So, how long are your gameplay videos?

[WolfWraith]

I'd say that's about a safe way to interpret it. According to YouTube 3mins is apparently the longest attention span most people have.

I try to aim for around the 10-15min mark but this can vary depending on the game and usually never works out for me as planned. Doing a conventional let's play (say for e.g. mission by mission) it can vary between 5mins upwards 30mins or more. Lately with Deus Ex I have recordings that are hitting 1hr long and the cut down version most likely won't be that much shorter. This is due to the nature of stealth games like that; they require a lot of time & patience. That's if you want to actually have good gameplay. But games like AC Liberation have missions that might only last 5mins and that creates a dilemma, you can make that your video & end it there (possibly might be much shorter with editing) or continue playing and decide to record the next mission but then you're possibly hit with a mission that lasts 40mins lol.

This is why I would focus retention on different types of games. Keep your vids short for games that work with short vids and keep them long for games that require it, same applies for the types of videos you're doing.

 

[SimeonTG]

I like to keep mine short and simple so I can have a higher audience retention.

 

[Rogpalmeruk]

It's funny, I was only thinking today after doing a few recordings that I need to make mine shorter, keeping in that 15 to 20 min spot.. Rather than just going long sessions which I had tried doing too. I'm gonna start recording 3 or so recordings in a single sitting on games and post a couple of times a week for each game, doing 1 game a day... Get some backlog built up

 

[iamvroom]

I'd say that's about a safe way to interpret it. According to YouTube 3mins is apparently the longest attention span most people have.

I try to aim for around the 10-15min mark but this can vary depending on the game and usually never works out for me as planned. Doing a conventional let's play (say for e.g. mission by mission) it can vary between 5mins upwards 30mins or more. Lately with Deus Ex I have recordings that are hitting 1hr long and the cut down version most likely won't be that much shorter. This is due to the nature of stealth games like that; they require a lot of time & patience. That's if you want to actually have good gameplay. But games like AC Liberation have missions that might only last 5mins and that creates a dilemma, you can make that your video & end it there (possibly might be much shorter with editing) or continue playing and decide to record the next mission but then you're possibly hit with a mission that lasts 40mins lol.

This is why I would focus retention on different types of games. Keep your vids short for games that work with short vids and keep them long for games that require it, same applies for the types of videos you're doing.

Just thinking - you could actually stop your episode with a cliffhanger. I mean - not doing the full mission, but stopping in the middle and telling viewers it will be continued in the next episode. It has been working for tv for decades, why not a youtube channel.

I like to keep mine short and simple so I can have a higher audience retention.

Wonder if there is any research on that - will have to look around the web.

It's funny, I was only thinking today after doing a few recordings that I need to make mine shorter, keeping in that 15 to 20 min spot.. Rather than just going long sessions which I had tried doing too. I'm gonna start recording 3 or so recordings in a single sitting on games and post a couple of times a week for each game, doing 1 game a day... Get some backlog built up

Single setting recording is amazing, you get a lot of stuff done, but only have to setup once. And then you are done for a couple of episodes. Aiming for that 15-20 minutes as well now.

 

[Spolt]

Usually under 20 minutes but they should be as long as you need them to get your point across or if you are on a quest/mission.

 

[CharlieeLou]

I don't think there's a secret to video length. There's no magical formula!

If you're a huge YouTuber with a strong following, as long as you like because people will watch. That's why they're subscribed. The biggest YouTubers make long videos and because they have such a strong following, they probably get very high audience retention.

Small channels, well, you've probably got a handful of people that will watch the full length of your videos. But, what about the new people viewing your videos? Make them short and compelling to grab attention. If I don't know who you are, I probably won't watch your 30 minute video, I'll be honest.

But hey, I think you should just focus on having fun rather than being big and worrying over small things like video length. Obviously employ best practices with regards to SEO and such, but don't worry over video length! Do you and have fun. If people like you, they'll watch. I'd rather have 2 people watch my 20 minute video and be actually interested in my channel and subscribe, than 100 views from people that watched my 3 minute video for 1 minute and then left, ya'know?

 

[Dryve]

I keep it between 5-9 minutes: I record for 20-30 mins and take all the best stuff so it doesn't get boring. In the end if the subscribers are willing to watch for longer, go for it, but I'd tend to stick it under 10 minutes, unless its like a really in-depth walkthrough or something

 

[Chris Lance]

When I makr Let's Play's on 'DanDaSimmer' I always go for the 20 minute mark (and definitely no longer than 25 minutes). As I continued to make videos I started editing them, cutting loading screens and boring parts so all 20 minutes actually had something for the audience to engage with

I 100% agree with him. 20 minutes seems like the norm nowadays.

 

[Ninja]

For funny moments I like to keep them 5-10, for let's plays I try to aim for 15-20.

 

[ProfessionalRik]

I make my videos 10 - 15 minutes long, edit out what I don't need or want. That leaves me usually always a good amount of time and content. I have been known to make longer videos, if I'm finishing the game or an event that I want to show off.

If you're doing something that'd take an hour to record and you can't intro-outro properly to make the episodes separated, you can just edit them into parts so they're easier to digest for your audience.

Hope I helped!
#ProRikTV