What is a Good Engagement Rate on YouTube? [YEAR] Benchmarks

Is 5% engagement rate good? What about 2%? Without context, these numbers are meaningless. Here's the complete benchmarking guide with real data from [YEAR] to help you understand if your engagement rate is strong, average, or needs improvement.

Overall YouTube Engagement Benchmarks

Industry Averages ([YEAR]):

All channels (averaged): 3-5% engagement rate

But this average hides massive variation. Let's break it down by the factors that actually matter:

By Channel Size:

Micro Channels (0-10K subs):

Average: 8-12% engagement rate
Good: 12-18%
Excellent: 18%+

Why higher: Small, dedicated audience who actively chose to subscribe. High subscriber-to-view ratio.

Small Channels (10K-100K subs):

Average: 5-9% engagement rate
Good: 9-13%
Excellent: 13%+

Why moderate: Growing beyond core audience. Mix of subscriber and discovery traffic.

Medium Channels (100K-500K subs):

Average: 3-6% engagement rate
Good: 6-9%
Excellent: 9%+

Why lower: Majority of views from suggested/browse (lower intent). Casual viewers less likely to engage.

Large Channels (500K-1M subs):

Average: 2-5% engagement rate
Good: 5-7%
Excellent: 7%+

Why lower: High volume of passive viewers. Brand recognition brings casual viewers who don't engage.

Mega Channels (1M+ subs):

Average: 1-4% engagement rate
Good: 4-6%
Excellent: 6%+

Why lowest: Massive reach = diverse audience = many passive viewers. 3% of 1M views = 30,000 engagements (still significant).

Key insight: Don't compare your 50K subscriber channel to a 5M subscriber channel. Use size-adjusted benchmarks.

Engagement Benchmarks by Niche

Different niches have inherently different engagement patterns:

High-Engagement Niches (6-12% average):

1. Personal Development & Motivation (8-12%)

Why: Inspirational content drives comments and shares
Audience actively working on self-improvement
Strong community feeling

2. Controversy & Commentary (7-11%)

Why: Polarizing content generates discussion
Viewers have strong opinions to share
Drama naturally encourages engagement

3. Gaming (6-10%)

Why: Passionate fan communities
Viewers share strategies and tips in comments
High rewatch value (guides, tutorials)

4. Fitness & Weight Loss (6-9%)

Why: Transformation content is shareable
Viewers share progress and ask questions
Community support culture

5. Small Business & Entrepreneurship (5-9%)

Why: Viewers implementing strategies (want to report results)
High-intent audience
Niche community feel

Medium-Engagement Niches (3-7% average):

6. Personal Finance (4-7%)

Why: Practical, educational content
Moderate shareability
Some viewers prefer privacy (don't want to comment on money)

7. Tech Reviews (4-6%)

Why: Information-seeking audience
Engage when they need specs or have questions
Less emotional connection

8. Cooking & Recipes (3-6%)

Why: Viewers watching while cooking (can't engage)
Save/share more than comment
Some engagement in questions/substitutions

9. DIY & Crafts (3-6%)

Why: Tutorial-focused (not discussion-focused)
Viewers busy following along
Moderate community interaction

10. Travel Vlogs (3-5%)

Why: Entertainment-focused, less discussion-worthy
Viewers watch passively
Some engagement asking for tips

Lower-Engagement Niches (1-4% average):

11. Music (Covers, Original) (2-4%)

Why: Viewers listen, not watch actively
Less to comment about ("nice song" gets repetitive)
High background-listening usage

12. ASMR & Relaxation (1-3%)

Why: Viewers falling asleep or relaxing
Not in discussion mindset
Background content usage

13. Ambient & Lofi Music (1-3%)

Why: Background music while studying/working
Not actively watching
Long videos, minimal engagement opportunity

14. Meditation & Sleep Content (1-2%)

Why: Viewers literally falling asleep
Not watching screen (audio-only usage)
No discussion needed

15. Long-Form Podcasts (1-3%)

Why: Background listening
Long runtime (lower engagement per minute)
Passive consumption

Important: If you're in a low-engagement niche, 2% might be excellent performance. Context matters.

