How Long Should Educational Videos Be?

The length of a video is a crucial factor in determining its success, as it influences whether viewers choose to watch it or not. Research suggests that for educational videos, an optimal duration is around 6 minutes. This finding comes from the Guo, Kim & Rubin (2014) edX study ("How video production affects student engagement," ACM Learning@Scale). However, this may not always hold true on YouTube.

For instance, on our YouTube channel, LearnByWatch, one of the most-watched and liked videos is approximately 21 minutes long. Similarly, one-hour educational tutorials also receive substantial views and are popular search keywords on YouTube.

Based on our experience, YouTube does not strictly adhere to the 6-minute rule. It depends on the content and the audience's preferences. Students on YouTube prefer flexibility. They want to learn a specific topic when they choose to, rather than being tied to a predetermined course structure. Therefore, they may prefer shorter videos that cover specific concepts and allow them to grasp information quickly.

The key is to ensure that your videos effectively convey the entire topic you're teaching. If you create shorter videos, it's essential to make sure they cover all the necessary facts and concepts related to the topic. Viewers should not feel compelled to watch additional videos to gain a complete understanding.

YouTube vs. Online Course Platforms: Student Behavior

There is a significant difference in student behavior on YouTube compared to online course platforms. On online course websites, students follow a predetermined sequence of videos set by the instructor as each video is part of a structured course.

In contrast, YouTube provides students with more freedom. They can choose to watch any video at any time. This freedom is valuable because students want to focus on a specific topic precisely when they are ready to learn. They prefer shorter videos that allow them to quickly grasp a concept. For them, the length of a video is less critical; it's the quality and relevance of the content that matters.

What Matters Most in Videos

To create effective educational videos, it's crucial to ensure that the content covers all the relevant facts and concepts related to the topic. Whether your video is short or long, it should provide a comprehensive understanding of the subject matter. Students should not have to watch multiple videos to gain a complete grasp of the topic.

YouTube prioritizes videos that engage viewers for longer durations. Therefore, focus on creating videos that encourage students to watch them for an extended period. Your goal should be to make videos that, despite their length, captivate students and keep them engaged.

How Much is Taught in the Video?

To effectively teach any topic, it's crucial to cover all relevant facts and concepts related to that topic. If we are creating a short video, we must assume that students already possess knowledge of all the other facts and concepts related to that topic.

Focusing on just one topic in a video might make the video shorter, but it could also necessitate students to watch several other videos to gain a comprehensive understanding. Additionally, it's possible that the video becomes too challenging for the student, leading them to abandon it midway.

This approach works well for course websites where students follow a structured curriculum, and prerequisites ensure they've already learned the necessary background information.

Therefore, when planning videos for YouTube, it's essential to ensure that the video comprehensively covers the topic at hand, so students don't have to watch other videos to grasp the complete concept. This way, they won't feel the need to switch to another video.

YouTube's Priority

For a course website, the priority is to teach the student, which means keeping them engaged on the website for an extended period. In contrast, YouTube's priority is to keep students on its platform for as long as possible.

YouTube's algorithm considers how long a student watches a video, and if a five-minute video on a particular topic has a higher watch time than a twenty-minute video on the same topic, YouTube will prioritize the five-minute video in search results. This can boost the chances of success for shorter videos.

This doesn't mean you should intentionally make longer videos. Instead, focus on creating videos that, while covering the complete topic, motivate students to watch for an extended duration. Make sure that even though you are teaching the entire topic in your video, it doesn't feel like you are deviating from the main subject. In essence, aim for longer but engaging videos.