YouTube Data connector

Set up the YouTube Data connector in Kaivo: authentication, configuration, the 5 BigQuery tables it syncs, and answers to common questions.

Written By Lauri Raivio

Last updated 16 days ago

Kaivo is a fully managed data platform that syncs your YouTube Data data into a Google BigQuery warehouse and keeps it up to date automatically. There is no pipeline to build and no infrastructure to run, so you can spend your time analysing your marketing and sales data instead of moving it.

What is the YouTube Data connector

Sync your YouTube channel data into BigQuery with Kaivo to analyse videos, comments, and channel performance.

Category	Marketing & Sales
Authentication	API key
Setup	Self-service

Getting started with the YouTube Data connector

Sign up for Kaivo and create a workspace.
Connect your YouTube Data account.
Choose which tables to sync.
Wait for the initial sync to finish.
Query your data in BigQuery or your favourite AI or BI tool.

Authenticating YouTube Data

Authenticate with your API Key.

Field	Description
API Key	The API Key for the YouTube Data API. See the Google Cloud Console to create one.

Configuring the YouTube Data connector

When you set up the connector, you provide:

Field	Description
Channel IDs	The list of YouTube channel IDs to sync data from.

Tables and columns synced from YouTube Data

Kaivo syncs 5 tables from YouTube Data into a dedicated dataset in your BigQuery warehouse. Click any table to see its columns and types.

channel_comments (23 columns)

Column	Type	Description
`_kaivo_id`	`STRING`	Primary key that uniquely identifies the row. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`can_reply`	`BOOL`
`channel_id`	`STRING`
`is_public`	`BOOL`
`top_level_comment__etag`	`STRING`
`top_level_comment__id`	`STRING`
`top_level_comment__kind`	`STRING`
`top_level_comment__snippet__author_channel_id__value`	`STRING`
`top_level_comment__snippet__author_channel_url`	`STRING`
`top_level_comment__snippet__author_display_name`	`STRING`
`top_level_comment__snippet__author_profile_image_url`	`STRING`
`top_level_comment__snippet__can_rate`	`BOOL`
`top_level_comment__snippet__channel_id`	`STRING`
`top_level_comment__snippet__like_count`	`FLOAT64`
`top_level_comment__snippet__published_at`	`STRING`
`top_level_comment__snippet__text_display`	`STRING`
`top_level_comment__snippet__text_original`	`STRING`
`top_level_comment__snippet__updated_at`	`STRING`
`top_level_comment__snippet__video_id`	`STRING`
`top_level_comment__snippet__viewer_rating`	`STRING`
`total_reply_count`	`FLOAT64`
`video_id`	`STRING`
`_kaivo_extracted_at`	`TIMESTAMP`	Timestamp that shows when the row was extracted. Auto-generated by Kaivo.

channels (46 columns)

Column	Type	Description
`_kaivo_id`	`STRING`	Primary key that uniquely identifies the row. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`content_details__related_playlists__likes`	`STRING`
`content_details__related_playlists__favorites`	`STRING`
`content_details__related_playlists__uploads`	`STRING`
`etag`	`STRING`
`id`	`STRING`
`kind`	`STRING`
`snippet__description`	`STRING`
`snippet__country`	`STRING`
`snippet__custom_url`	`STRING`
`snippet__localized__description`	`STRING`
`snippet__localized__title`	`STRING`
`snippet__published_at`	`STRING`
`snippet__default_language`	`STRING`
`snippet__thumbnails__default__height`	`FLOAT64`
`snippet__thumbnails__default__url`	`STRING`
`snippet__thumbnails__default__width`	`FLOAT64`
`snippet__thumbnails__high__height`	`FLOAT64`
`snippet__thumbnails__high__url`	`STRING`
`snippet__thumbnails__high__width`	`FLOAT64`
`snippet__thumbnails__medium__height`	`FLOAT64`
`snippet__thumbnails__medium__url`	`STRING`
`snippet__thumbnails__medium__width`	`FLOAT64`
`snippet__title`	`STRING`
`statistics__hidden_subscriber_count`	`BOOL`
`statistics__subscriber_count`	`STRING`
`statistics__video_count`	`STRING`
`statistics__view_count`	`STRING`
`branding_settings__channel__title`	`STRING`
`branding_settings__channel__description`	`STRING`
`branding_settings__channel__keywords`	`STRING`
`branding_settings__channel__tracking_analytics_account_id`	`STRING`
`branding_settings__channel__unsubscribed_trailer`	`STRING`
`branding_settings__channel__default_language`	`STRING`
`branding_settings__channel__country`	`STRING`
`branding_settings__watch__text_color`	`STRING`
`branding_settings__watch__background_color`	`STRING`
`branding_settings__watch__featured_playlist_id`	`STRING`
`status__privacy_status`	`STRING`
`status__is_linked`	`BOOL`
`status__long_uploads_status`	`STRING`
`status__made_for_kids`	`BOOL`
`status__self_declared_made_for_kids`	`BOOL`
`content_owner_details__content_owner`	`STRING`
`content_owner_details__time_linked`	`STRING`
`_kaivo_extracted_at`	`TIMESTAMP`	Timestamp that shows when the row was extracted. Auto-generated by Kaivo.

