In short
In a tutorial, ads go after a completed step: once the on-screen action is done and the author has summed it up. An ad in the middle of a step throws off viewers who are following along. The structure of the lesson is a handy guide: steps, chapters, checking the result.
How a tutorial differs from other videos#
A tutorial viewer does not just watch; they do. They open the app, pause, repeat the action, go back. It matters to them not to lose their place.
An ad in the middle of a step breaks that process: the on-screen action stops, and after the ad the viewer rewinds to remember what was happening. Some simply close the video and look for another creator’s guide.
Tutorial
Steps as the frame#
Almost any lesson splits into steps, even if the author does not call them that:
- preparation: what you need, the starting point;
- steps: individual actions with a clear result;
- checking: what you should end up with;
- wrap-up: what is next, common mistakes.
A good ad slot comes after a step is done and the result is on screen. For example: “Done, the file is saved. Now let’s move on to the settings…” The pause between those sentences is the slot.
Where not to place ads#
- In the middle of on-screen action. The cursor is moving, text is being typed, a menu item is being chosen.
- Between “click” and the result. The viewer wants to see what happened.
- Before an important warning. “Careful, at this step…”: the sentence needs to finish.
- During waiting. If an install or render is running on screen, it feels like a pause. But the author often comments on the process, and the viewer is waiting for the result.
YouTube recommends not interrupting important action. In a tutorial, important action is everything the viewer needs to repeat.
How many slots in a tutorial#
Go by the number of major steps, not minutes. A 15-minute lesson with four steps naturally gets one or two slots. A long course or hour-long walkthrough gets slots at section boundaries.
An even grid is especially awkward here: steps vary in length, and a point “every 3 minutes” will almost certainly land mid-action. More in “Every N minutes or in natural pauses”. On frequency in general: how to choose mid-roll frequency.
Chapters help viewers and ads alike#
If you split a lesson into chapters, viewers quickly find the step they need, and you get a ready list of ad candidates. Put the slot in the pause before a new chapter starts, not exactly on its timestamp.
How Monvilo helps#
Monvilo finds speech pauses in the video’s audio and places slots where the author stopped after a finished thought. For tutorials the Interval tab is handy: set an approximate step, and each point snaps to the nearest pause rather than an exact minute.
The extension does not see on-screen action: decisions are based on the voice and the meaning of sentences. If the lesson has long stretches without speech (an install, a render), check the slots near them before publishing.
Frequently asked questions#
Can I place an ad during a long install?
Technically yes, but the viewer is waiting for the result. Better after the install finishes and the author shows that everything works.
Does a short tutorial need ads?
If the lesson is under 8 minutes, there are no slots inside it: why the threshold is 8 minutes. If it is longer, one slot after the main step is usually enough.
Do ads affect whether people finish the tutorial?
A well-placed ad interrupts less. But any break is a reason to leave, so tutorials do better with fewer slots. How to read retention dips: the retention graph guide.
Sources#
Checked October 25, 2026: mid-roll ads in long videos, video chapters. Tab descriptions match Monvilo 2.25.0; the panel screenshot is Monvilo 2.22.2 on a demo video. Tutorial advice is our practical guidance.