YouTube Shorts can bring your channel to the next level!
Growing a YouTube channel remains one of the most common new year’s resolutions, right after losing weight, at least so it seems. Moving along with 2021 the YouTube game is becoming more and more difficult as established channels take up the front page and new channels seem to drown in the noise. However; at the end of 2020 YouTube announced a new feature that will allow new channels to rise to the top quicker than ever before.
YouTube Shorts
Towards the end of September 2020, YouTube announced its new feature called YouTube Shorts. Not too long ago TikTok was in the crossfire between China and the US, leaving a large audience fearing that their loved application of 60 seconds or less funny videos might leave the market.
YouTube’s new feature is essentially that. Less than 60 seconds, vertically filmed videos, that do not follow any other YouTube algorithm restrictions. As of now, YouTube Shorts are a mobile main feature, meaning the desktop version of this format has not been fully worked out. Here is how YouTube Shorts work.
For the video to be categorized as a short by YouTube, it needs to fulfill two criteria. It needs to be vertically filmed, meaning a format of 9:16 is required, and it needs to be less than 60 seconds long. Basically the same as a TikTok.
Why It Works
A YouTube short does not follow the regular YouTube video pathway. It does not require tags. It does not require a thumbnail or a description either. Similar to TikTok, the YouTube algorithm will suggest videos for the user, as the user is scrolling through the application on their phone.
Because it does not take tags into consideration or any other metric, for example channel size, seniority or popularity, even a short from a channel with 0 subscribers can reach tens of thousands of YouTube users.
This new feature somewhat leveled the playing field. With shorts, small channels can target large topics that have otherwise been occupied by larger and established channels. If you are a new YouTube channel, I highly recommend incorporating shorts into your upload schedule. There are no limits to what topics you can target and grow an audience in. You are then able to redirect those viewers to your main videos and establish a community.
As of now, the most important feature for a short is the title. On the phone the first 40 characters of the title are displayed and the only feature you have control over, so make it count.
The Downside of Shorts
While YouTube shorts are great to grow your channel and branch out into topics you might have feared to target before, there are some downsides to it.
Watch time does not count. If your channel is not monetized yet and you are counting your watched hours, I am sorry to tell you that shorts do not count towards your total watch time. If your channel is monetized, then a short is also monetized, but only when watched on a desktop, not when watched on the phone.
Shorts are a good way to grow a YouTube channel and if you are in the gaming sector, I believe a YouTube channel with shorts should be part of your marketing strategy.
If you have other questions please do not hesitate to reach out to me either through Streaming Live Academy or through my socials. If you are a new streamer, this article might be helpful for you. How To Stream To Twitch.
