How Does YouTube Count Views? (Answer in Details)

How does Youtube count views?, are Youtube views unique? where's the exact answer? - Every 2nd YouTuber is asking such questions as getting more views on YouTube is now not an easy way that it used to be in the past decade. To help you understand the tricky points of Youtube views collecting and how your video views on Youtube are being shown in Analytics and Under the Videos, we dive deeper and found the exact answers for all the common questions about Youtube views.

As a beginner Youtuber, you may try to increase your video views by watching your own videos and then refreshing the page to load the video again thinking that it will be counted as a unique view. But, things are changed now, Youtube has its own algorithm to calculate unique views. This algorithm removes the views that are made out of such cheap tricks.

To get the right answer about Youtube views, one must have to understand the system which Youtube uses to count video views, and here's what you should learn.

How Does YouTube Count Views?

There's a fact that your views are not increasing when you are just starting your vlogging journey on Youtube because of the 30 seconds rule. Yes, Youtube starts counting the views when someone watches your video for at least 30 seconds (with or without skipping). So read the Youtube unique view count criteria here:

1. A viewer intentionally plays the video on Youtube website or app
2. A viewer completes the watch time of 30 or 31 seconds with or without skipping

So, a view will be added to your Youtube video when someone plays it from Youtube and then watches for up to 30 seconds. Any view which is less than the 30 seconds watch time will not be counted.

There's another myth about Youtube views that the system is designed to stop counting views when a user is watching the same video in 24 hours for multiple times and after a certain number such as 4/5, the Youtube view counting system stops counting those views as unique and don't show those views for the particular video.

Are YouTube Views Unique?

If you ask about a common question that youtube views are unique or not, then to give you a straightforward answer:

According to research on Youtube Video Views by Richie Holland, YouTube views are unique and being collected by utilizing the IP address tracking and when you are watching the same video on the same internet connection with the same IP, your views will count as one and you can't trick the system.

There's another myth about logged in and views when logged out of Youtube. But, Youtube is using the same system to count views and it doesn't reflect whether you are logged in or logged out of the Youtube website or mobile app.

Myths About YouTube Live View Count

Going live on Youtube is becoming a norm and every Youtuber is saying hi to his/her audience by going live on Youtube. While Youtube has a solid view counting system in place, the live view count requires a more scientific approach. What youtube do about it is, the system shows live views under the Live Video Streaming and after it ends, in 24 hours the system adjusts the unique view by decreasing or increase the view count numbers.

It doesn't work when you are trying to trick the live streaming view count by opening a lot of windows or accessing the video streaming page on 5/6 browsers with the same IP addresses.

Does Bot Video Views Work on Youtube?

There was a time when people used to purchase watch bots that are being coded in different software and apps and some of them are paid programs with a ticket price of $500 to $5,000+ and innocent people getting scammed with such cheap software and apps. Now, YouTube is way faster than these small coders, the view counting system which is being used by Youtube is more intelligent and it can deduct a view that is being generated by a bot and a view that is being generated by a human being. So, the next time you use a bot for increasing Youtube views, you should be cautious and avoid such activities to stay safe as Youtube can even take strict action against such accounts by disabling monetization or even by removing your Youtube channel.

Is Buying Youtube Views Is Good?

Yes, buying Youtube video views is good when you are using Youtube ads and other legitimate ways such as by hiring a digital marketing agency to market your videos on Youtube.

However, it is harmful when you are buying Youtube views from individual sellers (ie freelancers) who may use bots and hacks to increase Youtube views which is not recommended. 

How to Get Legit YouTube Views?

To get legitimate Youtube views that allow you to monetize your videos, you have to follow the default guidelines and make outstanding video content. You should focus on the quality of videos and make sure you are providing what your audience is asking. You should focus on your niche and make long-form videos that are engaging and worth a watch. Give your viewers some surprises and you can also make educational and informative videos to make your audience stick with your videos. This will surely help you to boost your video views and get accepted as a Youtube partner to monetize your videos with Google Adsense Ads.