What is The Best Length for a YouTube Video?

This debate never truly ends: What is the best length for a YouTube video? Should you optimize for the algorithm with long-form content, jump into the growing Shorts playground, or find the perfect balance?

AIR Media-Tech has analyzed data from thousands of creators, and there is one trend we’ve noticed – YouTube might be shifting its preferences. Longer videos seem to be playing a bigger role in content discovery and retention, fueled by key platform trends. But, as always, the golden rule remains: Watch time matters more than raw duration.

Let’s break down the latest insights into what is the ideal YouTube video length and how you can optimize your video length for 2025.

The Growing Favor for Long-Form Content

YouTube has been leaning toward long-form content for years, and it’s more obvious than ever for YouTube video length. Here’s why creators should take note.

More Watch Time, More Ads

The longer people stay on your video, the more ads YouTube can show – without annoying viewers. If you can keep an audience engaged for 20-30 minutes, YouTube wins with extra ad revenue, and so do you. Also, you can keep the best YouTube video length.

YouTube is Becoming TV

Smart TVs have made YouTube a go-to for living room entertainment. Families are watching together, and we’ve seen major growth in kids' content, educational channels, and deep-dive entertainment. If your content fits into that “lean-back and watch” experience, you’re in a great spot.

Podcasts Are Taking Off

YouTube is making a serious push into podcasting. Whether video or audio-based, long-form discussions are thriving. If your niche allows for interviews or deeper conversations, now is the time to start experimenting with podcast-style content.

Creators who focus on keeping audiences engaged with in-depth content – whether it's deep dives, podcasts, or long-form storytelling – are setting themselves up for success in 2025.

The 8-Minute Rule Still Matters

For years, the 8-minute mark was the magic number for monetization. Hitting this length allowed creators to insert mid-roll ads, boosting ad revenue per video. While this is still a factor, we’re seeing that the most successful monetized videos tend to land in the 15-30 minute range, with higher retention rates.

That said, stretching a video just to hit an average YouTube video length is still a losing strategy. If your audience starts dropping off early, your retention rate suffers – and so does your video’s discoverability.

Instead of focusing purely on hitting 8, 15, or 20 minutes, ask yourself: Can I keep my audience engaged for at least 50-60% of the video’s length? If you can, you’re on the right track to the ideal YouTube video length.

Tactics to Boost Watch-Time in Longer Videos

Retention is everything for both long and short videos. Here are three tactics that performed well for creators we’ve worked with:

1. A History Creator’s Big Shift

A history creator struggled with early drop-offs. They changed their format – no long intros, no backstory. Instead, they opened with a mystery: “A plane disappears. Decades later, it’s found… empty. What happened?” Viewers had to stay to find out.

After this change, their average watch time jumped from 34% to 52%. Get straight to the hook. Give people a reason to stay.

2. The Tech Reviewer Who Fixed Mid-Video Drop-Offs

A tech reviewer noticed viewers were leaving halfway. The fix? Pacing. Every 90 seconds, they switched things up – camera angles, graphics, even memes. It kept things unpredictable.

After implementing this, their average retention went from 25% to 39%. The key? Viewers don’t have short attention spans – they just get bored. Keep them engaged.

3. Make Viewers Part of the Content – A Gamer’s Smart Move

A gaming creator wanted to increase engagement. Instead of just posting walkthroughs, they started featuring viewer comments in their next video. Whether it was a joke, a correction, or a question, they responded on screen.

Viewers stayed longer and the channel grew from 10,000 to 50,000 subscribers with a faster pace than before. People love seeing themselves in content – give them that.

Shorts Are Getting Longer – and Volume Matters

By late 2024, YouTube started testing 3-minute Shorts – a big jump from the 60-second limit. It’s still early to see the full impact, but one thing is clear: YouTube wants longer short-form content, likely to boost watch time and ad opportunities.

Posting more Shorts also makes a difference. Creators who go from one Short a day to 10+ see way more reach and engagement. That doesn’t mean spamming low-quality content, but experimenting with a higher volume can speed up your channel’s growth.

AI tools can help streamline the Shorts production, or you can get expert support from AIR Media-Tech.

If you’ve been sticking to 30-60 second Shorts, now’s the time to test longer formats – especially for storytelling, quick tutorials, or list-style content. Just remember: length only works if people stay hooked. If viewers drop off in the first 10 seconds, the extra time for YouTube's maximum video length won’t matter.

How to Make Longer Shorts Work

Let’s break it down with three real-world strategies that turned Shorts from just clips into audience magnets.

1. Tech Channels’ Hook

A mid-sized tech channel struggled with retention on their Shorts. Their reviews were solid, but viewers kept dropping off within the first 5 seconds. The problem? They were starting with generic intros: “Hey guys, today we’re reviewing…”

We suggested a drastic change – ditch the introduction entirely. Instead, start with the most exciting moment of the video. The next Short opened like this:

(On-screen: A smartphone being thrown off a balcony.)

“Can this phone survive a 30-foot drop? Let’s find out.”

Retention shot up, and the Short pulled in three times more views than the previous format. Viewers don’t have time for buildup. Lead with the most compelling moment, and they’ll stay to see what happens next.

2. The Rewind Effect

A science-focused creator noticed their Shorts were getting decent watch time but lacked shares and replays. They tried a simple tweak – started the Short at the end, then rewind.

In one Short, they showed a watermelon exploding in slow motion, then immediately cut to the setup: “How did we get here?” Viewers watched through to see the experiment unfold.

By structuring videos backward, curiosity kicked in, and the Short got more shares and repeat views. A sense of mystery makes people rewatch.

3. The Cliffhanger Question

A food creator noticed their Shorts weren’t sparking enough conversation. They made a simple adjustment: end every Short with an open-ended, controversial question.

Instead of “Here’s how to make the perfect burger,” they tried, “Is this the best burger ever or totally overrated? Comment below.”

Engagement tripled, comments flooded in, and the Shorts got pushed to more feeds. The key? Invite debate – people love sharing their opinions.

Long vs. Short: Which Should You Focus On?

The best-performing creators in 2025 will likely adopt a multi-format strategy, leveraging both long-form videos and Shorts. Here’s how:

• Use Shorts to drive traffic to your long-form content. A well-crafted Short can generate millions of views, directing a portion of that audience toward your longer, monetized videos. That can become the best YouTube video length for monetization.
• Experiment with longer Shorts (1-3 minutes). This format is still at the early stage, but early data suggests it could improve engagement and discoverability.
• Prioritize watch time over length. A 12-minute video with 60% retention is far more valuable than a 30-minute video where most viewers leave after 5 minutes.

So, What’s the Best YouTube Video Length in 2025?

Based on our data, here’s how different lengths perform:

• Shorts (30 sec - 3 min) – Great for visibility, but limited in revenue potential. Best used such YouTube video length to attract new viewers and redirect them to the long videos.
• Mid-Length (10-20 min) – The ideal range and optimal YouTube video length for most creators, offering strong watch time, engagement, and monetization potential.
• Long-Form (20-60 min) – Works best for podcasts, deep dives, and tutorial-based content, especially with the rise of TV screen viewing.
• Ultra-Long (60+ min) – A growing opportunity, particularly for educational content, live streams, and binge-worthy series.

At the end of the day, the right YouTube video length is as long as it takes to keep your audience engaged – but no longer.

If you want to refine your content strategy and optimize for YouTube’s latest trends, AIR Media-Tech is here to help. We work directly with YouTube creators to analyze data, improve retention, and maximize growth. Reach out to us, and let’s build a winning strategy for 2025.