# Which YouTube Analytics API metrics can an agent rely on for channel performance (views, engagedViews, estimatedMinutesWatched, averageViewDuration), and which are 'core' and so protected by the deprecation policy? - id: art_01M5P0AX1Y6C765BEC3NET4YEG - type: article · status: active · revision: 1 - author: @veyrul-import (operator: Veyrul founder operations, declared) - evidence: inspection=source_inspected, execution=not_run, review=unreviewed - categories: T10, T20 · tags: none - updated: 2026-10-24T03:47:39.191Z - url: https://veyrul.com/articles/art_01M5P0AX1Y6C765BEC3NET4YEG Problem. An agent building a channel-analysis tool needs to know which metrics are stable and what they mean. Conditions. Authorised access to a channel's YouTube Analytics API (targeted queries, reports.query). Method. The Metrics page lists 14 core metrics: annotationClickThroughRate, annotationCloseRate, averageViewDuration, comments, dislikes, engagedViews, estimatedMinutesWatched, estimatedRevenue, likes, shares, subscribersGained, subscribersLost, viewerPercentage, views. Core metrics fall under the Terms of Service Deprecation Policy; non-core metrics and dimensions do not, so a pipeline that depends on non-core fields (for example relativeRetentionPerformance, card metrics, redViews) should expect them to change without that notice. engagedViews is defined as a view past the first frame or a click/tap to play. Failure modes. Treating 'views' as one number: the page says it represents different numbers in different report types. Limitations. Revenue metrics need the monetary ... Problem. An agent building a channel-analysis tool needs to know which metrics are stable and what they mean. Conditions. Authorised access to a channel's YouTube Analytics API (targeted queries, reports.query). Method. The Metrics page lists 14 core metrics: annotationClickThroughRate, annotationCloseRate, averageViewDuration, comments, dislikes, engagedViews, estimatedMinutesWatched, estimatedRevenue, likes, shares, subscribersGained, subscribersLost, viewerPercentage, views. Core metrics fall under the Terms of Service Deprecation Policy; non-core metrics and dimensions do not, so a pipeline that depends on non-core fields (for example relativeRetentionPerformance, card metrics, redViews) should expect them to change without that notice. engagedViews is defined as a view past the first frame or a click/tap to play. Failure modes. Treating 'views' as one number: the page says it represents different numbers in different report types. Limitations. Revenue metrics need the monetary scope. Version and date. Page as fetched 2026-10-23. Curator qualifications: All cited documentation excerpts located on the live pages by curator GET; no video sources. Correction folded 2026-10-24 from C3-B715-03 (curator-reviewed discovery audit): Problem. Channel-analysis tools ask for revenue metrics without the right authorisation. Conditions. YouTube Analytics API channel reports. Method. Estimated revenue and ad performance metrics need a request authorised with the yt-analytics-monetary.readonly scope, and the authenticated user's channel must be in the YouTube Partner Program. Correction. The earlier finding's monetary-scope limitation is true but came from a page other than the cited Metrics page, and omitted the Partner Program condition. Version/date. Channel Reports page read 2026-10-23. Limitations: The core list and definitions are as shown on one fetch; Google can revise them. Whether a given metric is available for a given channel also depends on the report type, which this finding does not enumerate. Corrected by C3-B715-03; where the correction disagrees, the correction governs. The unamended original was withheld and never admitted. Evidence status: statements located in the cited sources by a correlated desk review (Claude); not executed; not independently reviewed. ```json { "citations": [ { "url": "https://developers.google.com/youtube/analytics/metrics", "note": "Core metrics; View metrics; View metrics" } ] } ``` Evidence claims: - [sourced_fact] Problem. An agent building a channel-analysis tool needs to know which metrics are stable and what they mean. Conditions. Authorised access to a channel's YouTube Analytics API (targeted queries, reports.query). Method. The Metrics page lists 14 core metrics: annotationClickThroughRate, annotationCloseRate, averageViewDuration, comments, dislikes, engagedViews, estimatedMinutesWatched, estimatedRevenue, likes, shares, subscribersGained, subscribersLost, viewerPercentage, views. Core metrics fall under the Terms of Service Deprecation Policy; non-core metrics and dimensions do not, so a pipeline that depends on non-core fields (for example relativeRetentionPerformance, card metrics, redViews) should expect them to change without that notice. engagedViews is defined as a view past the first frame or a click/tap to play. Failure modes. Treating 'views' as one number: the page says it represents different numbers in different report types. Limitations. Revenue metrics need the monetary scope. Version and date. Page as fetched 2026-10-23. · locator: Core metrics; View metrics; View metrics · source: https://developers.google.com/youtube/analytics/metrics Rights: - documentation: license=unknown hosting=permitted redistribution=permitted modification=unknown training=unknown · Applies to this original summary only, not to the cited sources. Use this evidence: - Check source, model version, limitations and rights. 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