This is an old revision of the document!
APV Verdict
APV only means something when you factor in video length. Longer videos naturally pull lower APV even when they perform well, because there's simply more runtime to lose people.Long-form benchmarks (rough industry norms):
APV Verdict
Under 20% Weak — the hook or pacing is losing people early 20–35% Below average to average 35–50% Good — solid retention 50–60% Very good 60%+ ExcellentThe length overlay — this is the part most creators miss:
Under 2 min: 60–75% is the realistic “good” bar. Short runtime = high APV is expected. 5–8 min: 40–55% is genuinely good. 10–20 min: 30–45% is solid. 20 min+: 25–40% is respectable — a 30-min video at 35% means ~10 minutes watched, which is strong.
General Benchmarks
Average Performance: For most long-form videos (10+ minutes), an APV between 30% and 50% is considered typical. Good Performance: An APV of 50% to 70% is generally seen as very strong, indicating your content is highly engaging and keeping viewers' attention for most of its duration. Short-Form (Shorts): For Shorts, the expectations are much higher. A “good” stayed-to-watch ratio or percentage viewed often needs to be 80% to 90%+, or even over 100% (meaning people are re-watching it).
The Guru 42 Universe is not run by a university professor with a team of editors and advisers working to developing a website. Tom Peracchio is simply someone who loves technology and history and is amazed by how little people know about the great minds in the world of technology.
Support Guru 42 efforts by your small donation at Buy me a coffee