O1 / CREATOR REFERENCE
The creator glossary.
Plain-English definitions of creator metrics and concepts, with context for what each one can tell you.
Terms, explained
22 terms
- C
CTR (Click-Through Rate)
The % of people who click your video after seeing the thumbnail.
- I
Impressions
How many times your thumbnail was shown to viewers.
- A
AVD (Average View Duration)
The average time viewers actually watch your video.
- R
Retention
The curve showing where viewers drop off through your video.
- W
Watch Time
Total minutes viewers spend watching your content.
- R
RPM (Revenue Per Mille)
Your actual earnings per 1,000 views, after YouTube's cut.
- C
CPM (Cost Per Mille)
What advertisers pay per 1,000 ad impressions.
- P
Packaging
Your title + thumbnail — the promise that earns the click.
- T
Thumbnail
The image that does most of the work of earning a click.
- H
Hook
The first few seconds that decide whether viewers stay.
- O
Outlier
A video that massively outperformed its channel's norm.
- Y
YPP (YouTube Partner Program)
YouTube's monetization program with eligibility thresholds.
- M
Monetization
All the ways a channel turns attention into revenue.
- S
Suggested Videos
The recommendations beside/after a video — a top traffic source.
- B
Browse Features
Home feed and other YouTube-surfaced placements.
- S
Shorts
Vertical videos under ~60s with their own feed and algorithm.
- S
Subscribers
Viewers who opted in — a loose, lagging signal of value.
- N
Niche
The specific topic + audience a channel serves.
- F
Faceless Channel
A channel grown without showing the creator on camera.
- T
The Algorithm
YouTube's recommendation system that decides who sees your video.
- C
CTR Curve
How CTR changes as a video gets more impressions.
- E
Evergreen Content
Videos that keep getting views long after publishing.
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