YouTube is rolling out a new audience analytics feature that replaces the “returning viewers” metric with more detailed viewer categories.
The update introduces three viewer types: new, casual, and regular. This is designed to help creators better understand who’s engaging with their content and how often.
YouTube now segments viewers into:
Screenshot from: YouTube.com/CreatorInsider, July 2025.In an announcment, YouTube clarifies:
“These new categories provide a more nuanced understanding of viewer engagement and are not a direct equivalent of the previous returning viewers metric.”
There are no changes to the definition of new viewers. The new segmentation applies across all video formats, including Shorts, VOD, and livestreams.
The switch to more granular segmentation addresses a long-standing limitation in YouTube’s analytics.
Previously, creators could only distinguish between new and returning viewers. That was a binary distinction that didn’t capture the full range of audience engagement.
Now, with casual and regular viewer categories, creators can identify which viewers are sporadically engaged versus those who form a loyal base.
YouTube cautioned that many channels may see a smaller percentage of regular viewers than expected, stating:
“Regular viewers is a high bar to reach as it signifies viewers who have consistently returned to watch your content for 6 months or more in the past year.”
YouTube suggests that maintaining a strong base of regular viewers requires consistent publishing and community engagement.
The platform recommends the following tactics:
These strategies reflect broader trends in the creator economy, where sustained engagement is becoming more valuable than viral reach.
The new segmentation is now rolling out globally on both desktop and mobile, with availability expanding to all creators in the coming weeks.
For marketers and brands, the added granularity offers a clearer picture of a creator’s influence and audience loyalty.
As YouTube continues refining its analytics tools, the emphasis is shifting from raw numbers to actionable insights that help creators grow sustainable channels.
Featured Image: Roman Samborskyi/Shutterstock
YouTube is rolling out a new audience analytics feature that replaces the “returning viewers” metric with more detailed viewer categories.
The update introduces three viewer types: new, casual, and regular. This is designed to help creators better understand who’s engaging with their content and how often.
YouTube now segments viewers into:
Screenshot from: YouTube.com/CreatorInsider, July 2025.In an announcment, YouTube clarifies:
“These new categories provide a more nuanced understanding of viewer engagement and are not a direct equivalent of the previous returning viewers metric.”
There are no changes to the definition of new viewers. The new segmentation applies across all video formats, including Shorts, VOD, and livestreams.
The switch to more granular segmentation addresses a long-standing limitation in YouTube’s analytics.
Previously, creators could only distinguish between new and returning viewers. That was a binary distinction that didn’t capture the full range of audience engagement.
Now, with casual and regular viewer categories, creators can identify which viewers are sporadically engaged versus those who form a loyal base.
YouTube cautioned that many channels may see a smaller percentage of regular viewers than expected, stating:
“Regular viewers is a high bar to reach as it signifies viewers who have consistently returned to watch your content for 6 months or more in the past year.”
YouTube suggests that maintaining a strong base of regular viewers requires consistent publishing and community engagement.
The platform recommends the following tactics:
These strategies reflect broader trends in the creator economy, where sustained engagement is becoming more valuable than viral reach.
The new segmentation is now rolling out globally on both desktop and mobile, with availability expanding to all creators in the coming weeks.
For marketers and brands, the added granularity offers a clearer picture of a creator’s influence and audience loyalty.
As YouTube continues refining its analytics tools, the emphasis is shifting from raw numbers to actionable insights that help creators grow sustainable channels.
Featured Image: Roman Samborskyi/Shutterstock
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It is a long established fact that a reader will be distracted by the readable content of a page when looking at its layout. The point of using Lorem Ipsum is that it has a more-or-less normal distribution
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