Do you get excited to monetize your content, only to realize YouTube is showing a limited number of ads on your videos? Or even worse, none at all?

If that’s your current reality, understand that you’re not alone. From music videos to kids’ content, creators have continually asked for more clarity around which videos get fully monetized - and most importantly, 

This year, YouTube won’t keep you in suspense. The 

 team recently posted a video about how monetization works, specifically for gaming content. In it, insider Conor Kavanagh shares tips for titles and thumbnails, graphic scenes, reaction videos, and more.

Hopefully, this video answers creators’ burning questions. But if you need more information, you can also read 

 on YouTube’s support page about gaming and monetization.

Too busy to do either? We totally understand. Here’s a quick guide to earning as much ad revenue as possible from your gaming content.

1. Keep Your Titles and Thumbnails as ‘Clean’ as Possible

Having a shocking title or thumbnail can help you get more views on YouTube. There’s no doubt about it. But the method you use to attract viewers is important. If you decide to add adult themes, graphic violence, or profanity to these visual elements, you might earn less ad revenue from your content.

A gaming video can receive full monetization if the thumbnail and title contain fully censored or abbreviated profanities.

So for example, if either element contains an abbreviation like “WTF” or the phrase “What the ****,” that’s alright. But if you plan to use partially-censored profanity, such as “F#%” or “Sh*t” that will result in fewer ads.

You have to be careful with sexual themes in thumbnails as well. Even if you blur sensitive content, such as genitals, YouTube may decide to limit ads if you’re specifically highlighting that area of the thumbnail.

Oh, and one last tip for titles: You should never include adult references in all caps, such as “18+” or “ADULT ONLY.”

2. Don’t Emphasize Graphic Violence or Gore in a Game

Here’s a tricky one. Many games contain violence and gore, so how can creators make sure they aren’t emphasizing those things?

According to YouTube, it’s all in the editing. The platform understands that certain games will have violence, and for those, you can get full monetization. But when you zoom in on those moments to highlight bloody injuries or fatalities, YouTube will limit the video's ads.

 on violence in a non-educational way, YouTube recommends turning ads off completely. This applies to gory compilations and individual videos showing severe violence.

3. Limit the Use of Sexually Suggestive Gaming Content

Romance is a recurring theme in some games. YouTube won’t automatically punish you for showing these moments, but the platform does draw a line for certain kinds of sexual scenes.

Here are the safe visuals any gaming creator can add to their videos:

A kiss between characters or similar romantic scenes

Limited clothing that isn’t portrayed in a sexually gratifying way (such as bikinis or swim trunks at a pool)

Naked bodies that have been fully censored (no discernible body parts)

Dialogue about romantic relationships (without mentioning sex)

You can get full monetization if you stick to the themes above. If you publish a video more suggestive than that, get ready to see limited ads.

4. Keep Strong Profanity Out of Gaming Commentary

, we revealed that videos with profanity can still earn ad revenue. It all depends on which words you want to say and how early in the video you want to say them.

Words like “hell” and “damn” are totally safe. Saying “WTF” is even OK. These terms aren’t offensive and still allow you to receive full monetization. But if you repeatedly drop F-bombs, especially within the first 30 seconds of a video, limited ads are a real possibility.

Racial slurs and derogatory phrases are in a different category. This kind of language will likely result in demonetization, especially if the creator's intent is to harm or offend.

If you’re making a let’s play video, gaming reaction video, or anything that requires you to speak, be mindful of what you say. Keeping things light and clean will help you earn as much money as possible.

What Type of Content Do These Rules Apply to?

The rules above apply to a wide range of gaming videos and their respective elements. You should extend these guidelines to:

Voiceovers in your gameplay (conversations)

Text, audio, and imagery edited into the video

User-generated comments you’ve added to your video

Instructive gameplay about gambling (it’s illegal)

Any violation (in this blog and YouTube’s support page) serving as a video’s focus

Long videos. Even if a video is lengthy, the above violations still apply.

These are just a few guidelines around gaming and monetization. They represent some of the bigger rules to follow, but if you’re interested in all the details, you can read about them on this 

. If you're unsure of what not do on YouTube, consult this resource to make sure your gaming content gets fully monetized.

Gamer with braided hair wearing headphones celebrating victory while holding controller indoors

Limited monetization on YouTube is no fun. If you're a gaming creator, do these four things to earn as much money as possible from your content.

