Do private videos count towards watch time? A deep dive for creators

As a fellow streaming and gaming aficionado, I know watch time is the holy grail for growth on YouTube. And when it comes to monetization, the pressure is on to hit 4,000 public watch hours within 12 months.

But what about all those private videos you‘ve uploaded over the years? Do they contribute anything toward partner status, or are they just taking up space?

I‘ve dug into this issue extensively, and in this complete guide, I‘ll share everything I‘ve learned about how private videos relate to the watch time requirement.

By the end, you‘ll have a clear understanding of how to strategize your use of private videos to maximize your YouTube success. Let‘s get into it!

The monetization watch time rules, briefly explained

YouTube‘s monetization policies focus entirely on your public videos. This means:

• Only views and watch time from public videos count toward the 4,000 hours needed to monetize.
• Private and unlisted videos contribute zero watch time for monetization purposes. Their views might as well not exist!

So if you‘ve been uploading private videos for years, that watch time unfortunately won‘t make a dent in your monetization goal. Bummer, I know.

But let‘s explore exactly why YouTube ignores non-public videos for watch time, and how you can work around it.

Why YouTube discounts private video watch time

YouTube wants its creators to build public audiences that advertisers can reach. So it‘s designed its systems to incentivize public content.

There are a few key reasons YouTube discounts private video watch time:

• Transparency: YouTube wants to ensure watch time metrics aren‘t inflated artificially. Public data is more verifiable.

• Ad potential: Public videos earn more ad revenue, which YouTube shares through its partner program.

• Algorithm engagement: The recommendation algorithm relies on public data to connect viewers with videos. Private videos break that cycle.

• Fairness: Universal public rules prevent creators from "gaming the system" with private videos not available to all.

So while your private travel journals or gaming bloopers might entertain your inner circle, they don‘t fit YouTube‘s public ecosystem.

But you‘re not out of luck…

Harness watch time from existing private videos

If you have a treasure trove of old private content, all the watch time isn‘t necessarily wasted. You have a few options to utilize that potential value:

• Make old private videos public: This instantly adds their accumulated watch time. Just beware it exposes them fully.

• Upload clips as new public videos: Reuse snippets to create public "best of" compilations.

• Premiere old private videos: Schedule them to go public at a future date as "new" content.

• Live stream private videos: You can live stream private videos publicly and keep the watch time. Copyright strikes are still a risk though!

Get creative with producing public versions, teasers, streams, or highlights that showcase the best parts of your private content. This lets you tap into their watch time without sacrificing the original privacy.

Weighing the pros and cons of private videos

Private videos aren‘t entirely useless, even though they don‘t help your watch time stats. There are definitely legit reasons to use them:

Pros:

• Archive old memories and moments without cluttering your public channel
• Share personal videos just for close family and friends
• Give patron-only sneak peeks of upcoming videos
• Avoid controversial subjects that may get strikes
• Store videos privately while gearing up for launch

Cons:

• Lose watch time that could count toward monetization
• Miss out on public feedback and engagement
• Get excluded from YouTube‘s recommendation algorithm
• Permanently lose videos if they‘re deleted accidentally

In most cases, you‘ll want to minimize private videos until you hit the 4,000 public watch hours needed to monetize. But context matters. If you need to post videos for personal reasons that outweigh revenue potential, private is perfect for that.

How to earn more watch time (when you‘re ready)

Once you‘ve tapped your well of private content, what next? Here are my best tips for quickly earning more public watch time:

• Optimize your titles, descriptions, and tags for maximum clicks and discovery. Target keywords people search for.

• Promote your videos across all social channels. Ask followers to watch and share.

• Create playlists to encourage binge watching session. Feature them prominently on your channel.

• Use end screens and cards to loop viewers into watching more content seamlessly.

• Go live frequently and schedule Premieres which contribute watch time quickly.

• Collaborate with others to tap into their audience and increase video output.

• Experiment with long-form content like vlogs, Let‘s Plays, and podcasts that garner hours of viewing.

Doubling down on watch time optimization will help you hit 4,000 hours sooner rather than later.

Key stats on YouTube private videos

Getting lost in all the details? Here are some key stats to understand:

• 0%: The percentage of private video watch time that contributes toward monetization requirements.

• 50: The maximum number of specific accounts you can share a private video with.

• $0: The advertising revenue earned from private videos ineligible for monetization.

• 240,000: The number of public watch minutes equal to the 4,000 hour threshold (at 60 minutes per viewer hour).

• 2012: The year YouTube launched private videos as a native feature. Before that, unlisted was the only option.

These clarify the scope and limitations of private videos when it comes to YouTube‘s partner program incentives.

Expert advice on balancing video privacy

Managing privacy can be tricky for creators. Here are my top expert tips:

• Audit your private videos routinely and make public when possible to unlock revenue.

• Never assume private equals copyright compliant. Fair use and rights management still apply fully.

• Weigh risks before live streaming private content you want to make public. Copyright strikes or leaks are possible!

• Back up important private videos since their permanent deletion can‘t be reversed.

• Use descriptive titles and playlists so private videos are still organized for you.

• Consider holding back only your most personal or confidential videos rather than making privacy the default.

Finding the right balance is crucial to maximize the value of your content library.

Case study: My friend‘s monetization journey

My friend Amanda started sharing nail art videos privately on YouTube as a hobby. After two years, she had over 100 videos and decided to monetize.

But despite having lots of watch time, her channel couldn‘t join the partner program!

Why? All her videos were still private. She had to start over from zero by making them public or creating new content.

After 6 more months of posting public videos, Amanda finally got monetized. But she could have earned a lot more by going public sooner!

Don‘t let this happen to you. Learn from Amanda and be strategic with privacy settings as you grow your channel.

Frequently asked questions about private videos

I get a lot of questions about how private videos work. Here are answers to some of the most common:

Do private videos affect search rankings?

Nope! Only public videos influence search rankings and discovery. Private videos are invisible.

Can I monetize a video I made private?

Unfortunately, no. Monetization only applies to public videos. Private videos can‘t serve ads.

What if I deleted old private videos? Can I get them back?

Deleted private videos are gone permanently, with no way to recover them. Always back them up first!

Do private live streams contribute watch time?

Just like private videos, private live streams don‘t contribute any watch time toward monetization goals.

Can subscribers see my private videos?

Not unless you directly invite specific subscribers to view the video in its privacy settings. They won‘t see it publicly.

Do private videos affect my channel authority?

Nope! Authority metrics like subscribers and view counts aren‘t impacted by private video performance.

Let‘s connect!

I hope this gives you a complete understanding of how private videos relate to monetization. Use this knowledge to make smart decisions as you grow your channel.

I‘d love to hear your thoughts and connect with other creators passionate about YouTube. You can find me on Twitter and Instagram @TerryTubeTalk.

Or let me know in the comments if you have any other private video questions. I‘m always happy to help fellow creators maximize their strategy.

Looking forward to seeing you achieve YouTube success!