How to Find the Best YouTube Video Length

TL;DR: There is no universal ideal video length. Match the runtime to the viewer’s goal, use similar videos as a starting point, and check audience retention before changing your length.

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There is no single best length for a YouTube video. Make it long enough to deliver what the title promises, then use comparable videos and your audience retention data to decide what to cut or expand. A quick answer and a detailed tutorial should not have the same runtime.

Method 1: Compare the Length of Similar Videos

Use videos that answer the same question in the same format to find a starting range for your runtime. Their lengths are reference points, not proof that a particular duration causes better performance.

Go to YouTube.
Perform a search for the topic/title you’re interested in filming.
Choose four or five videos that cover the same topic in a similar format.
Note the range of runtimes and what each video covers.

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

For example, someone searching for “how to tie a tie” wants a quick demonstration. Someone searching for “how to build a gaming PC” needs a more detailed walkthrough. Use that difference in viewer intent to judge how much explanation your video needs.

Method 2: Use Audience Retention to Evaluate Video Length

Audience retention shows where viewers keep watching, skip, or leave. Compare videos with similar topics and formats; average view duration alone does not tell you the ideal runtime.

Open YouTube Studio.
Select Content and choose the video you want to review.
Open the video’s Analytics.
Select Overview or Engagement and find the Audience retention report.

Use our guide to average view duration to understand the metric alongside your retention graph. Do not turn your current average into a minimum or target video length.

Viewer Intent Should Determine the Length of Your YouTube Videos

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.

Do not add filler just to pass a minimum runtime. If your idea suits a square or vertical format, YouTube Shorts can be up to three minutes long. Use our guide to making YouTube Shorts for the upload requirements.