A recent study analyzing Turkish YouTube channels with mid-sized audiences has found that short-form entertainment content is fueling viewership growth, with comedy sketches, celebrity interviews and light pop-science videos emerging as the most effective formats.
The research was conducted by Yoola, a global media company and influencer marketing platform that supports creators in content strategy and monetization.
The analysis, which focused on channels with between 500,000 and 2.5 million subscribers, revealed that YouTube Shorts – the platform’s brief, vertical video format – now accounts for 70% of total traffic. Channels that publish Shorts at least three times per week see the highest reach and organic spread through YouTube’s recommendation algorithm.
Long-form videos, typically uploaded once weekly, maintain strong viewer engagement with an average watch time of four minutes, the study found. Viewers primarily fall within the 18 to 44 age group and respond most to dynamic videos featuring visible emotions and interactions with familiar personalities.
Alongside Türkiye, audiences in Germany and Azerbaijan ranked among the top in viewership, highlighting the regional appeal of Turkish creators. Total views across the channels in the study topped one billion, with impressions surpassing 3 billion. The average cost per 1,000 views (CPM) was reported at $1.20.
Yoola works with creators in over 50 countries and is certified by YouTube as a Multi-Channel Network (MCN) and Creator Service Provider (CSP).
“Working with Yoola helps to quickly understand mistakes and focus on creating content that better resonates with subscribers, increases views and brings new viewers to my channel,” said Yaspe, a Turkish influencer and Yoola partner.