What's the optimum length for a youtube video?

I found this video about video length and the youtube algorithm.

Interesting, but did he answer the question??? LOL I must be an oddball because I always prefer short videos, assuming they get to the point! I reckon I just have a hard time sitting still!

I'm interested in this topic because I've toyed with the idea of making promotional videos for my books. Right now the learning curve seems huge, however. So I'm glad you're asking the questions and sharing them.

What I got from it is that quality content trump's length. Quality based on a complicated algorithm, but percentage watched, is a big part of it.

if you can make one 20 Min Vs five 5 Min films, the longer one gets more algorithm love.

That's what I got out of it too. But the title seemed to suggest some numbers to go by, hence my silliness. Quality is definitely the most important factor.

Personally I think you need both.

Some people have short attention spans or are just looking for the answer (counter-productive for Permies perspectives I think, but I digress).

Other people will want to be engaged and stay engaged and will watch over and over looking to glean more information.

So I say start with a few shorter ones that give “the answer”—maybe 10 minutes long.  Then add in some longer ones that describe the process.  Those should (sorry) be a bit more open ended and leave the viewer wanting more.

Just my thoughts,

Eric

I think it depends entirely upon the subject of the video.  If it is:

How to disassemble and reassemble a small engine, I'm hoping it will be an hour or two

How to get make a sunflower seed dehuller - 5 min for an overview that someone handy can copy or 10-20 min with detailed instructions and plenty of sped up stuff

Youtuber homestead task of the day - 5-10 minutes

Here's an introduction to our event/channel/wedding/business - 1-2 minutes

I really hate it when a video could be half as long and cover the same content.

If you're doing a series of things, I'm not sure if user experience would guide you one way while Google-love would guide you a different direction?  One may prefer 5 separate videos while the other may want one long one.

Surely it depends on what you are watching? my recent videos

How to change a headlight bulb in a megan II (absolute nightmare btw) I want this video as short and to the point as possible 3-5 minutes

An overview of someone growing carrots 10-15 minutes any longer and that will bore me

Discussion on medieval crossbows. this is more a documentary and if there is enough content 30minutes would be great.

It depends on your presentation,
Ian McCollum can talk about an obscure firing pin on an obsolete musket pounded out by starving mujaheddin with nothing more than a rock in the waste of Kazakhstan in 1922, and the smooth presentation and ASMR qualities of his voice compel me to watch the dullest detail with rapt fascination, I can comfortably drift off to sleep after a few hours of his videos, knowing Gun Jesus is in control of every facet of obscure weaponry, and in the morning start off where I drifted away.

Paul Harrell covers largely the same content matter, but 20 minutes seems interminable, his presentation feels dry and beyond the soothing sound of gunfire in the background is impossible to rest to, with every minute my irritation increases until I'm skipping ahead to find the summary, drifting to sleep during his video is impossible no matter how fascinating and novel the subject is, the presentation is nails on a chalkboard.

I suggest introductory videos of less than three minutes, with a link at the end to an exhaustive expose of your subject du'jour.

I agree with a lot of the others, it really seems like it just depends on the topic.  I really dislike long videos for no good reason.  My time is valuable and I don't want to waste it on watching someone ramble on and on.  That said, some people apparently like that.  I have one YouTube garden channel in mind, can't remember his name but he has at least 2 channels, one of them called The Voodoo Garden (I think).... anyway, he's a OG youtuber and has lots of subscribers.  I like his videos, because he has a great personality, but I don't watch them very often (I don't think watched any last year at all) because they are kind of long and "ramble-y".  That's his thing though and all his subbies know to expect that from his videos.