Loop rate
Average number of times a Short or TikTok is replayed by the same viewer.
Loop rate is a Shorts and TikTok concept: because both platforms autoreplay the video, the platform counts each loop as a watch. A loop rate of 1.5 means the average viewer watched the video 1.5 times in a row.
Loop rate is the closest thing to a viral coefficient on Shorts and TikTok. The single biggest predictor of explosive distribution on those platforms.
TikTok exposes loop rate explicitly in creator analytics. YouTube Shorts does not, but it can be inferred from average view duration divided by video length.
Why it matters
A loop rate above 1.0 is what flips a Short from quiet performance to viral distribution. The algorithm reads loops as satisfaction at the highest possible signal strength.
How to improve it
- 01Loop the end visually into the start. Same color, same composition, same audio beat.
- 02Hide one detail that only becomes visible on the second watch.
- 03Keep videos under 22 seconds. Shorter videos loop more, which is the entire mechanism.
See your own loop rate in seconds.
Paste any YouTube, Shorts or TikTok link and our analyzer will surface the metric, the curve, and the move that lifts it next.