Short-form content is everywhere now—on Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram Reels, and even Facebook. So, it's not surprising that YouTube, the video giant, has adopted a short format.

YouTube Shorts are videos that are 60 seconds or less. Unlike long-form YouTube videos that are best produced with a camera and editing software, Shorts can be filmed, edited, and hosted on the YouTube platform entirely through your smartphone.

For content creators, this might seem overwhelming. Do you really need to contend with another content type to grow your audience? We think so, and here’s why.

What are YouTube Shorts?

YouTube Shorts lets you share short, vertical videos on the YouTube platform. They're designed to be easy to watch, fitting the trend of quick, mobile-friendly content popularized by social media platforms like TikTok.

Shorts appear on the user’s homepage and mobile app, in notifications for channel subscribers, in Google search results, and on smart TVs and game consoles.

The YouTube algorithm tracks your interactions, such as likes, shares, and comments on the content you watch, and recommends similar Shorts to you. 

Shorts are useful for creators in any niche. For example, if you’re a musician in need of YouTube video ideas, you don’t need to create new content from scratch. You can take snippets of your latest songs or behind-the-scenes glimpses into your creative process, and make Shorts out of them. 

YouTube video editors like Descript can help you cut, trim, and resize your content so it’s ready for vertical viewing. Say you have long-form content you want to repurpose into a Short, for example. Descript can automatically find the best video clips and resize them to the 9:16 aspect ratio. Then, you can upload the video to YouTube and publish immediately. 

Why you should make YouTube Shorts

Engage younger audiences

YouTube Shorts were launched to compete with TikTok videos and attract a younger audience. Reports show that TikTok has more Gen Z users than Instagram, and one in four users are under 20 years old. To capture this demographic, you can create Shorts that resonate with the quick-scrolling habits of younger viewers.

Capture short attention spans

The average American adult’s attention span is about 8.25 seconds. Shorts, which max out at 60 seconds, have become a popular source of entertainment for YouTube users. You can easily drive viewers from your Shorts content to your YouTube channel where they can watch longer videos. 

Maximize discoverability

YouTube Shorts are being heavily promoted on the platform. That means there's a good chance your Shorts will get views. 

If you already make short-form content, creating a Short should be an easy way to boost your YouTube views. But if long-form is more your speed, Shorts can be used as bite-sized teasers to direct new viewers to your more in-depth videos. 

Adapt to platform changes

YouTube Shorts has over 1.5 billion logged-in users each month. It’s quickly becoming a powerful way for YouTube to keep users on the platform. 

YouTube is also suspected of pushing Shorts to a wider audience than long-form videos. Reddit users have chimed in, with one user stating they get thousands of views from Shorts, but only 45 views from a regular video on a good day.

This trend suggests that YouTube is committing to the growing demand for short-form content. 

How long are YouTube Shorts?

YouTube Shorts can be up to 60 seconds long. They are designed to be quick and easy to watch, similar to other social media video formats like Instagram Reels and TikTok.

Making YouTube Shorts: 6 key best practices

1. Grab their attention immediately

The instinct to scroll away is strong, so grab audiences in the first five seconds if possible. The best way to do that is to tell viewers what the Short is about. 

Use a headline or title in your video, or even just a quick on-screen or voiceover introduction. Unless you’re revealing a shot of you about to base-jump off a skyscraper, chances are your video may not keep folks from scrolling without an intro.

Notice how the creator @tylerbender uses the headline “POV: byu interviews” in the following Shorts. It’s concise, but viewers can understand what the video will be about before even clicking through. (Hint: it’s about what interviewing at Brigham Young University is like)

2. Keep things concise

While TikTok and Instagram Reels allow videos of around 3 minutes, YouTube Shorts caps theirs at 60 seconds flat, which gives you less runway for rambling and forces you to stick to the point. If you can keep your video shorter, even better. The app automatically records in 15-second blocks, so keeping track as you film is easy. 

3. Have a goal for your content

Are you hoping to boost subscribers on your YouTube channel? Lead viewers to a more in-depth video on the same topic? Encourage people to visit your website or buy your product? Keep your goal in mind so that your Shorts are consistent and lend some cohesion to your video content.

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4. Create something that keeps them coming back

Maybe your channel is known for being funny, or you give killer style advice. Think about what kind of content would resonate with your target audience and what would make them want to come back for more. If you can create something that viewers enjoy watching, they'll be more likely to stick around for future videos. 