Subtable: channels__topic_details__topic_ids

Column	Type	Description
`_kaivo_parent_id`	`STRING`	Foreign key referencing _kaivo_id in the parent table. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`_kaivo_id`	`STRING`	Primary key that uniquely identifies the row. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`value`	`STRING`
`_kaivo_extracted_at`	`TIMESTAMP`	Timestamp that shows when the row was extracted. Auto-generated by Kaivo.

Subtable: channels__topic_details__topic_categories

Column	Type	Description
`_kaivo_parent_id`	`STRING`	Foreign key referencing _kaivo_id in the parent table. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`_kaivo_id`	`STRING`	Primary key that uniquely identifies the row. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`value`	`STRING`
`_kaivo_extracted_at`	`TIMESTAMP`	Timestamp that shows when the row was extracted. Auto-generated by Kaivo.

comments (23 columns)

Column	Type	Description
`_kaivo_id`	`STRING`	Primary key that uniquely identifies the row. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`can_reply`	`BOOL`
`channel_id`	`STRING`
`is_public`	`BOOL`
`top_level_comment__etag`	`STRING`
`top_level_comment__id`	`STRING`
`top_level_comment__kind`	`STRING`
`top_level_comment__snippet__author_channel_id__value`	`STRING`
`top_level_comment__snippet__author_channel_url`	`STRING`
`top_level_comment__snippet__author_display_name`	`STRING`
`top_level_comment__snippet__author_profile_image_url`	`STRING`
`top_level_comment__snippet__can_rate`	`BOOL`
`top_level_comment__snippet__channel_id`	`STRING`
`top_level_comment__snippet__like_count`	`FLOAT64`
`top_level_comment__snippet__published_at`	`STRING`
`top_level_comment__snippet__text_display`	`STRING`
`top_level_comment__snippet__text_original`	`STRING`
`top_level_comment__snippet__updated_at`	`STRING`
`top_level_comment__snippet__video_id`	`STRING`
`top_level_comment__snippet__viewer_rating`	`STRING`
`total_reply_count`	`FLOAT64`
`video_id`	`STRING`
`_kaivo_extracted_at`	`TIMESTAMP`	Timestamp that shows when the row was extracted. Auto-generated by Kaivo.

video (59 columns)

Column	Type	Description
`_kaivo_id`	`STRING`	Primary key that uniquely identifies the row. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`datetime`	`STRING`
`video_id`	`STRING`
`kind`	`STRING`
`etag`	`STRING`
`id`	`STRING`
`published_at`	`STRING`
`channel_id`	`STRING`
`title`	`STRING`
`description`	`STRING`
`channel_title`	`STRING`
`category_id`	`STRING`
`live_broadcast_content`	`STRING`
`default_language`	`STRING`
`default_audio_language`	`STRING`
`localized__title`	`STRING`
`localized__description`	`STRING`
`thumbnails__default__url`	`STRING`
`thumbnails__default__width`	`FLOAT64`
`thumbnails__default__height`	`FLOAT64`
`thumbnails__medium__url`	`STRING`
`thumbnails__medium__width`	`FLOAT64`
`thumbnails__medium__height`	`FLOAT64`
`thumbnails__high__url`	`STRING`
`thumbnails__high__width`	`FLOAT64`
`thumbnails__high__height`	`FLOAT64`
`thumbnails__standard__url`	`STRING`
`thumbnails__standard__width`	`FLOAT64`
`thumbnails__standard__height`	`FLOAT64`
`thumbnails__maxres__url`	`STRING`
`thumbnails__maxres__width`	`FLOAT64`
`thumbnails__maxres__height`	`FLOAT64`
`content_details__duration`	`STRING`
`content_details__dimension`	`STRING`
`content_details__definition`	`STRING`
`content_details__caption`	`STRING`
`content_details__licensed_content`	`BOOL`
`content_details__projection`	`STRING`
`content_details__has_custom_thumbnail`	`BOOL`
`statistics__view_count`	`STRING`
`statistics__like_count`	`STRING`
`statistics__dislike_count`	`STRING`
`statistics__favorite_count`	`STRING`
`statistics__comment_count`	`STRING`
`player__embed_html`	`STRING`
`player__embed_height`	`FLOAT64`
`player__embed_width`	`FLOAT64`
`status__upload_status`	`STRING`
`status__failure_reason`	`STRING`
`status__rejection_reason`	`STRING`
`status__privacy_status`	`STRING`
`status__publish_at`	`STRING`
`status__license`	`STRING`
`status__embeddable`	`BOOL`
`status__public_stats_viewable`	`BOOL`
`status__made_for_kids`	`BOOL`
`status__self_declared_made_for_kids`	`BOOL`
`status__contains_synthetic_media`	`BOOL`
`_kaivo_extracted_at`	`TIMESTAMP`	Timestamp that shows when the row was extracted. Auto-generated by Kaivo.