Engagement by Content Type

Tutorial/How-To Content:

Average: 4-7% engagement
Good: 7-10%
Why: High-intent viewers who may have questions or want to share results

Entertainment/Comedy:

Average: 3-6% engagement
Good: 6-9%
Why: Emotional reaction drives shares, but less discussion-worthy

Opinion/Commentary:

Average: 6-10% engagement
Good: 10-15%
Why: Controversial or discussion-worthy topics naturally generate engagement

Product Reviews:

Average: 4-7% engagement
Good: 7-10%
Why: Viewers ask questions before purchasing or share their experiences

Vlogs:

Average: 3-5% engagement
Good: 5-8%
Why: Personality-driven content with moderate community interaction

Educational/Documentary:

Average: 2-5% engagement
Good: 5-8%
Why: Longer videos with passive viewing, but high-quality engagement (thoughtful comments)

Engagement by Video Length

Short Videos (1-5 minutes):

Average: 6-10% engagement
Why: Quick watch → immediate engagement opportunity
Pattern: Viewers engage right after finishing

Medium Videos (8-15 minutes):

Average: 4-7% engagement
Why: Balanced length
Pattern: Engagement throughout video and after

Long Videos (20-40 minutes):

Average: 2-5% engagement
Why: Takes longer to watch, some viewers don't finish
Pattern: Engagement concentrated in first 25% of video

Very Long Videos (60+ minutes):

Average: 1-3% engagement
Why: Background content, passive viewing
Pattern: Minimal mid-video engagement, some comments at end

Key insight: Adjust expectations based on your average video length.

Engagement by Traffic Source

Where viewers find your video massively impacts engagement:

High-Engagement Sources:

Notifications (20-30% engagement):

Your most dedicated fans
Clicked immediately when notified
Highest likelihood to engage

Subscribers Feed (15-25% engagement):

Active subscribers browsing their subscriptions
Chose to watch your content specifically
High engagement likelihood

Playlists (10-18% engagement):

Watching multiple videos in sequence
Already engaged with content
Higher investment level

Community Tab (12-20% engagement):

Engaged community members
Already interacting with your posts
Primed to engage with video

Medium-Engagement Sources:

YouTube Search (4-8% engagement):

Found you via search query
High intent for information
Engage if content exceeds expectations

End Screens/Cards (5-10% engagement):

Already watching your content
Warm audience
Moderate engagement likelihood

Channel Page (6-10% engagement):

Actively exploring your content
Interested in your channel specifically
Above-average engagement

Lower-Engagement Sources:

Suggested Videos (2-5% engagement):

Algorithm recommended passively
May not know your channel
Watching casually

Browse Features/Homepage (1-4% engagement):

Scrolling through options
Exploratory behavior
Low commitment

External Sources (1-3% engagement):

Came from outside YouTube (social media, websites)
May not have YouTube account
Often one-time viewers

YouTube Ads (0.5-2% engagement):

Didn't choose to watch
Forced exposure
Very low engagement likelihood

Implication: A channel with mostly subscriber traffic will have much higher overall engagement than one relying on browse/suggested traffic.

What "Good" Really Means

For a 5K Subscriber Gaming Channel:

Below 6%: Need improvement
6-10%: Average/good performance
10-15%: Excellent engagement
15%+: Outstanding (top 5% of channels your size)

For a 100K Subscriber Tech Review Channel:

Below 3%: Need improvement
3-6%: Average/good performance
6-9%: Excellent engagement
9%+: Outstanding (top tier)

For a 1M Subscriber Educational Channel:

Below 2%: Need improvement
2-4%: Average/good performance
4-6%: Excellent engagement
6%+: Outstanding (rare at this scale)

The Engagement Rate Trap

High Engagement ≠ Success

Scenario A:

1,000 views
200 engagements
20% engagement rate (excellent!)
But: Only 1,000 views (poor reach)

Scenario B:

100,000 views
3,000 engagements
3% engagement rate (average)
But: 100,000 views (great reach)

Which is better? Scenario B.