How to Get Full YouTube Monetization For Your Gaming Videos

What if we told you the ideal duration for a Fortnite video is 9 minutes, 50 seconds? And that no matter how good your content is, trying to exceed that limit will cause hundreds of viewers to click off the video?

Immediately, you’d wonder two things about that mysterious claim:

Let’s start with number two. The length of your videos matters because viewers have a wide range of intentions on YouTube. Some are searching for quick answers to everyday questions, such as how to tie a necktie. Others want to know things that take several minutes to explain. They’ll watch a 30-minute video about building a gaming PC and still have the stamina to view more content.

Knowing which type of viewer you’re dealing with makes all the difference. You can plan better content and film videos that are long enough to appease your audience.

Want to learn how it's done? Keep reading to find the best YouTube video length for your content.

Method 1: Calculate the Average Length of Top-Performing Videos

Producing videos at the right length is easier than you think. All you have to do is:

Perform a search for the topic/title you’re interested in filming.

Copy the video length of the top four or five videos.

Paste the values into a time calculator, such as 

 - you’ll get the average length of top-ranking videos for that search term.

For visual instructions, watch our recent video, “How Long Should Your YouTube Videos Be?”

This isn’t the most scientific method, but it’s a good way to capitalize on what works. With this strategy, you at least know that thousands of viewers - maybe even millions - have watched specific content at a length they could stand.

You only have to do a few searches on YouTube to see how eye-opening this data is. For example, run a search for “how to tie a tie.” The average length for the highest-performing videos is 3 minutes, 10 seconds. Why? Because it’s a 30-second task and people searching this query want a fast solution.

What about “how to build a gaming PC?” As a creator, that’s going to cost you about 26 minutes, 39 seconds. Why? Viewers know the task is complicated and will watch a longer video to get the information.

Method 2: Analyze the Average View Duration on Your Channel

There are other ways to glean your ideal video length on YouTube. Instead of calculating average video lengths, you can follow the steps below to see how long viewers watch your content.

Below the graph showing channel views, Watch Time, subscribers, and revenue, click 

On the next page, you’ll see a row of tabs near the top of the page. Click 

. If you don’t see this option, you may need to expand the menu by clicking 

This will show you a graph of views, segmented by subscribers and non-subscribers. Be sure to 

 at the top right corner of the page to get at least a month of data.

Scroll down to the bottom of the page to see your channel's average view duration.

Here’s what this page looks like for the vidIQ channel:

Here you can see the impact of your subscribers, and generally speaking, how long they watch your content. 

On the vidIQ channel, subscribers watch our content for an average of 3 minutes, 21 seconds. So at the very least, we know our audience is willing to stick around for 3 minutes. That doesn’t mean we’ll make videos at that length, but it gives us a benchmark to follow and a time frame for presenting the most valuable information in a video.

Also, where people discover your content on YouTube influences how long they’re willing to watch - and that’s powerful information to have. So you can check the 

 tab on this same page (below) for a deeper understanding of your average view duration.

For example, look at the two highlighted areas below.

Our average view duration from suggested videos is 3 minutes, 59 seconds. That’s significantly higher than the 2 minutes, 7 seconds we receive from YouTube search.

So for people who watch content like ours, they see a suggested video from vidIQ, click on it, and watch for nearly four minutes on average. 

Looking at this chart, we may decide to not make videos shorter than four minutes.

Turning casual viewers into fans is a great indicator of success. That’s why you should analyze your subscriber growth to see if making longer or shorter content is a good idea.

To get started, return to this page (below) in the YouTube Studio.

On this chart, pay close attention to the percentage breakdown of views earned from subscribers versus non-subscribers. As you can see, 85% of our views come from non-subscribers. Our goal is to convert these casual viewers into loyal fans.

That’s why you have to keep returning to this page. Keep watching the percentage split, and make note of increases or decreases trending in either direction.

If views from subscribers are growing, increase the length of your videos and see where that takes you.

 If the opposite is true, and you’re losing subscribers, don’t worry about making longer content. You should figure out 

Viewer Intent Should Determine the Length of Your YouTube Videos

At this point, we’ve shared three options for choosing an ideal video length. You can:

Calculate the average length of similar, top-performing videos.

