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The studies
Every one is free. Each page has the short answer, the chart, what it means for you, and exactly how we got the numbers.
YouTube · Data study
2×
Viral Hooks: What 418 Breakout Shorts Said in the First 3 SecondsBreakout Shorts said a real number in the first 3 seconds about twice as often.Read the study Money · Data study
$6.19
How Much Does YouTube Pay? 82 Creators’ Real RPMs, by NicheA typical long video paid about $6.19 per 1,000 views. Shorts paid 16 cents.Read the study YouTube · Data study
43×
The Best Faceless YouTube Niches for Small Channels (572 Channels Ranked)True crime got 43× the views of personal finance on small faceless channels.Read the study YouTube · Data study
67%
How Long Should a YouTube Video Be? 111,322 Videos Compared Within Their Own ChannelsLonger videos won in 2 out of 3 channels, but only by about a fifth.Read the study YouTube · Data study
3.4×
How Often Should You Post on YouTube? 1,664 Channels and 42,629 UploadsEach video gets fewer views when you post more, but your week adds up to more.Read the study YouTube · Data study
7%
The Best Time to Post on YouTube (24,918 Uploads Say It Barely Matters)The best day beat the worst by about 7%. The hour made no real difference.Read the study YouTube · Data study
74%
Why YouTube Videos Go Viral: 1,019 Outliers vs Normal Videos From the Same ChannelIn 74% of pairs, the viral video simply promised something different.Read the study YouTube · Data study
1 in 3
What Makes a YouTube Thumbnail Work? 2,038 Thumbnails From the Same ChannelsViral thumbnails weren’t brighter and didn’t have bigger faces.Read the study YouTube · Data study
170
YouTube Script Writing: 1,888 Viral and Normal Scripts ComparedSame pace, same sentence length, same openings. The viral one was just longer.Read the study YouTube · Data study
⅓
YouTube Shorts vs Long Videos: 586 Channels That Post BothThe typical short got a third of the views of the same channel’s long video.Read the study YouTube · Data study
54%
Does 4K Get More Views on YouTube? 693 Pairs From the Same ChannelsNo. The higher-resolution video won 54% of the time: a coin flip.Read the study YouTube · Data study
2,100
Is YouTube Killing Small Channels? What the Data SaysA small channel’s videos reach a much bigger share of its subscribers than a big channel’s.Read the study