YouTube content creators use likes and views to measure their success. These two indicators confirm that your audience liked the content you uploaded to the platform. You can use this kind of feedback to tailor your future content strategy. But YouTube may sometimes fail to register all the likes and views on your videos — or so you would think. Let’s explore why that might happen and what you can do about it.
Why Is My YouTube Video Not Registering Likes and Views?
Wait Patiently
YouTube needs a few hours, or sometimes even days, to update the stats about the likes and views on your videos. So, wait patiently for 24 to 48 hours and then check the results. You may need to wait longer than if the platform’s servers are affected by unexpected technical glitches.
YouTube Studio and Analytics often show you a different view count number. Keep in mind that YouTube relies on thousands of servers worldwide, and they’re not always in sync. It takes time for the central server to gather and process all that data.
The same thing happens with your subscribers. New subscribers do not count towards the total number of subscribers instantly.
YouTube’s War on Fake Likes
Additionally, many content creators suggested that YouTube only registers likes from people who watched most of the video. If people like your video after watching only a few seconds, YouTube will ignore those likes.
Other users said that you need to watch a video for at least 30 seconds for the view to count. Watch it for less than 30 seconds, and YouTube won’t add your view to the stats.
There’s a whole fake likes industry out there, and Google is aware of it. The company implemented these requirements to detect and block false likes, dislikes, and views. Google’s intentions are good, aiming at preventing deceitful bots from artificially increasing channel popularity. However, the algorithm may sometimes fail to work as intended. Think of those lost likes and views as collateral damage. YouTube wants real likes, views, and subscribers.
Moreover, it appears that YouTube doesn’t take into account repeated views coming from the same user. After watching the same video five times, the platform will stop adding your views to the video’s total view count number.
The 301 View Myth
Rest assured, the 301 view milestone is history. Before 2015, YouTube would freeze the view count once a video had reached 301 views to check for spam. This is how the legend of the 301 views was born. The platform now uses up-to-date video view algorithms counting views coming from real people almost in real-time. YouTube’s AI system reviews only the views, likes, and comments that seem suspicious.
YouTube Deletes Old and Fake Accounts
Did you know that YouTube regularly removes old and fake accounts? As the platform automatically deletes the respective accounts, all the likes and views they generated get removed. If the disappearing likes and views concern old videos, YouTube’s cleaning spree may explain the mystery.
Likes from Other Accounts You Own
Keep in mind that YouTube is not counting likes and views coming from other channels or accounts you own on the videos uploaded to your other channels. For example, if you like a specific video on one account and then switch to the account the video is posted on, the platform won’t show the like from your other channel.
Conclusion
YouTube not registering likes and views is an issue that has been going on for years on and off. Well, most of the time, there’s nothing wrong with the platform. YouTubes needs a few hours to update the view count stats. Additionally, the platform counts only views and likes from real users who watched your video for at least 30 seconds.
Have you ever encountered similar issues? If you’re a YouTube content creator, hit the comments below and tell us more about your experience.
Dacha says
Youtube doesn’t register likes on my videos?
Lola Gandah says
No views and subscribers. How to have them all
0believe says
I have an account for some month now, oStrangerQuota, I research tags day and night, no one seems to even get to my videos, it’s like I am shadowbanned on all platforms, it ain’t fair.
Perri Parks says
What qualifies as a response? Even if not an answer, what might be considered engagement or acknowledgement? On what timescale? And where? What dialog harmonic, if any? Does only the immutable gaping void await?
If alien life comes here, disadvavtage will be the least of our concerns. Chaos obliterates efortlessly, thoughtlessly.
Perri Parks says
It has been a week that my likes have not been registered. I try to squeeze in a like on ten second videos even though they are little more than a still frame and not worthwhile at all Less than once a year I comment on a video that I have watched less than ninety percent of and that includes one hour plus videos. I am less concerned that someone is taking my likes into account than that my screen shows, and continues to show, my like. It shows, if only to me, that I have taste, in so far as I am allowed taste.
Sometimes I sample something on a whim and the algorithm takes me away unwilling. Even if unintentional and wellmeaning, the aggressiveness must be viewer managable. There is no ‘single step back’ to cover missteps. I am held hostage to a process where I am not in control of my video progression. Videos, that I was offered and would otherwise view subsequently viewed, are taken away.
Why do channels, to which I have not subscribed, show up in my favorites list,pushing out the intended? And why so few ‘favorites’? And why not ‘thumb-index’ subscriptions by first letter, additionally ignoring name-leading articles? Some viewers may have many dozens of subscriptions. As long as I am on YouTube, am I to be YouTube’s property, managed and voiceless?
Christine bakewell says
I get hardly any likes on my comments although I’m respectful any swearing is usually done for comedic affect , other people post comments at a similar time and get hundreds of likes to my one or two, something is definitely wrong,tried troubleshooting but nothing seems to work.