Key stat: Organic engagement rates on brand YouTube channels fell between 26% and 38% YoY in all seven video categories tracked, according to a June report from Pixability.

Beyond the chart:

• Viewers haven't stopped watching, though. The average YouTube Short holds viewers for 84.6% of its length, and wellness videos top 100% thanks to replays, according to Dash Social.
• Meanwhile, the math is about to get tougher. YouTube now counts a view the moment a video starts playing, down from a threshold generally assumed to be 30 seconds, according to TechCrunch.

Use this chart: Drop this into your next YouTube performance review before anyone blames your content team. Show leadership the 26% to 38% drop hit every category, then pair it with Dash Social's 84.6% Shorts retention figure to argue for tracking watch time alongside likes and comments.

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Methodology: Data is from the Q1 2026 Pixability "YouTube & Connected TV Media Agency Survey." Data includes campaigns from US media agencies that work directly on YouTube and/or Connected TV (CTV) campaigns for brand advertisers as well as major and independent agency campaigns.