Interested in YouTube Shorts? Get a step-by-step breakdown of how they work and how you can leverage them for your content strategy.
YouTube Shorts isn't just a trend, it's a ticket to turbocharging your YouTube Channel and its income. Look at our partner, MacDannyGun, a prime example of Shorts' potential. In 5 months, they amassed 670K new subscribers, propelling their total subs to 1.75 million! And that's just the tip of the iceberg. In this article, we'll provide you with a step-by-step breakdown of how YouTube Shorts work and how you can maximize their potential.
What is YouTube Shorts
YouTube Shorts are the vertical videos, lasting up to 60 seconds, that have taken the platform by storm. With a staggering 2 billion viewers dropping in each month, Shorts has swiftly transformed into the ultimate content promotion powerhouse. Now, let’s dive into the key attributes of YouTube Shorts:
- Brevity: Think quick and impactful! Shorts are expertly crafted to be short and sweet, spanning a mere 15 to 60 seconds.
- Vertical Format: Embracing the mobile era, these videos are tailor-made for the vertical viewing experience.
- Engaging and Snappy: Shorts are designed to hook viewers instantly.
- Shorts Player: Shorts have their dedicated player on YouTube, simplifying the discovery and enjoyment of bite-sized content.
- Creative Tools: YouTube equips creators with an arsenal of creative tools – think speed controls, timers, and text overlays – all geared towards crafting irresistibly compelling Shorts.
How YouTube Shorts Work
YouTube Shorts goes beyond quick videos; it's a space of monetization and engagement. Since the conclusion of the YouTube Shorts fund in February 2023, creators now have the chance to harvest advertising revenue from Shorts through the YouTube Partner Program (YPP).
To hop aboard this program and monetize your Shorts content, you need to fulfill specific criteria:
- Accumulate either 1,000 subscribers and 10 million public Shorts views within the last 90 days.
- Alternatively, hit 1,000 subscribers and rack up 4,000 public watch hours across your long-form videos.
Shorts that adhere to YouTube's Advertiser-Friendly Content Guidelines and are eligible for advertising will be able to generate income.
How to Create YouTube Shorts
Creating YouTube Shorts is surprisingly straightforward. All you need is a smartphone with the YouTube app installed. The tool includes several creative features like:
- Music & Sound. You can select parts of tracks you want to use from the Shorts catalog or sounds from other eligible Shorts to create your video. Creators have an option to refuse to let their audios be used by other authors.
- Text & Timeline. You can add text to your video and control when it appears and disappears using the Timeline feature.
- Speed. This feature allows you to set the speed of your Shorts by accelerating or slowing down the recording.
- Timer and Countdown. The timer lets you record hands-free and set the beginning and ending of the recording. YouTube is working on more features that we can expect in the next few months.
Here's the bottom line: it's super easy to get started with YouTube Shorts. Just look at another one of our partners, Watch Me. They've hopped on the Shorts train recently and amassed a remarkable 1 billion views on their channel in just 4 months. With their success as inspiration, there's no better time than now for you to give YouTube Shorts a try:
- Simply grab your phone and record a short video where you express yourself, promote your upcoming video, or let your creative juices flow.
- Or save some time by making Shorts out of your existing videos (it’s also a great way to boost their views).
How to Use YouTube Shorts
To really make the most of YouTube Shorts, you gotta explore all the cool stuff it offers. Check out these recommendations to unleash the full potential of your Shorts:
- Diverse Content Experiments: Experiment with various content types to find what resonates best with your audience.
- Consistent Posting: Maintain a consistent posting schedule to engage your audience and increase viral potential.
- Optimize for Discovery: Use descriptive titles, tags, and descriptions for enhanced searchability.
- Cross-Promote: Share your Shorts on other social media platforms to drive views and engagement.
- Collaborative Remixes: Explore the Collab feature to create side-by-side Shorts with other content creators.
- Embrace Effects and Stickers: Utilize the diverse range of effects and stickers to infuse creativity into your Shorts.
- Interactive Comments: Respond to comments with Shorts to enhance engagement and acknowledge your audience.
- Inspiration from Others: Utilize the "Remix" feature to create Shorts with the audio and effect from content that inspires you.
- Streamlined Creation: Leverage the "Use Sound" feature when remixing Shorts to streamline your creative process.
- Personal Shoutouts: Acknowledge and engage with those who inspire you by mentioning them in your Shorts.
How to Add Videos to YouTube Shorts
And here we stand, the perfect moment to kickstart your YouTube Shorts journey has arrived!
- Log in to your “YouTube Studio” account, then select the “Create” option.
- Upload a pre-existing video or capture a fresh Short, keeping it under 60 seconds.
- Edit with finesse – trim, introduce text, weave in music, and more.
- Provide a captivating title, concise description, and opt for “Public” visibility.
- Sprinkle relevant tags and hashtags, and finalize by hitting the “Publish” button.
- Keep tabs on its performance via YouTube Analytics.
If you've got questions about Shorts and the fresh monetization approach, don't hesitate to set up a meeting with us. As a certified YouTube partner, we're here to lend a hand!
