Short-form video is the king of content in 2023. After the explosion of TikTok, Instagram introduced Reels (followed by Facebook Reels), Snapchat launched Spotlight, and YouTube launched Shorts. Spotify has also recently announced a homepage redesign to feature a vertical video feed.
It’s pretty obvious – short-form video is here to stay. According to Sprout Social, 66% of consumers find short-form videos to be the most engaging form of social content. New data from Wyzowl found that video is the most ‘shareable content’, with 51% of consumers saying they prefer to share video over posts, blogs and product pages. The same survey revealed 91% of consumers want to see more videos from brands in 2023.
Good news for marketers: HubSpot’s video marketing report found that short-form video has the highest ROI and highest lead generation, compared to long-form videos and live videos. Put simply, people love to watch short videos and share them with their friends!
YouTube launched in 2005 and remains the leading video platform in the world. Unsurprisingly, they joined the rise of short-form vertical videos with YouTube Shorts and have reported surpassing 50 billion daily views. In this article, we’ll cover:
- What are YouTube Shorts?
- What sets YouTube Shorts apart from other channels?
- How can you monetize YouTube Shorts?
- What new advertising features are available on YouTube Shorts?
- What strategies are there for brand success on YouTube Shorts?
What are YouTube Shorts?
YouTube Shorts are short-form, vertical videos that can be captured and edited from the YouTube app on your phone. They’re 60 seconds or less and loop automatically, enabling the Short to be watched several times.
With the Shorts creation tools in the app, you can edit multiple video clips together, add music, add text at specific intervals, control the speed of your videos and much more. You also have the freedom to upload videos made outside the app, as long as they are vertical and 60 seconds or less.
What sets YouTube Shorts apart from other channels?
When setting up YouTube Shorts, you have the choice between creating a new account dedicated to Shorts or posting Shorts to your existing YouTube channel (with your original long-form videos). Pairing the two together gives users the opportunity to engage with your long-form content, as well as your Shorts, and ultimately convert viewers into subscribers of your channel.
The separate Shorts tab also exists for those moments when all you want to do is scroll through short, entertaining videos.
How can you monetise YouTube Shorts?
YouTube is currently the only platform that offers revenue sharing to creators. Once you’ve met the required threshold of 1,000 subscribers and 10 million Shorts views over 90 days, Shorts creators can apply for the YouTube Partner Programme.
Revenue from YouTube ads viewed between Shorts is used to reward creators, the value is based on the number of views the Short achieves. That’s an enticing incentive to focus on building a short-form video audience on YouTube.
What new advertising features are available on YouTube Shorts?
Ads on Shorts were launched in 2022. In May 2023, Google announced that YouTube Shorts ads (60 seconds or less) will now be included in video reach campaigns. When viewers choose to watch Shorts, they’re open to discovering new content and new brands. This makes Shorts the perfect format to reach new audiences.
The second new advertising feature available on YouTube Shorts is YouTube Select. Advertisers will be able to position their ads next to the most popular content on the platform, ensuring their brand is seen by the most relevant audience. Additionally, the new First Position (available through YouTube Select) offers advertisers the first ad position when a user starts scrolling on YouTube Shorts.
What strategies are there for brand success on YouTube Shorts?
Captivate your audience in the first few seconds
The average human attention span is declining. From 12 seconds in the year 2000, the latest research indicates humans loose concentration after 8 seconds. As content increases in volume, our urge for the ‘next thing’ increases, so we swipe or scroll more frequently. Make sure you grab your audience’s attention in the first few seconds of your YouTube Short.
Use the right tone
Establish who your target audience is and create Shorts in a tone that appeals to them. Crafting the right tone is essential as it’s the personality of your brand. How does your brand speak to its audience? Do they resonate with videos that are energetic or calm, formal or playful, funny or sincere?
Add value
What does your audience get from your Shorts? Are they entertaining, educational or inspiring? Get to know your audience and create content that’s going to make them come back for more.
You also need to ensure your Shorts are adding value to your brand. Establish what results you’d like to achieve from your Shorts. Video views? Engagement Channel subscriptions?
Ready To Jump Into YouTube Shorts?
The short-form video certainly isn’t a fading trend. It’s here to stay and YouTube Shorts is a great way to jump in and create engaging videos to connect with your audience and grow your brand.
If you’d like a hand getting started with your YouTube Shorts content strategy, talk to NOUS. Drop us a line at [email protected] or call us on 07 3003 0722.
