"Make videos super short so they get 100% completion"

"Make videos super short so they get 100% completion"
The received wisdom: short clip = high completion = more reach. Beginners chop everything to 7 seconds.

Completion rate isn't the only watch-time signal — total watch time and rewatches matter too. A 7-second clip watched once gives the system almost nothing to chew on. A 25-second clip that holds 70% delivers far more accumulated watch time, which the recommender weighs heavily.

What's true: don't chase a completion percentage, chase total seconds held. Longer videos that retain beat tiny videos that finish. Length should fit the payoff, not a metric you misread.