YouTube, one of the world’s largest video-sharing platforms, has decided to update the viewing metrics for the short video format called “Shorts.”

FEATURES AND PURPOSE OF THE NEW SYSTEM The new system that changes the view count in the Shorts format on YouTube is designed to better understand user habits and provide more accurate data to content creators. The new system is based on counting each view when a Shorts video is played for the first time or watched again. Unlike the previous system, this change aims to reflect users’ interaction with videos more instantly and quickly. In the previous view metric, a video had to be watched for a certain period of time to count as a view. This did not fully reflect users’ fast consumption habits, especially in the short video format. The new system offers a more suitable approach to the nature of short videos, allowing views to be measured in real-time. Thus, content creators can evaluate their view numbers not only based on total views but also on the real impact of their videos on users. Additionally, this system is being aligned with metrics of other short video platforms such as TikTok and Instagram Reels. This change aims to enhance the competitiveness of YouTube Shorts and standardize metrics across the industry. It makes comparisons between platforms easier and provides content creators producing Shorts videos with a more consistent measurement method. With YouTube’s new system, content creators will be able to analyze how frequently their videos are watched, how much interest users show in their videos, and the rates of rewatching more clearly. This will contribute to creating content strategies more consciously. For example, videos that users rewatch can be considered more successful in terms of engagement, and based on this data, content creators can focus on similar themes.

However, it should be noted that the new system does not change all Shorts viewing metrics. Important evaluation criteria such as earnings and eligibility for the YouTube Partner Program still rely on the previous “interactive view” metric. This distinction shows that the new system will only be used to measure view counts and will not directly impact the earnings model. APPLICATION DATE AND EXPECTATIONS YouTube plans to implement the new viewing metrics as of March 31, 2025. While different reactions are expected among content creators regarding this change, it is generally anticipated to increase the visibility of Shorts videos.