The Secret of Videos That Work (Real Data)

7,900 views vs 7 views. Same channel. Same creator. What makes the difference? After years of data, I finally understand.

The Case Study: My Own Channel

I'm going to be brutally honest with my numbers:

Video	Views	Type
Game Awards Unfiltered	7,900+	Opinion/Event
Daily Stream #47	7	Routine gameplay
Character Tier List	2,100+	Guide/List
Pull Session VOD	23	Saved stream
Update Analysis	890	Informative

The pattern is clear. And painful to accept.

The Uncomfortable Truth

The videos I like making are not the videos the audience wants to watch.

I love streaming my dailies. It's relaxing, I interact with chat, I have a good time. But nobody cares about watching someone do routine tasks in a game.

The videos that work require more effort, more editing, more planning. And honestly, they're sometimes less fun to make.

Anatomy of a Video That Works

1. Correct Timing

"Game Awards Unfiltered" worked because:

• It was uploaded the same day as the event
• People were searching for reactions and opinions
• The algorithm prioritizes content about current events

A video about Game Awards uploaded a week later: 200 views max.

2. Title That Answers a Question

Works:

• "Is X Character Worth It?"
• "Character Tier List for 2026"
• "What NOBODY Tells You About X"

Doesn't Work:

• "Playing X Game"
• "Tuesday Stream"
• "New Update"

People search for solutions, not generic content.

3. Thumbnail That Generates Curiosity

My videos with the best CTR (Click-Through Rate) have:

• Exaggerated facial expressions (even if it embarrasses me)
• Large, readable text
• Color contrast
• A visual element that raises a question

My worst CTR: "aesthetic" thumbnails or game screenshots without context.

4. The First 30 Seconds

YouTube shows you your audience retention. 50% of viewers I lose, I lose in the first 30 seconds.

What I learned:

• No long intros
• Start with the video's promise
• A hook that generates curiosity
• No "hey everyone, welcome to my channel"

Real Retention Data

My video with the best retention (45% average):

0:00-0:30 → Direct hook: "The tier list everyone gets wrong"
0:30-2:00 → Brief context on why my tier list is different
2:00-8:00 → The main content, tier by tier
8:00-8:30 → Conclusion and call to action

My video with the worst retention (12% average):

0:00-1:30 → Intro about how my day was
1:30-3:00 → Explaining what we're going to do
3:00-20:00 → Gameplay without structure
20:00-20:30 → "Well guys, that was it"

The difference isn't the topic. It's the structure.

Content for You vs Content for the Audience

This is the hardest thing to balance:

Content for you:

• You enjoy making it
• Doesn't require much preparation
• Authentic and relaxed
• Few views

Content for the audience:

• Answers specific questions
• Requires research and editing
• Optimized for search and CTR
• More views but more effort

My solution: 80/20.

80% of my content is for growth: tier lists, analyses, opinions on events. It's work, but it's what the algorithm rewards.

20% is for me: relaxed streams, experimental content, things I want to do even if nobody watches.

The Metrics That Matter

YouTube gives you a thousand metrics. The only ones I look at weekly:

1. CTR (Click-Through Rate) - Does the thumbnail and title work?
2. Average retention - Does the content maintain attention?
3. Watch time - What YouTube actually values
4. Subscribers gained per video - Does it convert viewers into followers?

The metrics I stopped caring about (and improved):

• Likes/dislikes ratio
• Comments (except for engagement)
• Shares

What I Changed in 2025

Based on this data, my changes were:

1. Fewer saved streams as videos - Only those with editable moments
2. More tier lists and guides - Searchable content
3. Thumbnails with my face - Even if it makes me cringe, it works
4. More clickbait titles - But without lying about the content
5. Shorter videos - 8-12 minutes is the sweet spot for my niche

The Reality of "Success"

7,900 views sounds good. But:

• I don't monetize (haven't reached the threshold)
• It's not viral, it's "decent for a small channel"
• A big creator does that in an hour

And still, those 7,900 people chose to watch my content. That means something.

Conclusion

The "secret" is no secret:

1. Timing - Publish when the topic is relevant
2. Title/Thumbnail - Marketing matters more than content
3. Structure - Hook → Value → Close
4. Consistency - One good video occasionally < consistently good videos
5. Data - Let the numbers guide you, not your ego

Is it cynical? A bit. Does it work? The data doesn't lie.

Content for passion is valid. But if you want to grow, you have to accept that it's a game with rules. Learn the rules, then decide which ones to break.