Analyze your average view duration for certain traffic sources.

Determine whether your subscriber count is rising or falling, then make adjustments to your video time limit.

These are great strategies, but don’t forget about viewer intent. 

You should determine how much information will best serve your audience, then make a video long enough to achieve that goal.

 After satisfying this requirement, you can make adjustments to your video length strategy.

And when you finally do, don't become attached to one video length. Some topics require a bit of creative license, especially when you’re telling an emotional story. If you have a magnetic personality and excellent storytelling skills, you can be flexible with the length of your videos.

Our only recommendation is to never make videos less than two minutes long. So far, we haven’t seen a video that short reach meaningful success on YouTube.

If your video is less than two minutes, you might 

. This new content type has the potential to go viral and introduce your videos to millions of people on YouTube.

Smartwatch displaying a 4:30 YouTube timer with a blurred man in the background.

There's no perfect length for a YouTube video. You have to find what works for you, so here are three tips to jumpstart the process.

3 Ways to Find the Best YouTube Video Length

How do your YouTube videos perform in the first 24 hours of publishing? Is there a surge of positive momentum or do most of your views trickle in days later?

For some creators, views earned in this one-day period can push their content to new heights. They’ll get lots of views from YouTube notifications, and in turn, the algorithm suggests their content to more viewers.

Apart from going viral, that’s the kind of mojo you want to have on YouTube. You should strive to make your videos appear in valuable areas of the app, such as browse features, YouTube search, and suggested videos.

To make it happen, start comparing your videos’ performance over the first 24 hours. It’s as simple as:

Waiting until each video has been published for 24 hours

Analyzing the results in the YouTube Studio

Step four has gotten much easier this year. Instead of opening two browser windows, you can view a side-by-side comparison for each video using YouTube’s latest tool for 24-hour views.

How to See Video Views on YouTube in the First 24 Hours

To compare video views in the YouTube Studio, follow these steps:

On the YouTube homepage, click your profile icon and select 

Find a video that’s been published for 24 hours, then hover your mouse over it. Click the analytics icon on the pop-up menu that appears.

Next, you’ll see the analytics page for the video you selected. Go to the top right corner of the screen and click the time period adjuster.

Need a visual tutorial? Watch the video below to make sure you’re doing everything correctly:

How to Analyze 24-Hour View Data on YouTube

As an example, let’s say we want to analyze the 24-hour views for our recent video, “

How to Start a YouTube Gaming Channel In 2021.

” After completing the steps above, the below results are what we see in the YouTube Studio.

Scrolling down a bit farther, we also see a list of traffic sources for video views in the first 24 hours.

With this data, we can ask ourselves a few questions about the video’s performance, and hopefully, create better content.

Question 1: Compared with other content, did the video overperform or underperform?

We can check this by looking at the traffic sources data. Via the screenshot above, it looks like our video overperformed in YouTube search views and underperformed in YouTube recommendation views. We know this because we hovered our mouse over each traffic source, which triggered a pop-up showing our typical video performance.

Here's what the vidIQ channel usually averages for these two sources:

That means our 2.8K views from YouTube recommendations is a tad low for this video. 

On the flip side, getting 957 search views is excellent. That means we did a good job 

Question 2: Did changing the video’s thumbnail or title in the first 24 hours affect its views?

To answer this question, we need to check the number of impressions the video earned, as well as its click-through rate. So instead of viewing the Overview tab, click 

near the top of the page. You should instantly see a graph showing video impressions, like the one below.

to view another graph showing the video's click-through rate in the first 24 hours.

When you update your video’s thumbnail or title in the first 24 hours, try to remember which hour you made the change. For example, you may decide to update a video’s title and thumbnail 12 hours after publishing.

With that in mind, you can check these two graphs to see if there are significant spikes or dips after the 12th hour. That alone should prove which title/thumbnail produces a better click-through rate or number of impressions.

Get Views Data Faster With vidIQ’s Real-Time Stats Bar

Right now, we're showing you the long method for checking YouTube views. It's thorough but not always practical, which is why you should have a backup plan when you're busy filming, uploading, or promoting your videos. 

, you can quickly check your YouTube views with the real-time stats bar. This handy tool sits at the top of all YouTube pages and displays crucial information, such as:

Views on your channel within the last 60 minutes, 48 hours, or seven days.

