Building the user foundation for Shorts monetization
Generative research that shaped the long-term strategy for YouTube Shorts monetization.
Shorts was moving fast.Our understanding of the user wasn’t.
Users could swipe away from Shorts within 2–5 seconds, creating a fundamental challenge for monetization: how do you introduce advertising without disrupting what makes Shorts engaging?
Instead of immediately testing new formats, I led generative research to understand the mental models behind the swipe—what makes people stop, stay, or move on.
From understanding behavior to shaping strategy
I led in-depth interviews and co-design with Gen Z users across the US and India to understand how people experience Shorts, what earns their attention, and what makes an experience feel native to the platform.
The research moved beyond individual concepts to establish a foundational way of thinking about Shorts experiences and monetization.
Which format should we build? → What should every Shorts experience get right?
This shift helped product, design, and business teams move beyond short-term format experimentation toward a shared understanding of users and a longer-term strategic direction.
Impact
- 3+ yearsInfluenced the Shorts roadmap and monetization strategy as the platform scaled.
- Product impactFoundational research informed subsequent product launches and longer-term monetization decisions.
- Leadership influenceResearch informed discussions with Google’s CEO and shaped strategy across YouTube Ads and Main App teams.
The work wasn’t about finding one winning ad format.It was about creating the foundation for better decisions as Shorts scaled.