In a nutshell

  • Short-form content offers quick viewer engagement and more frequent uploads but offers lower payouts.
  • Long-form videos allow for deeper topic exploration and higher ad revenue but require more resources and can suffer from low viewer retention.
  • Making short-form and long-form content can maximize both audience reach and monetization opportunities.

As YouTube continues to evolve, it’s becoming increasingly possible for creators to monetize both short-form and long-form content. Whether you’re interested in creating short-form content or diving into long-form videos, there’s a way to use both to maximize your earnings.

In this article, we’ll explore how to make money from short-form and long-form content on YouTube, along with a way to use both to maximize your earnings.

Monetizing short-form content

Things to consider when monetizing your Shorts

Short-form content, usually ranging from 15 seconds to 2 minutes, thrives on creativity and quick viewer engagement. A strong start is essential: Grab the viewer’s attention with an engaging hook within the first few seconds. One of the biggest pros of short-form content is its convenience. Since Shorts are so brief, even busy people can fit a few in during breaks or commutes. Additionally, the format allows creators to upload content more frequently, as Shorts are typically quicker and simpler to produce than a longer video.

However, there are some downsides to consider. Even though you can generate revenue from the ads YouTube plays for your Shorts, the returns might not be as high as you’d like. The bottom line, according to LinkedIn, is that people aren’t willing to sit through a 15- to 30-second ad to watch a 15- to 30-second video. This ultimately generates less revenue per minute of viewing than long-form content. So, unfortunately, even if you create a viral Short, you won’t make a massive return on it.

The top methods to earn more with your Shorts

Sponsored Shorts

Brands will pay you to integrate their products or messages into your Shorts. These sponsorships can be lucrative and lead to more sponsored posts down the line.

Affiliate marketing

By promoting products and earning a commission on sales through affiliate links, you can make money outside the YouTube ecosystem. Check out affiliate programs like Amazon Associates, Shopify Affiliate Program and eBay Partner Network.

Shorts feed ads

If you aren’t already, get accepted into the Shorts Monetization Module. This will let you earn from ads and YouTube Premium in the Shorts feed. While you may not earn a ton from ads on your Shorts, it’s still a way to monetize your content directly on YouTube.

Channel memberships

Engage your audience by offering exclusive badges, emojis or additional short-form content through channel memberships. These things will help entice viewers to become members, awarding you a monthly cut from the income made on membership subscriptions.

Monetizing long-form content

Things to consider when monetizing your long-form YouTube videos

Long-form content on YouTube usually spans from 10 to 60 minutes and typically generates more revenue from AdSense. Since you can run more ads on your videos, like pre-roll, mid-roll and post-roll ads, you have more opportunities to earn more. You will also likely see higher payouts due to increased watch time. Sponsors also may pay you more to promote their products in longer videos than they would a Short. However, that will depend on your user engagement for long-form content vs. Shorts.

While you can make more revenue off of one long-form video, longer videos take more time to produce. In turn, you will be able to churn out more sponsored Shorts than you would sponsored long-form videos. Still, the revenue difference will vary depending on your own analytics. Long-form videos can also struggle with retention more than Shorts. Most of the time, people will stick through an entire Short because they’re just about 15 seconds. Longer videos are more of a time commitment. Lower retention leads to the video being pushed down in the YouTube algorithm. This results in fewer eyes on your content, leading to lower ad watch time and fewer opportunities to land sponsor deals.

The top methods to earn more with your long-form videos

Ad revenue

Utilize AdSense for pre-roll, mid-roll and post-roll ads. These ads can be a significant source of income for long-form content. Try to incorporate ads into your videos, but make sure not to overdo it. You don’t want to annoy your audience or new viewers. This could ultimately lead to lower ad watch times if people click away when they’re hit with too many ads.

Sponsored content and affiliate marketing

As with short-form content, sponsored content and affiliate marketing are excellent ways to earn. Promote and show off the products you use in your videos. Better yet, longer-form content allows you to offer more sponsored video options for potential sponsors. You can offer a quick shout-out or a full video dedicated to their products. This approach will allow you to offer different-priced packages for sponsors depending on their budget.

Channel memberships

Offer your audience extra content, live chats or other benefits for a monthly membership. You’ll get a portion of the monthly memberships from YouTube.

Make use of both formats to maximize your profits

The path to maximizing your YouTube earnings doesn’t have to be an either-or scenario. In fact, incorporating both short- and long-form content into your channel strategy can lead to the most earnings. Long-form videos excel at generating money from AdSense, while short-form content boosts exposure and audience growth.

By blending the strengths of both formats, you create a win-win situation for your channel and wallet.