Every month, 2 billion viewers come to YouTube to laugh, learn, and connect, and creators have built entire businesses on YouTube. And now, the platform is helping live streamers just like you and I grow a community with YouTube shorts.
Today, our guest is an expert in all things YouTube, and she's going to explain exactly what YouTube shorts are (and how they can benefit your brand.) Our guest is Shelly from Shelly Saves the Day.
Shelly is a fantastic content creator and live streamer, and her educational videos explain technology in simple terms. She teaches her audience about cool tools and YouTube in general.
If you're looking for a new way to get discovered by new fans who are looking for fresh voices and perspectives, this is the episode for you.
In this episode, we talk about how to tap into the growing vertical video trend: YouTube shorts. Because it is still such a new feature and growing trend, many people aren't using it yet or don't know it exists.
Shelly will also discuss the YouTube shorts mistakes to avoid and tips to gain visibility on your channel.
What are YouTube Shorts?
First, let's talk a little about the background. TikTok is the most popular app in the app store and worldwide. Currently, however, it is banned in India, which is the second-largest marketplace for users.
When that happened, a huge portion of creators were cut off. Around this time, YouTube was in the process of creating a competitive side of the platform to focus on short-form vertical video content.
If you think about it and look at the data, most people hold their phone vertically, in an up-and-down orientation. Most of the time, people will still hold their phones up and down, even on a video site.
This is an interesting concept because it encourages people to scroll and keep reading or watching the next video.
“Vertical videos perform better in advertisements, convert more revenue, and have a lower cost per acquisition and click.”
If you take all of these people displaced from India, those creators needed somewhere to go. And that place is YouTube.
YouTube shorts are short-form (under 60 seconds) vertical videos. Unfortunately, many people are still unaware YouTube has rolled out this feature because they haven't announced it with any clarity or explanation. YouTube shorts were in beta mode for a very long time, and only certain people could create one.
To record a YouTube short, a person would click the plus sign as if they were going to upload a video. Instead, some people have an extra line that says "Create a Short" with a Beta flag next to it.
The in-app experience allows you to upload a 15-second video, or you can create something using an in-camera recording, similar to creating an Instagram story. However, you can only add a title and set the visibility. To add a thumbnail, tags, and description, you need to switch over to Studio mode. You can also upload a pre-recorded video straight into the Studio.
Shelly notes there are a couple of things you can't do when using your desktop computer instead of starting on your phone. First, you can only access a certain amount of music, typically copyrighted or popular music.
Additionally, YouTube has included uploading up to 60 seconds, but the feature is hidden. Users must click on 15 seconds to see a drop-down for 60 seconds. However, if you add a song to a 60-second video, it will still only give you a 15-second snippet.
When it comes to monetizing YouTube shorts, there is some discrepancy. Shorts live in a separate tab in the YouTube app. If someone sees your short while scrolling that tab, you do not receive any monetization. However, if someone goes to your homepage channel and watches the videos from there, that counts towards monetization.
People who have been using YouTube shorts may see a graph in their analytics with a huge spike and then a drop-off. Typically, that means the Shorts Shelf picked up a video. The shelf sits below whatever video a user is currently watching. However, any views that came while you were in the Shorts Shelf also do not count toward monetization.
Finally, if you use any of the music from inside of the shorts library, you will be unable to monetize the video, no matter where the views came from.
To avoid getting dinged for copyright infringement, always try to find the song in the YouTube music library. If you upload a clip from an Instagram Reel or TikTok video, you may be subject to copyright up to strike. Instead, if you have music playing in your short, upload the short through the in-app experience and search for the song on YouTube.
YouTube also just recently announced a new feature, similar to the TikTok Creator Fund. They are reaching out to select creators who have lots of views and distributing $100 million to them throughout the following year; even creators who were not previously part of the YouTube partner program.
Best Aspect Ratio for YouTube Shorts
Many of us live streamers record our videos in landscape mode. So, how can we repurpose our videos for YouTube shorts?