For example, producer @JarredJermaine’s YouTube channel is full of Shorts that educate and entertain viewers about all things music. The videos are simple. It’s just Jarred sitting in front of his computer with video and text overlays of different songs. He never speaks and mostly sits still.

However, Jarred posts new Shorts every single day, each one showcasing the origins and similarities between popular songs, viral moments in pop culture, and various bits of music trivia. This keeps followers coming back for more no matter what day of the week it is.

If you’re unsure how to keep up with the quick nature of YouTube Shorts, try using YouTube search trends to keep the content ideas flowing and give viewers what they want.

5. Make it loopable

YouTube shorts loop automatically, so creating a video with a clean loop can keep people watching for over 60 seconds. Plus, looping your content shows extra attention and care that elevates an unpolished video to a professional one. We recommend using an outside editor, like Descript, to line your frames up exactly for a clean loop. 

6. Aim for exclusive content (not recycled versions of long videos)

In vertical videos, authenticity sells. Instead of chopping up existing content (with picture quality that may end up looking like an ad), film original content on your smartphone instead, and don’t worry about it not looking like your high-def long-form masterpieces. 

How to make YouTube shorts: 4 easy steps

Ready to create a Short? Follow the quick step by step guide below.

Step 1: Download the YouTube app

To make a YouTube Shorts video, be sure to download the YouTube app on your phone, which is available on both Android and iOS. On the YouTube homepage in the app, tap create (the “+”) button at the bottom of your screen to take you to the creator portal.

Step 2: Record your Short

Once in the portal, you’re given a ton of options, like effects, music, speed, green screen, and filters. The built-in video recorder breaks your video into 15-second chunks, but you can change the video length option by just holding the record button. 

And if you want to erase the last section you recorded, but not the whole thing, you can always hit the “undo” button to remove the last 15-second section. 

Step 3: Refine your video

Once you’re happy with your recording, tap next (a small check mark at the bottom right) which will take you to the editor page. Here you can adjust your recording length, add text, voiceover, or tweak the volume of your sound or music. 

Step 4: Adjust your settings

Once you’re satisfied, hit next again. That will take you to the final page where you can add captions, choose your thumbnail, and select your audience before you tap upload. Be sure to use the hashtag #Shorts when you upload to make sure YouTube prioritizes your video in the Shorts category. 

And remember, if you’re feeling overwhelmed by editing on your smartphone, you can always edit in the Descript app on desktop — it’s an easy way to create polished short-form content, and it can automatically export in the correct format for YouTube Shorts.

How to monetize YouTube Shorts

YouTube Partner Program (YPP)

The YouTube Partner Program allows creators to earn money from their content on YouTube, including Shorts. YouTube reports paying over $50 billion to its creators through YPP. 

The YouTube Premium Program offers a variety of revenue streams, including ad revenue, Super Chat, and revenue sharing from YouTube Premium.

Creators must meet specific eligibility criteria to monetize Shorts, which include:

• Located in the US, UK, Taiwan, Canada, or South Korea
• 500+ subscribers and 3 public video uploads in the last 90 days, plus
• 3,000+ valid watch hours in the last 12 months OR 3 million public Shorts views in the last 90 days

Brand partnerships and sponsorships

If you don’t want to depend entirely on YouTube, find brand partnerships or sponsors for yourself. Brands are investing more in creators than ever before. 

Globally, they are expected to spend more than $32 billion on influencer marketing in 2024. Plus, a whopping 92% of brands plan to increase their spending on creators in the same year. 

A video creator like yourself can partner with brands to create sponsored content. You can find them on platforms like Klear or GRIN. Once you find a brand that aligns with your style and values, you can feature their products or services in Shorts, and get paid!

See how @JarredJermaine partnered with Bose to promote the company’s BOSE QC Ultra Headphones. It’s an easy match because many of Jarred’s followers are music enthusiasts, which is an ideal market for Bose to promote in.

You can make more money per video from partnerships than from ads. It's also a great way to build relationships with brands for repeat business. 

Channel memberships

Channel memberships allow viewers to pay a monthly subscription fee to access exclusive YouTube content, perks, and badges. As with most YouTube-controlled monetization methods, there are eligibility requirements you must meet to sell channel memberships:

• You must live in one of the available locations.
• Your channel is not set as made for kids.  
• Your channel doesn’t have a lot of ineligible videos, like videos with music claims.
• You have accepted and are complying with YouTube’s terms and policies. 

