In Simplecast, you can analyze the performance of your video content at the show, episode, or channel level to understand how audiences engage with your YouTube video episodes.
The YouTube dimensions and metrics are available in Content Reports, alongside your audio data. You can combine multiple dimensions and metrics from both video and audio to gain a complete view of your podcast’s performance—helping you measure impact, compare results, and optimize growth across formats.
Viewing YouTube performance metrics alongside your audio podcast data provides deeper insight into how each episode performs across channels and simplifies reporting for sponsors and internal teams. For example, you can compare watch time on YouTube with downloads from RSS feeds to identify where your long-form content performs best.
Important:
YouTube metrics can only be paired with YouTube-labeled dimensions, along with the following general podcast data:
- Network
- RSS Feed
- Show Name
- Episode Name
- Time
- Time Since Publication
- Publication Date
For example, combining Region with YouTube Views will only return results if Downloads is also selected. Otherwise, Content Reports will display a dash (–) instead of data.
Note: All YouTube analytics in Content Reports are updated with a ~3-day delay, meaning events appear in reporting approximately 3 days after they occur.
This article lists the available YouTube dimensions and metrics, with definitions and guidance on when and how to use them. For a step-by-step guide on how to use Content Reports to generate comprehensive insights into your content performance, check this article
Dimensions
Dimension |
Description |
|
YouTube Channel
|
Shows the YouTube channel where a video is published. A channel represents the creator, brand, or network that owns and manages the content. Use it to analyze: Performance differences between channels if your show is distributed across multiple YouTube accounts. |
|
YouTube Playlist
|
Shows the playlist (on YouTube) where the video appears. Playlists often group episodes from a single show or season. In YouTube’s podcast structure, each playlist represents one podcast show. Use it to analyze: Which shows drive the most engagement and views |
| YouTube Video |
Refers to the individual video (episode) published on YouTube. Each video has its own title, URL, and performance metrics such as views, likes, and comments. Use it to analyze: Performance at the episode level—compare results for each published video. |
|
YouTube Subscribed Status
|
Indicates whether the viewer was subscribed or unsubscribed to your channel when the view occurred. Use it to analyze: Audience loyalty and conversion, or how your content performs among existing fans versus potential new subscribers. |
| YouTube Device Type |
Identifies the type of device viewers used to watch your YouTube video (e.g., mobile, desktop, TV, tablet). Use it to analyze: How your audience prefers to watch your content. This is helpful when optimizing thumbnails, visuals, or pacing for device-specific viewing behaviors—especially mobile and smart TVs. |
| YouTube Device OS |
Shows the operating system of the viewer’s device (e.g., iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, TV OS). Use it to analyze: Where viewing is happening across operating systems. This helps you understand whether your audience leans more toward mobile, desktop, or connected TV environments so you can tailor optimization or troubleshooting efforts. |
| YouTube Age Buckets |
Groups viewers into standard YouTube age ranges (e.g., 18–24, 25–34, 35–44). Use it to analyze: Which age segments your video content resonates with most. This is especially valuable for shaping content direction, tuning promotion strategies, or aligning with advertiser demographic targets. |
| YouTube Gender |
Shows the gender distribution of viewers watching your video content. Use it to analyze: Audience composition and whether video attracts a different gender balance than your audio audience. This helps guide content strategy and sponsorship opportunities. |
Metrics:
| Important: YouTube metrics are currently available only with the Pacific Time Zone (America/Los_Angeles). To access these metrics, ensure that the time zone for your report is set to America/Los_Angeles in the Time Zone field located in the upper-right corner of your Content Reports dashboard. |
Metric |
Description |
| YouTube Views |
The total number of times your video has been watched. A “view” is counted when a viewer intentionally starts playing a video and watches it for at least 30 seconds (or the full duration for videos shorter than that). Use it to measure: Overall reach and visibility of your content. |
|
YouTube Watch Time (Minutes)
|
The total amount of time, in minutes, that viewers have spent watching your videos. This metric aggregates viewing duration across all views. Use it to measure: Engagement depth. Longer watch time generally indicates stronger viewer interest and retention. |
| YouTube Engaged Views |
The number of views that result in a meaningful interaction, such as a like, comment, share, or subscription, after watching the video. This metric focuses on active engagement, not just passive consumption. This metric is not available for YouTube Demographics (Age & Gender) dimensions. Use it to measure: Content resonance, how often your video inspires interaction |
| YouTube Likes |
The number of “thumbs up” reactions your video has received from viewers. Likes reflect positive sentiment and can improve your video’s ranking and recommendations. This metric is not available for YouTube Device (Type and OS) and Demographics (Age & Gender) dimensions. Use it to measure: Viewer satisfaction and approval. |
| YouTube Dislikes |
The number of “thumbs down” reactions your video has received. Dislikes are a form of feedback that may indicate content misalignment or viewer disagreement. This metric is not available for YouTube Device (Type and OS) and Demographics (Age & Gender) dimensions. Use it to measure: Viewer sentiment (contextual — compare with likes and comments). |
|
YouTube Shares
|
The total number of times viewers have shared your video through the YouTube “Share” feature (e.g., via direct links, social media, or email). This metric is not available for YouTube Device (Type and OS) and Demographics (Age & Gender) dimensions. Use it to measure: Virality and audience advocacy — how motivated viewers are to promote your content. |
|
YouTube Comments
|
The number of comments left on your video. Comments reflect deeper engagement and community interaction but can vary in tone (positive, negative, or neutral). This metric is not available for YouTube Device (Type and OS) and Demographics (Age & Gender) dimensions. Use it to measure: Engagement quality and community participation. |
|
YouTube Subscribers Gained
|
The total number of new subscribers gained directly from your videos during a given time period. This metric is not available for YouTube Device (Type and OS) and Demographics (Age & Gender) dimensions. Use it to measure: Audience growth and conversion — how well your content drives long-term viewer commitment. |
| YouTube Subscribers Lost |
The number of subscribers who unsubscribed from your channel during a given time period. This metric is not available for YouTube Device (Type and OS) and Demographics (Age & Gender) dimensions. Use it to measure: Retention and audience stability — track patterns in unsubscribes after certain videos or campaigns. |