How to Check and Increase Your YouTube Playlist Views?

YouTube playlists allow you to curate and share collections of videos around topics you love. As a creator, optimizing your YouTube playlists is a great way to increase viewership and promote your content. But how do you know if your playlists are actually attracting viewers? This guide will teach you how to check YouTube playlist views so you can better understand your audience and boost your visibility.
What Do YouTube Playlist Views Mean?
When viewers watch a video that’s part of a public or unlisted YouTube playlist, it counts as a playlist view. This metric allows creators to track how appealing their playlists are to viewers.
More playlist views signal that a playlist successfully targets audience interests and encourages binge viewing. Playlists with high view counts tend to rank better in YouTube search and suggested videos. YouTube’s algorithm favors playlists that consistently attract viewers.
Checking your playlist views provides valuable insight into:
- Audience interest in your playlist topics
- How well your playlists convert viewers
- Which playlists drive the most traffic
Analyzing playlist performance helps you identify opportunities to improve discoverability and watch time. Read on to learn how to monitor your YouTube playlist views.
How to Check YouTube Playlist Views
Checking the number of views for your YouTube playlists is simple with just a few steps:
Step 1 – Navigate to YouTube Studio
To see analytics for your YouTube playlists, you first need to go to the YouTube Studio dashboard. This is the back-end area where you can access data and tools for your channel.
To get there, click on your profile icon in the top right corner of YouTube, then select “YouTube Studio” from the dropdown menu. This will open up the Studio dashboard.

Step 2 – Navigating to Your Content On the left side of the menu bar
You will see a list of Channel content including Video, Shorts, Live, Posts, Playlists, Podcasts, Promotion, Beta.

Step 3 – Click on Playlists
In the left-hand menu bar of YouTube Studio, you will see a section called “Channel Content.” Click on the “Playlists” option.
This will open up a list of all the playlists associated with your YouTube channel.

Step 4 – Select a Playlist and View Analytics
Browse the list of your playlists and click on the one you want to view analytics for. This will open up the details for that individual playlist. With your playlist open, click on the “Analytics” tab in the top menu. This will display all the key stats for that playlist, including total views, average percentage watched, and traffic sources.

The total view count will be prominently displayed, so you can quickly see how many times your playlist has been viewed.

Analyze the other metrics to get a better understanding of your playlist’s performance. Check this regularly to see how your view counts trend over time.
Curious exactly how many playlists you can create on YouTube? Get the real answer – click here for the details.
Decoding Playlist View Metrics
When you check playlist views, pay attention to these key analytics:
Total Playlist Views
This top-level metric shows how many times your playlist has been viewed. Higher totals indicate better performance.
Shoot for at least 100 views per playlist as a starting goal. Top-performing playlists often have tens of thousands or more views.
Average Percentage Viewed
This metric under the Views tab shows the average percentage of your playlist viewers watched.
Higher percentages signal better engagement and relevance to audience interests. Strive for at least a 50-60% average viewed.
Traffic Sources
The Traffic Sources report reveals where your playlist views come from – YouTube search, suggested videos, channel pages, etc.
This helps you double down on the highest-converting sources.
View Graphs
Charts showing peaks and valleys in daily, weekly, or monthly views help you spot viewer trends and seasonality.
Analyze when your best-performing playlists gain traction to guide your content calendar.
Top-Viewed Playlists
Sort your Playlists report to quickly see which playlists attract the most views.
Identify your hit playlists to replicate their success.
Audience Retention
This graph displays at what points in your videos viewers drop off.
Look for steep cliffs signaling content misses the mark. Shorter retention indicates less relevant or engaging content.
Optimizing Your Playlists for Peak Performance
Now that you know how to check your YouTube playlist views, here are some best practices to increase views and engagement:
Create Playlists Around Specific Themes
Curate each playlist around a focused topic that attracts your target audience. For example:
- Beginner’s Guide to Knitting
- Running Vlogs
- Book Reviews
Consistent themes retain viewers longer.
Choose Captivating Thumbnails
Spend time designing thumbnails that capture attention. Use bold graphics, contrasting colors, and compelling text.
Thumbnails are the first touchpoint for clicks and views.
Optimize Titles
Include keyword-rich titles using formulas like:
- “Full Guide to [Topic]”
- “How to [Skill]”
- “[Number] [Topic] Tips”
descriptive titles signal helpful content at a glance.
Sequence Videos in Order
Organize playlists to view videos in a logical learning path or story arc. Numbered playlists work well for tutorials.
Cohesive order keeps viewers watching further into playlists.
Feature Various Content Formats
Include different styles like tips, demos, interviews, case studies, and tutorials for diverse interest.
Format diversity maintains viewer curiosity.
Update Frequently
Add new videos regularly so viewers have fresh content to watch. Feature your latest and most popular uploads first.
Newness incentives return visits and binge watching.
Limit to 15-30 Videos
Keep playlists focused and scannable with around 15-30 videos each.
Longer playlists become too overwhelming for viewers.
Share Playlists Prominently
Link playlists on your channel homepage, video descriptions, end screens, and social channels.
More visibility drives more views. Feature your best performers first.
Run Playlists As Ads
Use YouTube video discovery ads to promote your playlists to targeted audiences. More impressions equal more views.
Analyze and Iterate
Check playlist analytics weekly to learn and refine your strategy. Double down on tactics that work and try new ideas.
Consistent optimization boosts performance over time.
Conclusion
YouTube playlists offer an excellent opportunity to engage viewers, promote your brand, and increase watch time. But their performance depends on attracting audience interest. Checking playlist views provides the necessary data to make smart optimizations.
Following this guide will teach you how to monitor key YouTube playlist metrics using Creator Studio, YouTube Studio Classic, and the mobile app. Use these insights to amplify your best content, fix underperforming playlists, and better resonate with your audience.
Curating captivating playlists around focused themes, updating frequently, and driving external traffic are proven ways to convert more views. Apply the playlist best practices outlined here to unlock your channel’s full potential.
Let analytics guide your YouTube strategy to keep making improvements over time. With the right structure and promotion, your custom playlists can become a valuable source of views, subscribers, and revenue.
I am Eric Mason, the founder of TubeLoop.io and I have extensive experience with digital marketing and media. I have employed my expertise to launch a multitude of successful online businesses, ranging across a variety of industries. I also enjoy tackling startups, taking calculated risks and taking advantage of opportunities – I believe these attributes act as catalysts for success within any industry. I look forward to continuing my journey toward success with TubeLoop.io makes it possible for people to watch youtube videos over and over again, it is something I am passionate about and I’m excited to see what the future holds.