With short-form videos rising in popularity in platforms like TikTok, YouTube has followed suit with a new feature called YouTube Shorts. As the name implies, YouTube Shorts allows you to start making videos in vertical short-form lasting up to one minute from a mobile app. YouTube Shorts are still in the beta stage and only available in the US and India.
If you gain a head start in this platform, there is not much competition yet. YouTube Shorts are a terrific way to scale your reach and offer your audience an entirely new experience in viewing content, especially the younger generation.
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YouTube Shorts Give You a One-of-a-Kind Ground-Floor Opportunity
Whenever a latest social media platform or service is launched, it undergoes a “break-in” period. Early adopters can take advantage of this interim to build out their content on the platform or service.
YouTube is considering a substantial investment in its Shorts service. This should be an incentive for marketers. YouTube’s giant search engine parent company, Google, hopes to follow in the heels of the successful TikTok format and perhaps surpass its competitors in both reach and revenue.
Digital marketers who tinker with YouTube Shorts could reap the rewards of Google’s market share. Marketers of every size can expect to find new eyeballs as this new service is further refined and developed. For now, YouTube Shorts opens the door to everyone. So early adopters find that their video content is warmly welcomed by audiences and indexed by search engines.
Google Search Engine Provides Enhanced Visibility and Accessibility
Other search engines exist besides Google. For this reason, digital marketers must keep an eye on everything while optimising their content for YouTube Shorts.
If you have been optimising video content in the past with relevant keywords, accurate descriptions, and visual impact, shifting to YouTube Shorts shouldn’t be a significant challenge. Assuming that your company is steadily increasing its domain authority, YouTube Shorts will likely pop up for niche-specific searches.
Optimised Video Content Can Create Traffic for Your Products and Services
It is impossible to determine YouTube Shorts’ success and availability for the long term with certainty. There have been many Google products that were discontinued in the past.
Bear in mind that users are unlikely to change their long-established video viewing habits. People typically hold their smartphones in vertical orientation instead of landscape. People prefer searching and viewing online videos with their smartphones. These patterns are unlikely to change no matter what Google does in the future.
If you have optimised your video content according to Google’s preferences, you can expect more traffic when you post your YouTube Shorts. But the goal is to build and maintain a substantial video collection over time. But in the short term, you can reasonably surge your traffic. You can effortlessly switch content elsewhere should something happen with this new service.
YouTube Shorts Allows You to Build a Digital Marketing Strategy and Repurpose It in the Future
Too much production time is spent creating and optimising video content only to witness those projects failing to propel your digital marketing goals. Short video platforms that fade content are not a smart choice.
It is ineffective in building your brand’s reputation for the long term. Awesome content becomes even more awesome when viewers are mesmerised by one short video and want to discover where it came from.
In contrast to YouTube Stories, YouTube Shorts do not disappear after a few days. Digital marketers can utilise short videos to drive the overall narrative of their business, establishing its quality and reliability. YouTube Shorts also have the ability required to reinvigorate previously produced high-quality videos. Videos published several months ago continue to have enduring value.
Most Audiences Are Now Shifting to Smartphones to View Videos
The era of producing widescreen digital video content optimised for audiences relaxing at home on computers is long gone. Although there will always be a place for long-form widescreen videos, there is no question that a majority people use their smartphones as the primary means for accessing video content.
Switching your prospects from your short-form videos to your website will demand helpful, engaging, and straight-to-point information. Start stoking your customers’ interest with short, high-impact videos that are sufficiently branded but not heavy-handed.
Audiences are quick to turn away from content that is too promotional. Today’s audiences make decisions fast.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between YouTube Shorts and YouTube Stories?
YouTube Shorts are not the same as YouTube stories. While both forms can be accessed from a mobile app, have the same aspect ratio of 16:9 and take up the entire mobile screen in portrait view, their similarities end there.
The primary difference between these two is that the shelf life of it is the same as a regular YouTube video. It stays on your channel for as long as you keep them there. On the other hand, YouTube Stories are up to 15 seconds in length, are more short-lived, and fade after seven days unless you save them.
How do I get started with YouTube Shorts?
- To record a YouTube short video, enter the YouTube mobile application and under the “Create” category, select create a short.
- Start recording your video by selecting the record button. The maximum time limit of a video you can record is 60 seconds. But for videos with music from the YouTube library, the time limit is only up to 15 seconds.
- Once you are finished, create a descriptive 100-character title and upload the video.
Can you earn revenue from YouTube Shorts?
Currently, YouTube doesn’t offer any ad revenue to creators of YouTube Shorts. But they do give rewards via its fund to creators that get the most audience engagement in a month.
This opportunity is open to all its creators regardless of whether you are part of the YouTube partner program or not. But you must come up with original content and follow community guidelines.
