RPM Gaps Between Shorts And Long Form Video Content

Why RPMs differ

Shorts monetization uses a different model than long form ads, so the revenue per thousand views is usually much lower. Long form videos can show mid roll ads that run for longer and reach viewers in ad supported sessions. Shorts are short clips, so ads are often limited or shown in bundles.

This structural gap means a long form video with 100,000 views can earn more than a shorts video with 1,000,000 views. The exact numbers depend on niche, viewer location, and seasonality. But the gap is real for most channels.

Viewer location drives most of the gap

Advertisers pay more to reach viewers in certain countries, and that affects both formats. For long form content, strong CPMs in those markets can lift RPMs a lot. For shorts, even with those viewers, the limited ad space keeps RPMs lower.

For example, a channel with mostly US viewers may see better shorts revenue than a global channel, but still below its long form RPM. This is one reason why shorts revenue varies so much between channels with similar total views.

Niche and seasonality matter

Some topics attract higher paying advertisers, like finance or tech. That lifts long form RPMs in those niches more than it lifts shorts RPMs. Seasonality also plays a role, with ad budgets rising at certain times of year.

Creators in lower paying niches may feel the gap more. Even so, shorts can still build an audience that later watches long form content with higher RPMs. The key is not to compare the two formats by RPM alone.

Compare formats by total net gain, not just RPM.

Key takeaways

• Shorts RPMs are usually lower than long form RPMs for the same audience.
• Viewer location has a large effect on both formats.
• Niche and seasonal ad budgets change the size of the gap.
• Volume can help, but volume rarely closes the full gap.
• Mixing formats can shift total income upward over time.

Adjusting goals for each format

A realistic plan sets different view goals for shorts versus long form. For shorts, think in millions of views to reach small dollar amounts at first. For long form, think in tens of thousands of views to reach similar amounts in many niches.

Using GoScript, you can track RPMs for each format over time to see your own gap. Then you can assign effort based on which clips actually lead to higher value actions, like long form watch time or deals.