I've been making 8-10 minute videos but i'm wondering if that's too long or too short for the algorithm. i've seen advice saying to make 15+ minute videos for ad revenue but also advice saying shorter videos perform better
What length do your videos usually run and have you noticed a difference in performance based on video length?
i'm in the tutorial/educational niche if that matters
How long should YouTube videos be for best performance?
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RisingAdmin
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Re: How long should YouTube videos be for best performance?
Gonna disagree here - i've had way more success with shorter videos around 5-7 minutes
people's attention spans are shot. even if your content is good, most people aren't watching 15 minute tutorials. they want quick solutions
My 6 minute videos have 58% average retention. My 12 minute videos have 38% retention. The shorter videos perform better overall even though total watch time is less
youtube might prefer longer watch time in theory but in practice they promote videos with high retention percentages. a 6 minute video with 60% retention beats a 15 minute video with 35% retention
make your videos as long as they need to be to deliver value, then cut everything else. Don't artificially extend videos just to hit a certain length. quality over quantity
For tutorials i'd say 7-10 minutes is perfect. any longer and you're probably adding fluff
people's attention spans are shot. even if your content is good, most people aren't watching 15 minute tutorials. they want quick solutions
My 6 minute videos have 58% average retention. My 12 minute videos have 38% retention. The shorter videos perform better overall even though total watch time is less
youtube might prefer longer watch time in theory but in practice they promote videos with high retention percentages. a 6 minute video with 60% retention beats a 15 minute video with 35% retention
make your videos as long as they need to be to deliver value, then cut everything else. Don't artificially extend videos just to hit a certain length. quality over quantity
For tutorials i'd say 7-10 minutes is perfect. any longer and you're probably adding fluff
Re: How long should YouTube videos be for best performance?
longer videos generally perform better IF you can keep people engaged. youtube cares about total watch time not just percentage watched
My videos are usually 12-18 minutes and they perform way better than when I was making 6-8 minute videos. more watch time = more ads = more revenue for youtube, so they push longer content
but the key is you can't just make long videos with filler content. every minute needs to provide value or people will click away and your retention will tank
for tutorials specifically i'd say 10-15 minutes is the sweet spot. long enough to cover the topic thoroughly but not so long that people get bored. if you can naturally fit mid-roll ads (8+ minutes) that's a bonus
also longer videos keep people on youtube longer which is what the algorithm wants. so as long as your retention stays above 40-50%, make them as long as they need to be
My videos are usually 12-18 minutes and they perform way better than when I was making 6-8 minute videos. more watch time = more ads = more revenue for youtube, so they push longer content
but the key is you can't just make long videos with filler content. every minute needs to provide value or people will click away and your retention will tank
for tutorials specifically i'd say 10-15 minutes is the sweet spot. long enough to cover the topic thoroughly but not so long that people get bored. if you can naturally fit mid-roll ads (8+ minutes) that's a bonus
also longer videos keep people on youtube longer which is what the algorithm wants. so as long as your retention stays above 40-50%, make them as long as they need to be