A title should be as long as it needs to be to make one clear promise, and no longer. The useful range for most videos sits between 40 and 60 characters, but the real limit is comprehension, not a character counter.
Length is a budget. Every extra word competes for the same glance, so the question is not how many words fit. It is which words deserve the space.
Every word in a title is paying rent. If it does not bring a click, it is a squatter.
Viewers skim from the left and often stop early, especially on mobile where the end of a long title gets cut. The words that carry the promise belong near the front, where a glance lands first.
This is why a title like 'Stop Editing Twice: The One Pass Method' beats 'The One Pass Method That Helps You Stop Editing Twice.' The second one buries the hook behind setup.
Some promises need a second clause to land, particularly when the topic is technical or the twist depends on context. A confusing short title is worse than a clear long one.
The check is whether trimming removes meaning or only removes filler. Cut the filler. Keep the meaning. If you cannot tell which is which, read it aloud and notice where you stumble.
Write the longest honest version first, then delete words until it breaks, then add one back. That last word back is usually the one doing the most work.
Do this for a few weeks and the trimming becomes automatic. You start writing short because you already know what the lumber looks like.
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