Understanding how your audience interacts with your content goes far beyond just views and likes. One of the most powerful metrics for any creator is Shares. When someone shares your video, they are essentially vouching for your content and doing the marketing for you.
However, if you’ve ever looked for the “Shares” metric in your standard YouTube Studio dashboard, you might have noticed it’s surprisingly well-hidden. Whether you are at your desk or on the go, here is the exact path to finding out how many times your videos are being passed around.
Finding Share Data on Desktop (PC/Mac)
The desktop version of YouTube Studio provides the most granular data, but you have to dig into the “Advanced” settings to find the share count.
- Access YouTube Studio: Click on your profile icon in the top right corner and select YouTube Studio.
- Navigate to Analytics: From the left-hand menu, click on the Analytics tab.
- Enter Advanced Mode: Click on the “SEE MORE” button located underneath the main analytics overview.
- Uncover Hidden Metrics: You will see a list of default data points. To find shares, click the blue “+” icon next to the existing tabs.
- Select Shares: Look under the Interactions category and click on Shares.
Now you can see a detailed breakdown of your shares over the last 28 days, 90 days, or the lifetime of your channel. This helps you identify which specific videos are “viral” in nature.
Finding Share Data on Mobile
If you are checking your stats from your phone, the process is much more straightforward and resides right in the main app.
- Open the YouTube App: Tap your profile icon (usually labeled “You”) in the bottom right corner.
- View Your Channel: Tap on the “View Channel” link under your name.
- Check the Stats: Look for the Analytics icon (the small bar graph icon) next to the “Manage Videos” button.
- View Engagement: Right there in the main stats overview, you will see the total number of Shares for your channel’s recent activity.
Bonus Pro-Tip: Which Apps Are People Using to Share?
Knowing how many shares you have is great, but knowing where they are sharing is even better. This allows you to tailor your content for specific platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, or Twitter.
Back in the Advanced Analytics tab on your desktop:
- Click the “More” dropdown menu.
- Select “Sharing Service.”
YouTube will show you a breakdown of exactly how your video was shared—whether people copied the link to their clipboard, sent it via WhatsApp, emailed it through Gmail, or posted it to Facebook Messenger. This is “insider” data that can help you understand your audience’s behavior on a much deeper level.
Final Thoughts
The more shares you get, the more the YouTube algorithm recognizes your video as valuable and starts suggesting it to new viewers. Keep a close eye on these metrics to see what kind of content makes your audience want to hit that “Share” button.
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