Detailed graphs showing your channel’s viewership

Your progress toward accumulating 4,000 hours of Watch Time (for channel monetization)

All of this is free, by the way. If you want to know how many views your channel is getting at all times, simply 

How to Compare the 24-Hour Views of Two YouTube Videos

OK, here’s the question most creators want us to answer: How does one determine which videos are performing well in the first 24 hours?

Fortunately, the answer is just a few clicks away. Here's how to grab that data in the YouTube Studio:

 filter selected, return to the Overview tab of your video’s analytics page. Below the graph showing channel views, Watch Time, subscribers, and revenue, click 

In the top right corner of the page, click 

This will allow you to select a second video from your channel and compare its first 24 hours to the initial video you were analyzing. To test this, we compared two videos with similar YouTube performance, as shown below.

 in the uppermost tab, you can see the traffic breakdown for each video.

As you can see, “How to Start a Gaming Channel in 2021” got more search traffic in the first 24 hours. 

That video may become evergreen content on YouTube, appearing in search results for years to come.

How to Get Your First 100 Subscribers on YouTube

” performed better in every other metric, such as browse features, suggested videos, and YouTube notifications. 

That’s indicative of a powerful title and thumbnail.

 Altogether, we can glean useful information from both videos and combine strategies to create better content.

What would really be helpful though, is the ability to compare one video with dozens more. That way we could track the effectiveness of a series of videos covering one topic. 

If YouTube makes this tiny change, the First 24 Hours tool would be almost perfect.

In the meantime, vidIQ has a channel audit tool that displays exactly what’s working on your channel. It’s free to start using, so 

 for channel insights that’ll earn you more YouTube success.

Man surprised by YouTube video analytics showing 11.3K views and 420% growth on day 1

Twenty-four hours after publishing, this YouTube tool reveals which videos are optimized for success.

How to Get More Views on YouTube in 24 Hours

If you haven’t started a YouTube channel yet, now's the time. The platform has more than 2B monthly users, which means you have plenty of opportunities to find and grow your ideal audience. 

That doesn't mean it's an easy job, though. With YouTube being a free platform, millions of people have launched channels with dreams of starting a profitable business. Many creators have reached success, but you'll need a solid YouTube strategy to do the same.

You can start by prioritizing these seven powerful tasks on YouTube: 

Sharing your value proposition with viewers

Creating new content to stand out on YouTube

Seizing content opportunities, such as traffic from popular trends

Mastering each skill is easier said than done, but it's possible. If you need some motivation, watch the video below to see how seven creators used the game plan above to grow their channels.

Need more proof? Here’s an in-depth analysis of how these creators quickly grew their channels in 2020.

Becoming a YouTube Authority: How ‘100 Percent Zelda’ Dominated One Topic

. This channel teaches key survival tactics in the popular video game - how to farm superfoods, tips for finding the best weapons, how to set battle traps, everything.

100 Percent Zelda has been on YouTube for nine months. But in a short amount of time, the channel has amassed more than 30K subscribers and 4M views. That’s no easy feat, especially when you consider the competitive nature of gaming.

So what’s the secret to this channel’s success? It’s simple: 

Focus on one thing and never deviate from that.

 and taught players how to survive its biggest challenges. Instead of posting a bunch of random videos, 100 Percent Zelda made a commitment to cater to its audience.

You can accomplish the same thing on YouTube. Simply decide on a niche, then 

. Post content many viewers find useful, and never, ever, abandon your audience.

Want to know more? We filmed a case study on this channel months ago, and you can soak up all the wisdom below:

Stimulus Talk: How ‘ClearValue Tax’ Got More YouTube Views In 2020

 gave viewers the information they desperately needed: how to quickly get their stimulus checks. That prized information helped the channel grow from 200 subscribers to more than 1M.

Brian Kim, the certified public accountant who appears on camera, doesn’t add any fluff to his videos. Within 10 seconds, he says exactly what he’s going to cover and dives right in. The production value is fine, but it’s not overly polished with excessive editing.

Additionally, the video thumbnails on this channel are simple freeze-frames from the footage itself, as shown below:

But guess what? None of that matters as much when you’re helping thousands of people get the free money they’re entitled to. You can overlook some of YouTube’s best practices because viewers need the information that badly.

