How Long Does a YouTube Video Have to Be to Make Money?

How long does a YouTube video have to be to make money? This is a question many people have. In this article, this question will be answered.

Let's face it- making money on YouTube is an enjoyable experience. However, it isn't as easy as it looks. Many factors impact the amount of money a video earns. One major factor is the length of videos.

In this article, you will learn:

YouTube Minimum Video Length for Monetization
Best YouTube Video Length for Monetization
Does Video Length Affect CPM?

Read on and find out what the minimum video length for YouTube monetization is.

YouTube Minimum Video Length for Monetization

So, what is the minimum length a YouTube video must be for it to be monetized? Does a video have to be 30 seconds long? Or, will a video need to be longer than this to be monetized?

There is no minimum video length for monetization on YouTube. A video that is 30 seconds long can be monetized and earn revenue. However, videos will need to follow the monetization guidelines set by YouTube to be monetized, regardless of length.

With this said, it's important to recognize that longer videos do tend to earn more money than shorter videos. Knowing this, if your objective is to earn the most amount of money possible, you should create long-form videos.

Consider trying out different video lengths to determine what is best for you. Just remember, you can monetize your videos at any length. Don't lower the quality of your content to make your videos a certain length- any length can be monetized.

Best YouTube Video Length for Monetization

You might be wondering- is there a best YouTube video length for monetization? If there is, how long should videos be to ensure they earn the most money possible? Also, why does the suggested length result in more money being made?

The best video length for YouTube monetization is 8 minutes or longer. Videos that are 8 minutes or longer can feature mid-roll ads, resulting in more ad impressions and higher earnings per viewer.

In the past, ads would only show at the beginning of YouTube videos. Now, they can be shown at any point during videos over 8 minutes in length, as many times as the creator would like.

Something to keep in mind is that too many ads will cause viewers to become dissatisfied with their viewing experience. To ensure this doesn't happen, it's best not to feature too many mid-rolls during videos- 1 or 2 is ideal for 8 to 12-minute videos.

Does Video Length Affect CPM?

At this point, you're probably wondering- does video length affect CPM? After all, it seems like YouTube wants content creators to publish long-form content based on the fact that long videos can feature mid-roll ads.

Video length can affect CPM, but the main contributing factors to CPM are the geographic location of your channel and viewers, the age of your audience, and your niche. Also, the type of ads placed on videos has an impact as well.

If you place mid-rolls on your videos but only allow bumper ads, your CPM will be lower than a channel that places mid-rolls on their videos but allows non-skippable video ads. Advertisers pay more for video ads, thus resulting in a higher CPM.

So, if you want to have the highest CPM possible, ensure you allow every kind of advertisement to be featured on your videos. Along with this, upload videos 8 minutes or longer so you can use mid-rolls, and target older viewers in first-world countries.

Conclusion

You now know how long a YouTube video has to be to make money. While a video can be monetized at any length, it's ideal for them to be at least 8 minutes long to ensure the most amount of money is made.