Creating content might not have become easier, but YouTube has rolled out a new feature “YouTube Shorts” to help creators reach a wider audience. Don’t know what it is? Well, YouTube Shorts is the latest addition to YouTube, which lets creators upload video clips of 60 seconds or less.
One important thing to be taken into consideration – YouTube has not separated Youtube Shorts from the original content on the platform. Hence, the correct use of YouTube Shorts can make your reach skyrocket. Subsequently, a short video with content that does not sit right with your audience, can have a negative impact on your reach. That said, let’s have a look at the various tips you can keep in mind to increase the view count and engagement on your Shorts.
Keep the duration in mind
YouTube allows the Shorts to be at most 60 seconds long. However, Youtube recommends the duration to be 15 seconds or less. Certain things to make note of:
- YouTube allows users to upload Shorts videos of 60 seconds or less.
- The Shorts camera lets the creator shoot a video of 15 seconds at most.
Hence, keeping both of these in mind, the key is videos of 15 seconds or less. This is because your audience might not be hooked onto your content for the entire 60 seconds, and might skip it in between. This results in the YouTube algorithm considering it as “not-so-good” content. Thus, we recommend that you upload or shoot a 15-second long video on YouTube Shorts.
Give it enough time
Based on the video performance, YouTube determines the audience of your Shorts. The first time YouTube rolls it out, it might not sit right with the audience, resulting in a negative impact and your video not being showcased on the Shorts shelf. However, with time, YouTube tests your content with a varied audience, and it might cater to the choices of the current audience. Thus, YouTube will count it as a positive response and might showcase your content on the Shorts shelf.
Put the correct hashtag
The hashtag for YouTube Shorts is #shorts. A lot of people make the mistake of putting the wrong hashtag in their content. The most common variation is the #short. Using the correct hashtag, i.e., #shorts would help the YouTube algorithm recognize that the content is meant to be a YouTube Shorts and not a regular video. Getting your content identified by the YouTube algorithm goes a long way. Hence, we recommend you take care of the hashtag you use when uploading or creating your Shorts video.
Make Shorts related to your regular content
The first people that interact with your videos, be it Shorts or your regular video content, are your subscribers. Your existing audience base follows you because your videos cater to their interests. Hence, making videos keeping their choices in mind would translate into more interaction and a higher chance of getting it featured on the Shorts shelf. You can also repurpose your video content to ensure your content is consistent with your brand message.
Edit your video with care
Since the duration length of Shorts is ‘short’ (pun intended), you must keep the audience engaged and hold their attention throughout the video. Edit your videos using some external software and make sure these wow your viewers.
To conclude, YouTube Shorts is a great way for smaller channels to gain an audience on YouTube with very little or almost no effort. It will only take a few minutes to shoot and edit the videos, and the potential pay-off is massive. We hope this article helps you in your journey. All the best!