With the introduction of platforms such as TikTok, it is clear that users’ attention spans are getting shorter and the need for quick and engaging content is increasing.
For this reason, several social platforms have embraced this trend, including YouTube.
YouTube Shorts is Google’s answer to TikTok and Instagram Reels, and the format has quickly gained popularity among both users and brands.
Let’s take a closer look at what YouTube Shorts really is.
What is YouTube Shorts?
YouTube Shorts is a format consisting of short videos which in 2024 reached a new maximum length of up to 3 minutes, designed to be recorded and viewed in a mobile friendly format.
The videos can be recorded and compiled directly from YouTube’s app and are subsequently displayed as an integrated part of the platform on the homepage, under a dedicated tab as well as in users’ subscriptions.
The shorts format functions similarly to Instagram Reels and TikTok, allowing users to scroll through an endless number of videos.
Although YouTube Shorts appears as a subsection of the YouTube platform, the format offers its own viewing experience.
According to Google, Shorts reaches 6.5 billion views worldwide every day, and with 4.5 million Danish users on the platform, it already provides massive reach.
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Advantages of YouTube Shorts
One of the biggest advantages of YouTube Shorts is its reach.
Shorts are pushed out to both subscribers and new viewers through the YouTube Shorts feed, making it possible to reach a wider audience.
In addition, it is a good way to promote existing content that has just been released.
Overall, Shorts can help drive traffic to your channel, build brand awareness, and engage the audiences that prefer the short form format.
Furthermore, YouTube now supports monetization of Shorts, provided that a creator is eligible.
According to YouTube, eligibility is achieved by having at least 1,000 subscribers along with either 4,000 valid public watch hours in the past year or 10 million valid public Shorts views in the last 90 days.
With these criteria met, a creator can join YouTube’s partner program and thereby gain the opportunity to earn revenue from the shorts format.
Disadvantages and limitations of the format
Although YouTube Shorts has great potential and can be a strong supplement to your digital strategy, it is important to be aware of the format’s limitations and pitfalls before diving in.
The competition is fierce, with TikTok clearly leading as the largest medium for short form content.
For this reason, many brands and creators reuse their content across YouTube Shorts, TikTok, and Instagram Reels.
Not only does Shorts already compete with TikTok and Instagram for users’ attention, but users often have already seen similar content on other platforms, which can diminish its impact and make it more difficult to stand out.
Moreover, it can have disadvantages for your long form content to be shared in bite size format if it does not actively generate curiosity about your longer videos and support their value.
The idea behind Shorts is, among other things, to expand your reach and reinforce your existing content.
However, if users feel that they are receiving everything solely through Shorts, it could potentially have a negative impact on the amount of viewers of your long form content.
When does YouTube Shorts make sense?
YouTube Shorts is particularly valuable for brands that already use YouTube’s longer format for branding and desire greater visibility on the platform.
With YouTube Shorts, there is ample opportunity to promote new or upcoming videos in a bite size format.
It is especially relevant for the segment of your audience that is active on YouTube and accustomed to fast paced content.
There are also advertising opportunities available on YouTube Shorts, which are discussed below.
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Advertising opportunities on YouTube Shorts
YouTube offers a range of advertising options for its longer content, such as non-skippable ads and first position ads.
For YouTube Shorts, it works similarly to other short form channels, where ads appear as either videos or images between the short videos with a clear call to action.
Users can either interact with these ads or swipe past them.
The ads in the shorts feed are managed through Google Ads in the same way as for YouTube’s long form content.
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