The world has become way too fast-paced, for even the entertainment industries to keep up. The new generation is quick to hop from one trend and on to the other.
So, to cater to this kind of audience, video apps like TikTok have become the most popular channel for entertainment. People seem to enjoy short videos of 15 to 60 seconds, with catchy synced music and snackable content, more than full-length shows.
Similarly, to level with TikTok other social media apps like Instagram have released the Reel feature, which is more or less the same. The influencers can gain a large following by catering to the audience with such content. Likewise, before TikTok or Instagram reels, YouTube had been the only video platform for content creators. So, to combat this competition, YouTube also introduced a YouTube Shorts feature.
Which brings us to the question, what are YouTube shorts? How do they work? How can content creators use this feature to grow their YouTube channel?
We will answer your questions in this article!
Table of Contents
What are YouTube shorts, and how do they work?
Shorts are videos in vertical and even square format, which are of either 60 seconds or less in duration. These short videos include loops and teasers of the original content. You can even add original audio or select audio from the wide variety of audio in the YouTube audio library.
The audio from the YouTube library only allows the creator to record up to 15 seconds of video. So, you have to be really creative with your content execution if you are planning to use the YouTube library audio.
Moreover, these shorts are viewable on the YouTube homepage, the notifications, and even on your channel. YouTube short views are counted the same as regular-length YouTube videos. However, they do not make one eligible for the YouTube Partners Program YPP, and this is why you cannot monetize them.
Content creators can work on their channel’s visibility through these shorts. Since these shorts do not disappear as the stories feature, they present your channel’s voice.
Highlights of YouTube Shorts
YouTube shorts are easy to create and easy to consume. But are YouTube shorts better than Instagram Reels and TikTok videos?
No. YouTube Shorts are not better than Reels or TikToks in terms of engagement and popularity. However, if you’re a YouTube creator, then yes. In your case, YouTube Shorts are far more better than Reels and TikTok videos.
Here are a few highlights of YouTube Shorts:
- Automatically adds captions
- Includes several basic video editing features like increasing speed, color correction, etc.
- Multiple segment camera
- Can insert any part of a song of your choice.
Now, of course, YouTube does not permit advanced video editing. For that very reason, we offer you complete assistance.
5 Tips to Grow Your YouTube Channel with YouTube Shorts
1. Opt for the Appropriate Length
YouTube shorts have a maximum duration of the recording of 60 minutes (1 minute). There is no rule for you to make a video that long. If you can get your point across in less time, it will do wonders for your channel. It is because shorter videos catch attention quickly. And you can communicate your agenda to keep them hooked.
So, before you make your shorts, ask yourself these questions:
- Did I make my point yet?
- Is there any long pause or “dead air” in the recording that I should cut out?
Pro Tip: You can use editvideo.io to remove unwanted gaps or long pauses in your video. To give you a quick overview, editvideo.io is a leading video editing service that brings you the skills of expert video editors on a budget. Through this service, you can get all types of social media videos edited with proper transitions, cuts, and color grading.
2. Understand Your Target Audience
Along with the length of your video, the tone of your YouTube short matters too. Ideally, you should adopt a tone that your audience expects of you.
To find this tone, first understand your target audience. Ask yourself the following questions:
- Who are they?
- What are their biggest problems or desires? (W.r.t. you)
- What solution do you offer?
- What do they avoid risking? It helps figure out the negative tone that might interest them.
Now, once you have definitive answers for all four questions, find the tone. The idea is to pick a tone that your target audience is already accustomed to and the tone they seek.
A few popular tones for YouTube shorts are as follows:
- Informative
- Inspirational
- Humorous
- Enthusiastic
- Optimistic
- Mysterious
Explore the space more. And pick a tone that fulfills the expectations of your target audience and syncs with your channel & business.
For example, let’s say you’re teaching physics on your channel and you choose a mysterious tone. Your audience will have a tough time understanding the lessons and you will have a tough time creating the content. This means it will be difficult for you to scale the channel or create engaging YouTube shorts.
3. Make Custom Thumbnails
It is vital to make your YouTube shorts stand out if you want your channel to grow. The more distinct and recognizable your short thumbnail is among the sea of YouTube shorts, the more chances you have to gain a consistent viewership.
You must be questioning, why add a thumbnail when YouTube automatically plays a portion of the video? This is because these shorts count as regular videos on a channel. For this reason, you need an attractive display picture to convince a watcher to view your video.
Plus, most people go for videos with relevant contexts of their interest. Adding thumbnails to your YouTube shorts also helps you categorize your content into a specific niche.
Moreover, you don’t have to invest too much time to make these thumbnails. Simply get your point across in a picture and add it through your video editing application. Or if you’re having trouble getting the hang of video apps, send us your videos at editvideo.io. We’ll turn back a highly-appealing thumbnail in less than 24 hours!
4. Always add value!
There is no set rule on what type of content goes on YouTube shorts. Creators do all kinds of thing in these, they act, they dance, they post about their pets, and whatnot.
The only rule to make a successful YouTube short is to keep it valuable!
YouTube shorts can generate potential subscribers. If the content isn’t interesting or valuable, the viewer will not interact with your channel any further.
You can even promote your product or your brand in these shorts. All you have to do is make sure to work out a clever way to keep the viewer hooked and creatively market your brand. This will require you to study your niche audience and what other popular content creators are doing.
5. Be consistent
Consistency is the key if you want to improve viewer count and maintain a consistent and loyal audience. Such applies to all areas, stories, long videos, and shorts.
You need to roll out fresh content consistently because this keeps the audience expecting more. It isn’t necessary to upload daily, you can simply work out a proper and prompt schedule for your YouTube shorts content. Just plan out a bunch of video content ahead and then focus on execution.
Also, make sure to maintain a consistent style in your YouTube shorts. Remember, you are trying to build a brand here. Having a recognizable style will help your audience remember your work, and you will be able to stand out.
FAQs
Final Words
YouTube shorts are a great way to boost your engagement and gain subscribers. All you have to do is keep it:
- Short
- Engaging
- Consistent
Once you got all these covered, you are good to go!
On this note, you can up your editing game with the efficient service of editvideo.io and create banger YouTube shorts.
If you have any other tricks up your sleeve, make sure to share them with us in the comments below.
