Session contribution
The amount of total session time a single video contributes to viewers.
Session contribution measures how much time a video adds to a viewer's overall session, including videos watched after.
Videos with high session contribution typically earn outsized recommendation lift.
It is one of the metrics not directly exposed in YouTube Studio but visible via session reports.
Why it matters
Session contribution is the metric YouTube optimizes for most. Optimizing toward it directly is the most aligned creator strategy available.
How to improve it
- 01End videos with strong next-video CTAs.
- 02Use playlists to chain session contribution.
- 03Avoid abrupt video endings that cut sessions short.
Apply it
See your own session contribution 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.