Shelly explains there are a couple of different ways to convert a landscape video to horizontal. Apps such as InShot, Splice, or Ecamm Live make it easy to change video orientation. In this video, we are using a side-by-side template. For this example, you can split the video down the middle using a video editor and place each side on top and bottom.
Another option is to create a 9x16 graphic with the name of your show, channel name, contact information, etc., and add the video right in the middle of the graphic. If you already have overlays and graphics that you don't want to lose, you can easily change the size to 9x16 in an app like Descript.
Adding Overlays and Graphics to YouTube Shorts
Pay attention to where you are placing your graphics and overlays when you do repurpose. As someone is scrolling through YouTube, shorts will have the very top and very bottom cut off. Although there is a way to expand the video when viewing it, when Shelly makes content, she does not add anything at the very top or bottom.
Also, remember the preview size is 4x5. As long as you stay within the 4x5 and 9x16 dimensions when creating content, your audience will be able to see everything in your video.
YouTube Shorts Content Ideas to Try
A popular format for Instagram Reels, TikToks, and now YouTube shorts are screen recordings. These are ideal if you are showing a how-to clip or tutorial. For example, if you are showing your audience how to create an Instagram story with special effects, the visual element will help your audience because the size of the buttons is in real-time size.
Screenrecordings and How to Make it Work
However, you want to remember to keep eye contact with your audience and not be in the way of the recording. Shelly suggests two different options. One is to do a voice-over as you explain what is shown on the screen. The second idea is to put yourself in a picture-in-picture overlay, but you need to be sure your placement doesn't block the screen.
Creating a Series of How-to Tutorials
How-to tutorials are a great idea for a weekly short series, as well as a live stream. If you create a YouTube short, you could say something like, "We're going to talk about YouTube shorts, and here's one thing you may not have known about it. If you want to learn five more, make sure you check into this live stream."
Shorts should also stand on their own, so try to think of a way to entice people to watch more. For example, if you share a video on the top ten products of your choice, talk about the worst product and one in the middle, and drive people to another video to see your number one.
“Think of your YouTube shorts as evergreen pieces of content. You never know when someone will come across your video.”
What You Should Know About Playlists and Captions
Some other quick tips that Shelly shared are about playlists and captions.
People will always want to find out more information about your topic, so help your audience by keeping all of your shorts in one place. When you log into YouTube on your desktop, you can organize your videos into specific playlists. Create a playlist for shorts and tag them in the playlist.
Similar to your standard videos on YouTube, the platform also shows auto-generated captions on shorts. However, you can create your own captions using Descript or another app if you'd like them to look nicer. Captions are very subjective. While they may interfere with whatever you have going on in the video, they can also benefit and draw someone in.
Another point to remember is that unlike Instagram stories or Facebook where videos autoplay without sound, your audience on YouTube is there because they are searching for videos.
How to use YouTube Shorts for a Product Launch
In a previous episode of Digital Confetti, we talked with Luria Petrucci about how to use your live stream for a product launch. Shelly explains that using YouTube shorts is also an excellent way to promote your product launch.
The format depends on what your product is. You could create a funny, campy short similar to an infomercial. Or, you can be mysterious and hint that something new is coming and direct people to click on your profile or website to find out what it is.
As long as you create entertaining, educational, and intriguing content, YouTube shorts are a great way to repurpose content for your product launch. You just want to make sure you position the introduction to your product in a way that makes sense, typically solving a problem or creating mystery around the product.
No matter your product, your goal is to give your audience all of the information they need in 60 seconds or less. If you can squeeze it in in 30 seconds, that's even better.
And, don't forget to repurpose the short! Share it on TikTok, Instagram Reels, Facebook stories, and Pinterest. Pinterest uses searchable tags, which is great for promoting your product. Not only do they have stories, but they also have idea pins.
What steps to take to make your YouTube Shorts visible
Shelly shared a few essential tips to make your YouTube shorts visible.
