This feature requires a paid Vimeo membership. Please note that Viewer retention stats are not currently available for Interactive videos.
Viewer retention stats can help you to discover how your video kept your viewers’ attention. Read on to learn how to access this feature and find answers to frequently asked questions about your stats.
In this article:
- How to access your viewer retention stats
- Why doesn't the number of peak views on the Viewer retention graph match the total number of views?
- What does it mean when Viewer retention stats shows 0?
- What does the dash '-' mean on Viewer retention stats?
How to access your viewer retention stats
Follow the steps below to learn how to view the retention stats for your video:
- Go to your Library and select the video for which you would like to view metrics.
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Select the Analytics icon from the navigation menu on the right.
- See how well different moments of your video kept people’s attention by pausing the video or hovering over the video during playback.
Why doesn't the number of peak views on the Viewer retention graph match the total number of views?
Viewers who watch a video for less than 30 seconds and don't finish a video are not counted as engaged views. For short videos, viewers who finish the video are counted as engaged viewers. For all videos, all viewers are still counted in the overall analytics for the video. This often occurs when viewers start the video from the beginning but abandon it quickly, so the highest point on the graph may appear inconsistent with the total number of views on the video.
What does it mean when Viewer retention stats shows 0?
No one has pressed play and watched more than 30 seconds of your video yet. For videos less than 30 seconds long, this means no one has played and finished your video yet.
What does the dash '-' mean on Viewer retention stats?
The dash indicates that an error occurred when retrieving the data for viewer retention. This is likely due to timeouts when a large amount of data is being processed. Refreshing the page can help resolve this issue. If the issue persists, please contact us.
Can I view engagement data for multiple videos at once?
Yes. The Engagement tab in the Analytics module lets you view aggregated retention and engagement data across any combination of videos. Select the videos you want to include using the filters at the top of the page.
What does "completion rate" mean?
Completion rate is the proportion of views in which the video was watched to the end — specifically, played within 2 seconds of its conclusion. It's calculated as the total number of finishes divided by the total number of views (not as an average of per-video completion rates).
For example, if video A has 5 views and 5 finishes (100% completion) and video B has 5,000 views and 4,000 finishes (80% completion), the combined completion rate shown in the table is approximately 80%, not 90%.
What do "Views at 1%", "Views at 25%", etc. mean?
These columns show how many views were recorded at specific percentage points in the video. They help you understand at which moments your audience drops off or stays engaged. A large drop between two percentage points indicates that many viewers stopped watching around that part of the video.
How does the retention graph work when multiple videos are selected?
When multiple videos are selected, each video is divided into 100 equal segments regardless of its actual duration. Views are aggregated by matching percentage position across all selected videos, so you can compare engagement patterns even if the videos are different lengths.
Can I export engagement data?
Yes. You can export the engagement table as a CSV file. Select Export at the top right of the Engagement tab. The CSV will include all rows and columns currently visible in the table.
Are engagement analytics available via the API?
No. Engagement analytics are not currently available via the Vimeo public API.
To gain insights into your viewers’ activity, visit 'Advanced analytics ' and 'What kind of data can I see for my interactive videos?'