Why? 3,000 total engagements > 200 engagements, despite lower percentage. Plus, 100K views = better monetization, more algorithm favor, more opportunities.

The lesson: Don't sacrifice reach for engagement rate. Aim for both, but prioritize sustainable growth.

How to Interpret Your Engagement Rate

Step 1: Calculate Your Average

Average your last 10-20 videos' engagement rates.

Example: 4.7% average engagement rate

Step 2: Find Your Benchmark

Use this guide to find the appropriate benchmark for:

Your channel size
Your niche
Your content type

Example: Small channel (50K subs), gaming niche, tutorial content

Expected: 5-9% engagement

Step 3: Compare

Your average (4.7%) vs Expected (5-9%)

Analysis: Slightly below average. Room for improvement.

Step 4: Check Traffic Sources

If most traffic is from browse/suggested (low-engagement sources), your 4.7% might actually be good relative to traffic source.

If most traffic is from subscribers (high-engagement source), your 4.7% is below expectations.

Step 5: Track Trends

Is your 4.7% improving or declining month-over-month?

Improving: You're on the right track
Declining: Time to adjust content strategy
Stable: Consistent performance (good or bad depending on starting point)

When to Worry About Low Engagement

Red Flags:

1. Declining Engagement Over Time If your engagement rate was 6% and is now 3% over 6 months, investigate why.

Possible causes:

Content quality declining
Audience changing (more casual viewers)
Less engagement CTAs
Topics less discussion-worthy

2. Engagement Below 2% (Any Niche) Even low-engagement niches should exceed 2%. Below that signals:

Content doesn't resonate
Wrong audience
Poor CTAs
Quality issues

3. High Views, Zero Comments If you're getting views but no comments at all:

Audience isn't invested
Nothing discussion-worthy
Possible bot traffic

4. Engagement Concentrated in First Hour If 90% of engagement happens in the first hour, then stops:

Only subscribers engaging
Broader audience not connecting
Algorithm not promoting beyond initial push

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: My engagement rate is 1.5%. Is my channel doomed? A: Not necessarily. Check your niche and traffic sources. If you're making meditation content with mostly browse traffic, 1.5% might be normal. If you're making gaming content with subscriber traffic, that's very low.

Q: Can engagement rate be too high? A: Rarely. If engagement is 30%+ with very low views, it might mean you're not getting reach beyond a tiny core audience. But high engagement is almost always positive.

Q: Should I disable comments to avoid hate comments affecting engagement? A: No. Comments (even negative) are engagement. The algorithm doesn't distinguish positive from negative. Plus, disabling comments removes a major engagement opportunity.

Q: Do pinned comments or replies increase engagement rate? A: They don't count multiple times, but engaging with your audience (replying to comments) encourages more commenting, which increases future engagement.

Q: How do I compare my engagement rate to competitors? A: Use tools like Social Blade, TubeBuddy, or VidIQ to estimate competitors' engagement. Or manually calculate from their public video pages (views, likes, comments visible).

Your Benchmarking Action Plan

Today:

Calculate your average engagement rate (last 10 videos)
Identify your channel size, niche, and content type
Find your appropriate benchmark in this guide

This Week: 4. Analyze your top 3 traffic sources 5. Adjust expectations based on traffic source mix 6. Determine if you're above or below benchmark

This Month: 7. If below benchmark: Implement engagement-boosting strategies (see our boost guide) 8. Track engagement rate weekly 9. Measure improvement

This Quarter: 10. Set a realistic engagement rate goal (+1-2% above current) 11. Document what content types drive highest engagement 12. Optimize content strategy based on data

Remember: Benchmarks are guides, not absolute rules. A "good" engagement rate is one that's improving over time and correlates with channel growth.

Last Updated: [DATE] Check where you stand with our Engagement Rate Calculator