Affiliate marketing

Affiliate marketing involves promoting products or services and earning a commission for every sale made through a unique affiliate link the seller provides. It allows you to earn money by recommending products you love. Affiliate marketing is performance-based, meaning the more effective the promotion, the higher the potential earnings.

For example, a tech reviewer might create Shorts reviewing or showcasing tech gadgets and include affiliate links in the video description, earning a commission for each sale made through those links.

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6 great ways to use YouTube Shorts

​​The beauty of this short-form video platform is that your concepts don’t need to be too deep or complicated. Here are some ideas to get you started with YouTube shorts.

Quick tutorials and how-tos

Despite Shorts being a maximum of 60 seconds, they still make for great tutorial videos. You can use the time to teach a skill or demonstrate a process in a minute or less. Some popular types of content in this area are:

• Daily life hacks
• Tech tips
• Beauty and fashion advice 
• DIY projects

For example, want to make an origami bird? You’ll find the perfect Short on the @easyorigamiworld channel, where you can learn step by step in under a minute.

Behind-the-scenes sneak peeks

Something as simple as a behind-the-scenes look at your video setup or a day in your life can go a long way, especially if you have an existing channel with polished content. You can use Shorts to tease upcoming uploads, or give a heads up when people can expect the next video. 

This is popular amongst film enthusiasts like @FameFocus, who reveals green screen effects used in fan-favorite films like Pirates of the Caribbean.

Reacting to trends and challenges

We're no strangers to the viral dance movements sparked by TikTok. With Shorts, you can share your responses and participate in these trends and challenges on YouTube. Trend-based content has a better chance of being shared and keeps your creator brand relevant and relatable.  

See how creator @JUSTKASS got over 18 million views on her viral dancing video. 

Teasers and previews

Got a big event launch coming up? Or dropping a new episode for your podcast? Give viewers a sneak peek of what they can expect. Teasers and previews are a smart way to spark curiosity for your event and build anticipation.

Taboo Science's host, Ashley Hamer, offers fans a sneak peek at episodes through YouTube Shorts. From her Science of Asexuality episode, Ashley promotes a clip of one thing everyone can learn from asexual people. If browsers come across the Short and like the content, they can further explore the Taboo Science channel page and podcast.

AMAs

Another easy approach is to engage in trends and memes, like an AMA (Ask Me Anything) tag. You can even ask questions of your audience and have them respond via their own Shorts. Calls to action, advocacy of a certain cause, and promotion of material or products is a no-brainer here, too. 

You could also repurpose longer AMAs into short clips, like ELLE did in a recent interview with Ice Spice. 

Reposting short form content

Last but not least, a simple way to maximize your Shorts potential is to repost short-form content you may already be making for TikTok or Reels and move it onto this platform. Videos that may have gotten modest views on TikTok can be seen blowing up on Shorts, and it makes sense to broadcast your vertical videos on as many relevant platforms as possible.

Create YouTube Shorts in minutes with Descript

Getting the most out of your YouTube Shorts requires editing with the right tools. Here's what you need to do: Get Descript. 

A key advantage of Descript over other video editing tools is the doc-like editing workflow. In other words, if you have experience editing a doc, you can easily edit a video in Descript. 

You can also easily create YouTube Shorts with Descript using the following features: 

• Use the YouTube cutter to trim long videos into captivating Shorts.
• Add sound to your Shorts with royalty-free background music
• Use AI to write your YouTube video description
• Add subtitles to your Shorts to improve accessibility
• Fix audio mistakes with AI Voices 
• Filler word removal to remove awkward pauses and stutters

Some of the world’s top creators rely on Descript to make viral YouTube Shorts. Join them today and take a free trial of Descript, where all premium features come as standard.

YouTube Shorts FAQ

How much do YouTube Shorts pay for 1,000 views?

YouTube Shorts pay creators based on a number of factors, and there isn't a fixed rate per 1,000 views. Earnings depend on the YouTube Partnership Program, viewer engagement, and location. 

How do I enable YouTube Shorts?

The process to upload YouTube Shorts is pretty simple:

1. Open the YouTube app.
2. Create a Short or upload an existing video of 60 seconds or less.
3. Edit your Short.
4. Add details and publish to YouTube.

Do YouTube Shorts make money?

Yes, YouTube Shorts can make money for creators through the YouTube Partnership Program They can also monetize Shorts through brand sponsorships, channel memberships, and affiliate partnerships.

How do YouTube Shorts appear?

YouTube Shorts appear in the Shorts section of the YouTube app, on the homepage, and can also be found on a creator's channel under the 'Shorts' tab.