How to Track YouTube Video Playback in Adobe Launch

Updated: March 25, 2026

Tracking YouTube video interactions is essential for understanding user engagement. In this guide, you’ll learn how to track YouTube video playback (e.g., play, pause, end) using Adobe Launch (Tags) and Adobe Analytics.

We’ll walk through four different implementation methods, from custom code to ready-made extensions.

Test page: https://www.bbccss.com/youtube-test

Method 1: Custom JavaScript (YouTube API)

This method uses custom JavaScript + YouTube Iframe API to track video interactions.

It gives you full control, but requires more technical knowledge.

Step 1: Deploy the Tracking Code

Add the following code in CONFIGURE TRACKER USING CUSTOM CODE in Adobe Analytics Extensions:

/*Video Code : Add to CONFIGURE TRACKER USING CUSTOM CODE.*/
var n=0;

jQuery('iframe').each(function() {
 
 var src = jQuery(this).attr('src');
 
if(src){
	if (src.indexOf('youtube.com') > -1) {
     
    	if (src.indexOf('?') > -1) {
			if (src.indexOf('enablejsapi') == -1) {
				src = src + '&enablejsapi=1';
      		}
     	} else {
	 		src = src + '?enablejsapi=1';
    	}

		jQuery(this).attr('src',src);
		jQuery(this).attr('id','player' +n);
		n++
    }		
 }	   

});





try {var addYoutubeEventListener = (function() {

    var callbacks = [];
    var iframeId = 0;

    return function (iframe, callback) {

        // init message listener that will receive messages from youtube iframes

        if(iframeId === 0) {
            window.addEventListener("message", function (e) {

                if(e.origin !== "https://www.youtube.com" || e.data === undefined) return;
                try {
                    var data = JSON.parse(e.data);
                    if(data.event !== 'onStateChange') return;

                    var callback = callbacks[data.id];
                    callback(data);
                }
                catch(e) {}
            });
        }

        // store callback
        iframeId++;
        callbacks[iframeId] = callback;
        var currentFrameId = iframeId;

        // sendMessage to frame to start receiving messages
        iframe.addEventListener("load", function () {
            var message = JSON.stringify({
                event: 'listening',
                id: currentFrameId,
                channel: 'channelnameofyourchoice'
            });

            iframe.contentWindow.postMessage(message, 'https://www.youtube.com');

            message = JSON.stringify({
                event: "command",
                func: "addEventListener",
                args: ["onStateChange"],
                id: currentFrameId,
                channel: "channelnameofyourchoice"
            });
            iframe.contentWindow.postMessage(message, 'https://www.youtube.com');
        });
    }
})();

addYoutubeEventListener(document.getElementById("player0"), function(e) {
    console.log(e)
    switch(e.info) {
        case 1:
            _satellite.track("video_start");
            break;
        case 0:
            _satellite.track("video_end");
            break;
        case 2:
            _satellite.track("video_pause");
    }
});}

catch(err) {console.log("<a href="https://www.bbccss.com/tag/video-tracking" title="Read more Articles about Video Tracking" target="_blank">Video Tracking</a> Not Present");}

This means you must configure a Direct Call Rule in Adobe Launch to capture the event.

Step 2: Create a Rule (video_pause)

Create a Rules and name it “Video Pause—DCR—Youtube Tracking” ：

EVENTS

in EVENTS, configuration is as follows:

This must match _satellite.track(“video_pause”) in your code

ACTIONS 

ACTION 1：Set Adobe Analytics Event (e.g., event12).

Action 2: Send Beacon，Use s.t() (treat as a page view)

Action 3:

Final effect：

Save！！

Step 3: Test & Publish

Publish a library, then open https://www.bbccss.com/youtube-test to test.

You should see event12 firing in Adobe Analytics

Method 2: Video Tracking for YouTube Extension

This is an extension provided by Adobe.

Step 1: Install Video Tracking for YouTube Extensions

Click Extensions> Catalog in Adobe Launch, then search and install “Video Tracking for YouTube”

No additional configuration is required

Step 2: Create a Rule

Create a Rule named it “Video Pause—Video Tracking for YouTube—Youtube Tracking ”：

EVENTS

The EVENTS configuration is as follows:

ACTIONS

ACTIONS 1：set video pause to Event12：

Action 2: Send Beacon

Action 3:

Final effect：

Save！！

Step 3: Test

Publish a library, then open https://www.bbccss.com/youtube-test to test.

You should see event12 firing in Adobe Analytics

Method 3: YouTube Player Embed Extension

This method uses the YouTube Player Embed extension (by 33Sticks).

Easier to implement, but limited in functionality.

This extension no longer supports the latest versions and cannot track data properly; its use is not recommended.

Step 1: Install YouTube Player Embed Extensions

Click Extensions> Catalog in Adobe Launch, then search and install “YouTube Player Embed “

No additional configuration is required

Step 2: Create a Rule

Create a Rule named it “Video Pause—YouTube Player Embed—Youtube Tracking ”：

EVENTS

Click EVENTS, and select YouTube Player Embed for Extensions. The specific configuration is as follows:

The any player on the right means tracking all videos, and specific player means tracking the specified video. The specific player is located by the paleer ID, which is the string of characters after the youtube playback address. For example, the youtube playback address is: https://www .youtube.com/embed/3fZmtnp2T5U, then the player ID is 3fZmtnp2T5U.

ACTIONS

ACTIONS 1：set video pause to Event12：

Action 2: Send Beacon

Action 3:

Final effect：

Save！！

Step 3: Test

Publish a library, then open https://www.bbccss.com/youtube-test to test.

You should see event12 firing in Adobe Analytics

Method 4: YouTube Playback Extension (Recommended)

This is the most powerful and flexible option.

It supports more event types and provides richer metadata.

But this extension does not work properly with Google Tag Manager’s video tracking, nor Google Analytics 4 with Enhanced Measurement.

Step 1: Install YouTube Playback Extensions

Click Extensions> Catalog in Adobe Launch, then search and install “YouTube Playback”

No additional configuration is required

Step 2: Enable Tracking (Rule 1)

Add the following configuration to the ACTION section of the page tracking rule:

Step 3: Track Events (Rule 2)

Create a Rule, named it  “Video Pause—YouTube Playback Extension—Youtube Tracking”

EVENTS

The EVENTS configuration is as follows:

ACTIONS

Action 1:

Action 2:

Action 3:

Final effect:

Step 4: Test & Debug

Publish a library, then open https://www.bbccss.com/youtube-test to test.

You can see that event12 is recorded.

Summary

Recommended approach: YouTube Playback Extension — more events, richer data, and easier maintenance

References

• https://annealytics.com/2020/05/17/tracking-youtube-videos-in-iframes-with-adobe-launch-a-simpler-approach/
• https://exchange.adobe.com/experiencecloud.details.104160.youtube-playback-tracking.html
• https://yuhuisdatascienceblog.blogspot.com/2020/07/adobe-launch-extension-youtube-playback.html