Short-form video will probably never overtake long-form video, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t incredibly popular! YouTube rolled out Shorts in 2021 after almost a year of testing to compete with apps like TikTok and Instagram. Short-form video is easily digestible and matches the short attention spans many social media users have these days.
What Are YouTube Shorts?
YouTube was created in 2005 as a video-based social media platform. Initially, the creators wanted a platform where users could share “home videos.” Now certain video creators have grown to have millions of subscribers. For a long time, however, YouTube has stayed the same, outside of adding ads and a creator program for YouTubers to get paid. Horizontal videos were the only option. Not anymore!
With YouTube Shorts, you can edit your vertical video directly on their app and upload it for your subscribers. Viewers can like, dislike, comment, and subscribe to your channel while they watch your video. It is also permanent on the YouTube feed, unlike Instagram Stories.
Tips for YouTube Shorts
Make the most of your time. Right now YouTube Shorts can only be 60 seconds, so you need to make the most of your social media posting. In that short amount of time you need to capture a viewer’s attention at the beginning and remain entertaining for them to keep watching. Edit out pauses if you are speaking and add quick transitions.
Add value. While part of your affordable social media strategy is to post frequently, you should always try to share high-quality content to all of your platforms. Align your content with your social media goals and repurpose old content from other platforms.
Match your brand. All of your social media posts should match your brand. This will help make your business recognizable across all platforms! Brand recognition is a common social media goal so matching your branding should be first priority when creating a Youtube Short.