A Brief Guide To YouTube Shorts

YouTube Shorts are the YouTube’s version of short-form videos that are very popular on other social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok. These are vertical videos with a 9:16 aspect ratio that take up the entire screen, with a duration of up to 1 minute. For now, there aren’t that many people creating YouTube Shorts, so there’s a higher chance of getting noticed. 

YouTube Shorts vs. YouTube Stories

YouTube Stories and Shorts are both short videos, but they work differently. YouTube stories are shorter (up to 15 seconds) and they disappear after 7 days unless they are saved. Shorts, on the other hand, stay on your channel forever just like regular videos, and offer a whole different experience than stories as the content of Shorts is usually more engaging and eye-catching.

How to Create a YouTube Short

Any user can post a YouTube short from their Android or iOS device. The video needs to be vertical and last for less than one minute. You can upload Shorts just like any other videos. There is no specialized editor for Shorts on YouTube yet, but you can make the video with an external editor and then upload it to the platform. You can also use the YouTube music library to add soundtracks to your Shorts videos. It’s also a good idea to add hashtags to increase the chances of more people seeing your videos.

YouTube Shorts Monetization 

Users can monetize YouTube Shorts just like regular long-form videos on the platform but generally, videos of this format are more frequently used to bring awareness to the main channel than to make the money. Shorts can gain a lot of views and those will be monetized, but the creator won’t earn much because of the length of the video. When you upload any video on YouTube, the platform gives it a video ID, which is used to count views coming from all traffic sources—the YouTube homepage, subscription feed, suggested videos, and the Short shelf.

If the video shows up on the Short shelf, there’s no monetization option that can help you make lots of money on the video. There may be a lot of views, but you will only make money on views that occur in places where YouTube shows ads, and the Shorts shelf is not one of those. 

YouTube Shorts For Businesses

YouTube Shorts offer a number of creative ways for businesses to enhance their content and attract more viewers. You can integrate Shorts completely into your channels or use TikTok content as Shorts.

Creators can post Shorts on their existing channel or create a new channel just for Shorts. It’s best to think about whether Shorts will appeal to your current audience, as some YouTube users don’t like changes. You should also keep in mind that publishing Shorts tends to disrupt the regular viewing patterns of users.

Shorts don’t have to be entertaining to go viral, however, they have to fulfill the promise and contain the information that the viewer came looking for.

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