Nonetheless, ClearValue Tax did what counts most on YouTube. The creator posted frequently, which is half the battle. The channel also used relevant keyphrases, such as ‘second stimulus check update’ and ‘get your stimulus check’.

‘Dad, how do I?’ Gets More YouTube Views With Fatherly Advice

Want to start a YouTube channel that earns 3M subscribers and 12.5M views? If so, you’ll want to follow the wisdom of 

 This channel is successful because its value proposition is clear. In each video, the creator teaches a skill most people need to know.

Simply put, a value proposition is a promise. It’s a declaration of what viewers can expect to gain from your channel, and every creator on YouTube should have one.

Dad, how do I? has a subliminal value proposition. Without the creator saying a word, you instantly know what it means to ask your father for help. The name of the channel promises you a certain kind of video before you press play.

More importantly, the content delivers on that promise. You get videos about everyday tasks, such as how to tie a necktie.

If you have dreams of going viral, take notes from this uber-successful channel. Make a promise to your viewers, then keep your word by posting the type of content they originally subscribed to see.

‘Paths Interactive Videos’ Finds a New Way to Boost Channel Watch Time

 isn’t like the other channels on this list. In three months, it has only earned 6K subscribers and 45K views, which is nowhere close to the millions we’ve previously discussed.

However, we believe this channel is one Reddit share away from going viral. That’s because it brings the classic joy of choose-your-own-adventure books to the YouTube world.

On the Paths channel, each video tells a story. When the video ends, viewers get to decide where the story goes next by clicking an end-screen thumbnail that whisks them to another video. It's a novel approach to YouTube, and we haven't seen this content strategy anywhere else - except maybe on Twitter threads.

This storybook content may help the Paths channel explode. It has the potential to increase channel Watch Time, which is a crucial metric for getting more views on YouTube.

Furthermore, a video with a high viewing duration has a better chance of being recommended to more people. On the Paths channel, this is almost mandatory because you have to watch the full video to complete a story.

So each video earns a ton of Watch Time, gets recommended to more people, and then those viewers must watch in full to choose the next adventure. It’s a brilliant scheme that works just like compound interest, except you’re accumulating valuable Watch Time instead.

‘APKAEIASAAS’: A Channel That Takes Advantage of YouTube Shorts

 channel that earned 425K subscribers and 50M views in just three months. 

 is a crowded YouTube niche, so how on Earth was this possible?

 had a lot to do with it. This new content type requires videos to be vertical and less than 60 seconds long, just like the content you'd see on TikTok.

But right now, not enough creators are making YouTube Shorts. There are more than 2B monthly users on YouTube, which means there’s a huge opportunity for short video creators to stand out - and that’s exactly what APKAEIASAAS did.

This creator posted YouTube Shorts depicting impressive builds in Minecraft’s mod-centric world. The content probably went viral because the YouTube app has a Shorts carousel that plays nothing but short videos. Chances are, APKAEIASAAS’s 

 content got featured there, earning the channel thousands of views.

Take a look at this Short from APKAEIASAAS. It has 15M views, which is an insane amount of notoriety for one video.

As a creator, you can't ignore the power of short video content. It’s everywhere now, so if you want to get more views on YouTube, start posting some irresistible YouTube Shorts.

‘Matt Talks Tech’ Doubles Down On a Winning YouTube Strategy

 joined YouTube in 2012 but didn’t publish a video until 2019. And even then, he experimented on the platform to decode how it works and what his niche would be.

It's never too late to start a YouTube channel. If you need proof, just ask these seven creators who've gained thousands of subscribers in just a few months.

Lydia Sweatt

Posts Written By Lydia Sweatt

How to Get Full YouTube Monetization For Your Gaming Videos

3 Ways to Find the Best YouTube Video Length

How to Get More Views on YouTube in 24 Hours

Why It's Not Too Late to Start a YouTube Channel in 2021

YouTube Rolls Out Grant Program for Black Creators

Google AdSense 101: How to Benefit from Ad Revenue on YouTube

How To Get a Custom URL For Your YouTube Channel [2021 Update]

25 vidIQ Tools You Need to Grow Your YouTube Channel NOW!

How to Create a YouTube Short: The Complete Beginner's Guide

How This YouTube Creator Got 1.5 Billion Views In Just 80 Days

How To Win at YouTube Monetization

Can You Swear on YouTube and Still Make Money?