Guide
What is a good click-through rate on YouTube?
According to YouTube, half of all channels and videos have an impressions CTR between 2% and 10%. But “good” depends on where your impressions come from — here’s how to read the number properly.
How CTR is calculated
Impressions CTR = views from impressions ÷ impressions. If your thumbnail was shown 10,000 times and 600 people clicked, your CTR is 6%. Try the CTR calculator.
Why CTR varies so much
- Traffic source: subscribers and search viewers click more than people seeing you in broad recommendations.
- Video age: CTR is often highest early, when the video is shown to your most engaged viewers, and falls as it reaches wider audiences.
- Niche and format: some topics naturally attract more clicks than others.
- Impression volume: a video shown to many more people can have a lower CTR and still get far more views.
Compare like with like
Judge a thumbnail against your own videos at the same age and with similar traffic sources, not against a universal number. A 4% CTR on a video with a million impressions can be a huge success.
How to improve CTR with thumbnails
- Make the hook obvious in one glance.
- Use a face with a clear emotion where it fits.
- Cut text to 2–5 words that add curiosity.
- Increase contrast and simplify the background.
- Test variants with Test & compare.
Frequently asked questions
Is a 5% CTR good on YouTube?
It sits in the middle of the 2–10% range YouTube reports for half of channels. Whether it’s good for you depends on your traffic sources and how it compares to your other videos.
Why is my CTR dropping?
Often because YouTube is showing the video to broader audiences who know you less. That’s usually a sign of growth, not a problem — check whether views are still rising.
Make your next thumbnail in minutes
Tell the AI agent what your video is about — it proposes a thumbnail, you approve it, and you can tweak it by asking.
Keep exploring
YouTube CTR calculator
Work out your impressions click-through rate and what a better thumbnail could be worth.
Learn more →Click-through rate (CTR)
Impressions click-through rate is the share of thumbnail impressions that turned into views.
Learn more →Thumbnail best practices
12 practical rules for thumbnails that earn clicks without clickbait.
Learn more →