Benchmarks From the channels Claritea tracks
How Long Sponsor Reads Run, and Where They Sit
The typical sponsor read runs about 1:10, and 56% sit mid-roll. Both shift a lot from one niche to the next.
Typical read
1:10
Pre-roll
35%
Mid-roll
56%
Post-roll
9%
Where the read sits
Position of each read within its video, across every niche.
| Where | Share of reads |
|---|---|
| Pre-roll · first 15% of the video | 35% |
| Mid-roll · between the two | 56% |
| Post-roll · last 15% of the video | 9% |
Brands come back, too: in 51% of brand and channel pairings, the brand ran in more than one video.
Read length and placement by niche
The typical read in each niche, and where its reads sit.
| Niche | Typical read | Pre | Mid | Post |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Education | 1:24 | 23% | 73% | 4% |
| Science | 1:21 | 25% | 66% | 9% |
| Entertainment | 1:15 | 32% | 59% | 9% |
| Food | 1:14 | 26% | 54% | 20% |
| Automotive | 1:12 | 33% | 57% | 10% |
| Lifestyle | 1:12 | 25% | 67% | 8% |
| Gaming | 1:08 | 61% | 34% | 5% |
| Tech | 1:04 | 38% | 46% | 16% |
| Finance | 1:03 | 27% | 69% | 4% |
| Sports | 0:48 | 38% | 55% | 7% |
Keep reading
More benchmarks
From long-form videos published in the past 12 months on the YouTube channels Claritea tracks, updated Oct 27, 2026. Each channel's typical value is taken first, so a channel that uploads daily counts the same as one that uploads monthly. These channels lean toward ones that run sponsors, so read the figures as how sponsored channels compare, not as all of YouTube.