YouTube recently expanded Shorts, its new video feature that competes with TikTok, in the US. The feature’s beta version has been made available to a lot more creators, and it’s reaching a wider audience on the platform. By creating Shorts now, you can get ahead of the curve.
Here are a few tips for finding success with YouTube Shorts.
1. Start with a strong hook.
Shorts are incredibly quick by design. Therefore, they don’t take as much time to make as a standard YouTube video does. However, you also have less time to grab your viewers’ attention than you do with a typical long-form video. Basically, you only have a few seconds to capture a viewer’s attention and get them to keep watching.
So, you need to begin each video with a strong hook. Present a problem, a question, or an enticing introduction. For example, if you wanted to create a storytime Short about your last trip to New York City, then you might lead with “Let me tell you about the time I got lost in New York!” instead of, “Hi friends! Welcome to my storytime video. I’m going to tell you all about my last visit to New York City. It was wild!”.
2. Watch other creators’ Shorts in order to spot emerging trends.
What’s trending on TikTok, Instagram Reels, or Facebook Video won’t necessarily be the same as what’s trending in the world of YouTube Shorts. So, you can’t simply repost content you’ve already created for those other platforms and expect it perform equally well. Think about it this way — would you post the same things ton Instagram that you’d post on Twitter?
In order to understand the landscape of YouTube Shorts, you need to engage with the content that’s already there. Watch Shorts from creators with audiences of all sizes. Look both within your niche and outside of your content community for popular formats, background tracks, and other emerging trends.
3. Be careful not to waste your viewers’ time.
Whenever you create a Short, you only have sixty seconds to prove to a viewer that your content is worth their time. If watching your video feels like a minute of their life they’ll never get back, then they won’t be very likely to watch one of your Shorts again. On the other hand, however, if they enjoy one of your Shorts, then they’re likely to subscribe to your channel and watch your other content as well.
So, when you’re creating a Short, make every second count. Don’t waste your viewers’ time with excessive rambling, getting off track, or pointless bloopers. Instead, stay on topic and edit out any unnecessary lines of dialogue.
To find success with YouTube Shorts, start with a strong hook, keep up with the trends, and don’t waste your viewers’ time. If you want to attract more viewers, then you should also take the time to add closed captions to your Shorts before uploading them.
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Kristen Harris enjoys listening to a wide range of music, from Taylor Swift to, on occasion, Celtic instrumental. She also spends her time writing, reading, and baking.