Subtable: video__tags

Column	Type	Description
`_kaivo_parent_id`	`STRING`	Foreign key referencing _kaivo_id in the parent table. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`_kaivo_id`	`STRING`	Primary key that uniquely identifies the row. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`value`	`STRING`
`_kaivo_extracted_at`	`TIMESTAMP`	Timestamp that shows when the row was extracted. Auto-generated by Kaivo.

Subtable: video__content_details__region_restriction__allowed

Column	Type	Description
`_kaivo_parent_id`	`STRING`	Foreign key referencing _kaivo_id in the parent table. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`_kaivo_id`	`STRING`	Primary key that uniquely identifies the row. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`value`	`STRING`
`_kaivo_extracted_at`	`TIMESTAMP`	Timestamp that shows when the row was extracted. Auto-generated by Kaivo.

Subtable: video__content_details__region_restriction__blocked

Column	Type	Description
`_kaivo_parent_id`	`STRING`	Foreign key referencing _kaivo_id in the parent table. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`_kaivo_id`	`STRING`	Primary key that uniquely identifies the row. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`value`	`STRING`
`_kaivo_extracted_at`	`TIMESTAMP`	Timestamp that shows when the row was extracted. Auto-generated by Kaivo.

videos (4 columns)

Column	Type	Description
`_kaivo_id`	`STRING`	Primary key that uniquely identifies the row. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`kind`	`STRING`
`video_id`	`STRING`
`_kaivo_extracted_at`	`TIMESTAMP`	Timestamp that shows when the row was extracted. Auto-generated by Kaivo.

How the YouTube Data sync works

After the first load, Kaivo keeps your BigQuery warehouse up to date for you. Where YouTube Data supports it, each sync pulls only new and changed records so it stays fast; otherwise it refreshes the whole table. Every record keeps its original ID, so you won't get duplicate rows.

Frequently asked questions

How long does the initial sync take for YouTube Data?

It depends on how much history is in your YouTube Data account. Most initial syncs finish within minutes, while large accounts can take a few hours. After that, syncs only fetch new and changed records, so they're much faster.

Can I sync only some tables or columns?

Yes. You pick which tables to sync when you set up the connection and can change the selection later. Tables you don't select are never copied to your warehouse.

What happens when YouTube Data's schema changes?

New fields are never added automatically. You choose which fields to sync, so data you haven't selected (sensitive personal data, for example) never lands in your warehouse. When a new field appears, it becomes available for you to add. What happens to removed or renamed fields depends on a table's sync mode: full-refresh tables always match what's currently in YouTube Data, so dropped fields disappear, while incremental tables keep their existing columns and history, so an old field stays and newly added fields fill in over time.

Your data lives in your own Kaivo-managed BigQuery warehouse, so the most direct option is to delete or anonymise specific records right in BigQuery. If you delete data in YouTube Data instead, full-refresh tables drop it on the next sync, while incremental tables keep it, so you would remove the row in BigQuery or ask us to run a full refresh. To remove everything, delete the YouTube Data connector in Kaivo and all of its synced data is deleted with it.

Common use cases for YouTube Data data

Video performance

Use videos to track how your content performs over time.

Audience engagement

Use comments and channel_comments to understand how viewers respond.

Channel view

Join channels with videos to report across your channels.

Use YouTube Data data in your AI and BI tools

Once YouTube Data data lands in your Kaivo-managed BigQuery warehouse, you can explore it with AI tools or any BI tool that connects to BigQuery. Here's how the most common destinations work with YouTube Data data.

Claude

Use Kaivo's MCP server to give Claude secure, workspace-scoped access to your data. Setup guide →

Power BI

Microsoft's BI tool with a native BigQuery connector. Supports direct query and scheduled refresh. Setup guide →

Data Studio

Free Google BI tool with native BigQuery support. One-click connection to your Kaivo warehouse; great for SMB teams on Google Workspace. Setup guide →

Tableau

The premium analytics standard, with native BigQuery integration. Setup guide →

Google Sheets

Use Connected Sheets to query BigQuery directly from a spreadsheet, with no SQL. Setup guide →

Excel

Connect via Power Query's BigQuery connector. Setup guide →

Metabase

Open-source BI tool with strong BigQuery support. Setup guide →

See our pricing page for YouTube Data connector pricing and plan details.

Google Ads: Sync Google Ads to BigQuery.
Custobar: Sync Custobar to BigQuery.
Google Search Console: Sync Google Search Console to BigQuery.
HubSpot: Sync HubSpot to BigQuery.
Adform: Sync Adform to BigQuery.
Amplitude: Sync Amplitude to BigQuery.

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