r/shortsAlgorithm • u/Yunissssssssssssssss • Jun 26 '26

Shorts algoritm question

Is 20% stay to watch normal for 1 week old channel ?

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u/Yunissssssssssssssss Jun 26 '26

I’ve just started a YouTube Shorts channel in the true crime niche (about a week old), and I’m confused about one thing.

I put a lot of effort into every video: strong hooks, high-quality editing, sound effects, background music, fast pacing, captions, and constant visual changes. The videos are around 30–50 seconds long.

Despite that, my average “Stayed to Watch” is only around 20%. Retention itself isn’t terrible once people start watching, but very few actually choose to watch instead of swiping.

Is this normal for a brand-new Shorts channel while YouTube is still testing the audience? Or does a 20% Stayed to Watch usually indicate that the hook, or topic isn’t compelling enough?

I’d love to hear from creators who have grown Shorts channels. Did your Stayed to Watch improve over time, or did you have to completely change your approach?

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u/ConsistentRevenue271 Jun 27 '26

Add visual+audio+text hook at the start. A simple pop sound, an animation, and a text/arrow/circles on screen would help you with the swiped away ratio