---
title: YouTube benchmarks | RGM®
url: https://realgrowthmatters.com/tools/benchmarks/platforms/youtube/
updated: 2026-06-10
source_html: https://realgrowthmatters.com/tools/benchmarks/platforms/youtube/
---

[Home](/) · [Tools](/tools/) · [Benchmarks](/tools/benchmarks/) · YouTube

### TL;DR

Largest video platform globally. TrueView for direct response, Bumper for reach, Shorts for short-form. Connected TV inventory (YouTube on TVs) is now ~45% of total YouTube viewing time.

## Current benchmarks · 2026

CPM, CTR, CVR, ROAS, and adjacent platform-specific metrics. All ranges blend platform-published data, third-party agency reports, and RGM operator-side aggregation. Use as sanity-check, not absolutes.

TrueView CPV

$0.04–0.14

TrueView CPM

$8–22

Bumper CPM

$5–14

Shorts CPM

$4–11

Connected TV CPM

$22–38

View-through rate (TrueView)

28–48%

Brand-lift (avg recall lift)

+11–18 ppt

Avg CPA (DR, e-com)

$32–115

Avg watch-time (skippable)

18 sec

Mobile share of YT views

65%

Connected TV share

45%

## Historical trend · 2020–2026

How YouTube has evolved year-by-year. Includes platform-level changes, attribution events, creative innovations, and macroeconomic context.

2020

Connected TV viewing surges 40%+. Bumper Ads scale during COVID. Premium CPMs hold steady.

2021

YouTube Shorts launches. Initially un-monetized; Partner Program expanded 2023.

2022

Video Action Campaigns become Performance Max for Video. TrueView for Action sees CPA improvements.

2023

Shorts monetization opens to all eligible creators. Ad-supported Shorts CPMs at ~50% of Feed.

2024

YouTube Select premium inventory grows. AI-generated thumbnails roll out for brand previews.

2025

Connected TV reaches 50% of US viewing. Shoppable Shorts ads launch in beta.

2026

YouTube #1 streaming service by watch-time in US. AI-powered ad sequencing across formats becomes default.

## How to operate on YouTube

### Operator playbook

1. Hook in the first 5 seconds — skippable's structural constraint.
2. Sequence: ToF Bumper → MoF Skippable → BoF Shorts or Search. Same creative arc.
3. Use BumperMachine to generate :06 variants from longer-form video.
4. Connected TV: optimize for completion rate (90%+), not CTR. Frequency cap at 3/week.
5. Shorts: vertical 9:16, native creator-style. Branded-looking Shorts underperform 2:1.
6. Run Brand-Lift studies on any campaign >$50K. View-through ROAS is unreliable.
7. TrueView for Action is best for direct response; pair with strong landing-page CRO.
8. Sequenced storytelling (Director Mix) drives 30%+ better recall than single-ad campaigns.

## Related platforms

[**Meta (Facebook & Instagram)**~22% of US digital ad spend (2026)](/tools/benchmarks/platforms/meta/)[**TikTok**~7% of US digital ad spend (2026)](/tools/benchmarks/platforms/tiktok/)[**Google Search**~38% of US digital ad spend (2026, incl. PMax)](/tools/benchmarks/platforms/google-search/)[**LinkedIn Ads**~3% of US digital ad spend (2026)](/tools/benchmarks/platforms/linkedin/)[**Amazon Sponsored Ads**~13% of US digital ad spend (2026)](/tools/benchmarks/platforms/amazon-ads/)

**Want to compare platforms side-by-side?** The [2026 Benchmarks Report](/tools/benchmarks/report-2026/) shows every platform on one table with the same metric definitions.