First, try to make your videos around the 58-second mark. While shorts can be up to 60 seconds, you never know when the platform may round up. If it goes even just one millisecond over 60, it is no longer a short. Round down to be on the safe side.
Using Hashtags in YouTube Shorts
To get your video to appear on the Shorts Shelf, use #shorts in your title and description. You can also try using another hashtag in the title, such as #fails or #makeup, whatever topic your short is about. The bots and crawlers within YouTube look for those hashtags and find videos that meet the shorts' criteria.
Remember that appearing on the shelf can take up to 48 hours from when you initially share the video. But, it may stay there for several days. How long it stays on the shelf is up to your audience's behavior. If they're not watching, your short is not interesting.
Your first step always needs to be creating an enticing video. Your videos need to be visually appealing and keep your audiences’ attention for as long as the video is. If you only have 15 seconds worth of good material, make your video 15 seconds. Don't try to stretch the video to the full 60 seconds.
Unlike promoting repurposed content like video clips, Pinterest pins, or blog posts, most people do not often promote their YouTube shorts. When it comes to promoting your YouTube shorts, typically, a short drives traffic to longer videos in a YouTube channel. However, it's very common to reshare a YouTube short on other social platforms such as Instagram or Twitter on different days of the week.
Like TikTok and Instagram Reels, YouTube is currently testing a way to use other creator's shorts in your shorts. There is a hidden checkbox that you must select to allow creators to reuse and sample your content.
Be Cautious of YouTube Shorts Only Channels
When it comes to how much content you should make in shorts format versus long-form video, it depends on your goals. Some people have chosen to create shorts-only channels, but what happens when they want to convert those people into longer-form content? Will they rebel because they are used to 30-second videos? And, what about monetization from those videos?
Figure out what the purpose of your channel is. If it's to drive your audience to a business, then monetization may not be as important as creating engaging short-form content that you can repurpose and use elsewhere. If your purpose is to grow your subscriber base, you may want to have a combination of both short- and long-form content.
You may even decide to create different channels for the different types of content you create. If you love makeup and love motorcycles, it probably makes sense to create two separate channels for each topic. YouTube's algorithms can tell if your audience doesn't stay on a video, and you want to keep people on your videos for as long as possible.
How to learn more about content creation from Shelly
YouTube shorts are a fantastic way for live streamers to leverage new content to build and grow their audience.
If you're ready to repurpose your live streams, monetize your videos, and learn even more about YouTube shorts, head to Shelly's YouTube channel and watch her Shorts on Shorts playlist. Each episode has been repurposed from a live stream into a YouTube short covering a different topic about shorts.
In addition to her Saves the Day YouTube channel, Shelly also shares content on Vertical Video Vixen. This channel is dedicated to teaching you how to create vertical videos and why you should care about vertical video. She shares software to use, tips and tricks, and more.
Shelly also runs a Vertical Video Marketing Academy program, similar to a 90-day bootcamp for brands and businesses who want to use video. During the bootcamp, Shelly teaches you how to create captivating videos to grow your audience and increase sales.
If you'd like to join Shelly on Clubhouse, search for @ShellySaves, or her club, Vertical Video Enthusiasts. The club goes live every Thursday at 3:00 pm PT, and she has a room called Ladies of YouTube. She also goes live on her YouTube channel every Thursday at 5:30 pm PT.
Finally, Shelly has a course, iMovie Made Easy, to teach you how to use iMovie to create videos for your brand. The course has over seven hours of content and is perfect for even those content creators with zero experience editing videos.
YouTube shorts are a fun and exciting way to experiment with your content and try new things. If you have an idea in your head, go ahead and try it! There is always room to grow and improve, but you will never get anywhere if you don't take a step outside of your comfort zone.
Thank you to Restream for sponsoring Digital Confetti!
If you haven’t heard, Restream allows you to broadcast live video to 30+ social networks at the same time.
