YouTube Shorts now delivers the same revenue per watch hour as YouTube’s traditional long-form videos in multiple countries, including the U.S. This is according to YouTube’s CEO, Neal Mohan, speaking during the MoffettNathanson Media, Internet & Communications Conference.

This means that for every hour users spend watching Shorts, YouTube earns the same amount of ad revenue it gets from regular YouTube videos. In some markets, the monetization rate on Shorts has surpassed that of core YouTube, Mohan said. 

This shift is driven by higher usage, more ad impression opportunities, and better AI targeting for ad placements. “It’s something that we have been working on for a while, and it’s a testament to both the viewer side and the quality of the ad products that we build for our advertisers,” he said.

Shorts adoption is growing, and usage is climbing fast

According to Mohan, YouTube Shorts is seeing significant growth, especially among younger users because they find it participatory. “They want to jump in themselves and participate in that creation process,” Mohan said. Shorts makes that easier than traditional video formats, and it is helping YouTube attract creators and viewers who are used to TikTok’s quick, swipeable style.

In the first quarter of 2025, YouTube Shorts viewership rose 20% year-over-year. Around 70% of YouTube channels now post content on Shorts. This shows that creators are buying in. In October last year, the platform extended Shorts video length to 3 minutes, so creators can create longer videos. Previously, they could only create 60-second Shorts.

Connected TV is now YouTube’s top screen

Mohan also noted that TVs are now the most-used device for watching YouTube, surpassing mobile in the first quarter of 2025. This shift is delivering results for the video platform. In the past 12 months, YouTube ads on connected TVs drove over 1 billion conversions. The company’s internal data also shows that its CTV ad campaigns generated over 50 million average monthly conversions in Q4 2024 alone.

With the platform growing, Mohan discussed YouTube’s new ad formats launched at its Brandcast event. The platform has introduced Peak Points, which allows ads to appear at key moments. It’s also adding shoppable product feeds for CTV ads. YouTube says this tool will enable brands’ ads to appear on the right-hand side of TV screens while viewers are watching.

The platform is also launching a media package that lets advertisers buy placements around major cultural events such as the Oscars, Met Gala, and PGA Championship.

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