YouTube Shorts vs. Long-Form Watch Events per User in Germany — January 2025 to May 2026
Review Jan 2025 – May 2026: Shorts watch events per German user surged 5.2× from 48 to 250 per month — while long-form viewing also grew, from 29 to 45 events
Info
- Sample size
- n = 28,884
- Data date
- Jan 2025 – May 2026
- Segment
- All segments
- Platform
- Browsing
- Market
- Germany
Analysis
YouTube Shorts watch events per active German user exploded 5.2× — from 48 to 250 per month — between January 2025 and May 2026. Crucially, long-form watch events per user grew in parallel, from 29 to 45, rather than declining. Short-form video growth in Germany is additive, not cannibalistic.
Why Shorts feeds long-form, not against it
Industry data supports this pattern: YouTube's own research shows that 74% of Shorts views come from non-subscribers, making the format a discovery engine that funnels new audiences toward long-form content. Channels combining Shorts and long-form content were reported to grow 41% faster than those relying on a single format. For German advertisers, the implication is significant: Shorts and long-form budgets should be treated as complementary rather than competing line items. The 5.2× Shorts acceleration reflects both greater platform promotion of the feed and increasing scroll habituation among users — a behavioral shift that appears durable given that long-form engagement held firm throughout. See the overall YouTube Shorts watch-time share trend for the share-level view of the same period.
This analysis is based on public segment data. For deeper cuts, use our Enterprise interface.
Methodology
Monthly watch events per active user are calculated by dividing total watch events for each format (Shorts ≤60 seconds; long-form >60 seconds) by the number of distinct active users in that month. Data covers German users aged 16 and older with known birth year, restricted to YouTube watch events where video duration was available via the API. The observation window runs from January 2025 to May 2026.