The question everyone asks
New creators often ask: "Should I aim for 8 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes?" The honest answer is that the right length for a video is however long it takes to fully deliver on its promise — no more, no less.
But that is not particularly actionable, so here is a more useful breakdown.
Shorts: under 60 seconds
Shorts have their own algorithm, their own audience, and their own best practices. They are not shorter versions of long videos — they are a separate format. The best Shorts have a hook in the first two seconds, deliver one clear insight or payoff, and end without a long outro.
Use Shorts for: quick tips, reactions, highlights from longer content, and behind-the-scenes moments.
Search-intent tutorials: 6–12 minutes
When someone searches for "how to do X," they want the answer efficiently. Videos in the 7–10 minute range tend to perform best for straightforward tutorials because they are long enough to be thorough but short enough that the viewer does not feel like their time is being wasted.
Beyond 12 minutes for a simple how-to risks retention drop-off. Below 5 minutes risks looking thin on content.
In-depth guides and explainers: 12–20 minutes
If the topic is complex — investing strategies, technical deep dives, multi-step processes — viewers expect more time. A 15-minute video on a genuinely complex subject shows depth of knowledge and is more likely to be saved and rewatched.
The trap here is padding. Every minute in the video should earn its place. If you can make the same point in 12 minutes that you were going to make in 18, the 12-minute version is almost always better.
Long-form documentary and storytelling: 20–45 minutes
Long-form content rewards channels that have built audience trust. Cold subscribers will rarely sit through a 30-minute video from a channel they just discovered. But for an established channel with a loyal audience, long-form content drives the highest watch time — which YouTube rewards heavily.
The "8 minutes" myth
There was a time when 8 minutes was the threshold for mid-roll ads, which made it the default target for monetised channels. That threshold no longer holds the same importance — YouTube now places ads based on overall watch session length, not individual video length. Chase the right length for your content, not an arbitrary number.
The real metric to watch
Average percentage viewed matters more than absolute watch time. A 7-minute video where 70% of viewers watch to the end is stronger than a 20-minute video where 20% finish it. YouTube prioritises videos that hold attention — length is secondary.
Check your audience retention graph in YouTube Studio. If there is a sharp drop at a specific point, that is telling you the video should have ended there — or the content at that point needs to be stronger.