minutes: 30-40%

Retention curves are available on Pro and Agency plans for OAuth-connected YouTube accounts. Use this data to systematically improve your content quality.