Explore whether YouTube Shorts can impact your channel negatively, delving into analytics, engagement, and viewer retention.
When it comes to YouTube Shorts, a relatively new feature that allows creators to share short, engaging videos, there’s been a lot of buzz. But does using this feature hurt your channel’s performance? Indeed, many creators wonder if these bite-sized pieces of content can negatively impact their analytics, engagement, and viewer retention. At first glance, it might seem like a fantastic way to attract more viewership, but is there a hidden cost? Let’s take a deep dive into this matter and examine if YouTube Shorts can truly have a detrimental effect on your channel.
How to create a YouTube Short Video?
Creating YouTube Short videos is a straightforward process that can be accomplished in several simple steps:
Open YouTube App:
On your mobile device, open the YouTube application. Ensure you have the latest version of the app for access to the Shorts feature.
Tap Create:
Look for the ‘+’ symbol, typically at the bottom center of your screen, and tap it to start creating.
Select ‘Short Video’:
From the menu that appears, choose ‘Short Video’. If you can’t see this option, it means the feature is yet to be available in your region.
Record Your Short:
Now, you’re ready to record your short video. Tap and hold the capture button to film a clip, or you can tap it once to start recording and again to stop. You can stitch together multiple clips to make your complete short video.
Use Music and Effects:
You can add music tracks from YouTube’s vast library. There’s also an option to speed up or slow down your video for creative effects.
Add a Title:
Remember to add a catchy and relevant title to your short video. The title should be within 100 characters.
Upload:
After you’re satisfied with your video, tap ‘Upload’. This will make your short video live on YouTube and visible to viewers around the world.
What are the requirements of YouTube Shorts?
Creating YouTube Shorts entails adhering to a specific set of guidelines and requirements to ensure your content aligns with the platform’s standards. Here are the main criteria for YouTube Shorts:
Duration:
YouTube Shorts should be a maximum of 60 seconds long, with 15 seconds being the default length when you use the Shorts camera within the YouTube app.
Aspect Ratio:
Shorts are designed for mobile viewing, so they need to be vertical videos with an aspect ratio of 9:16. However, shorts can also be viewed in a 1:1 (square) format.
Content:
The content of your Shorts should comply with YouTube’s Community Guidelines. Any inappropriate or offensive material can lead to content removal or channel penalties.
Sound:
You can use original audio or avail of the vast library of pre-approved soundtracks available within the Shorts camera feature.
Hashtags:
Include ‘#Shorts’ in your video title or description. This tells YouTube’s algorithm that your video is Short, helping it distribute your content appropriately.
Engaging Content:
Though not a strict requirement, creating engaging, high-quality content is vital to stand out amongst numerous Shorts and drive viewer engagement.
No Ads:
Currently, YouTube doesn’t allow the placement of ads within Shorts. However, ads may appear when Shorts are viewed outside the dedicated shelf or feed.
Visibility:
Your Shorts should be public. Unlisted or private videos will not appear in the Shorts shelf or feed.
There are a few prerequisites and guidelines to keep in mind when creating YouTube Shorts.
First, you need to have at least 1,000 subscribers on your channel. As for the length, the videos can be up to 60 seconds, which can either be a single continuous video or a combination of several 15-second clips.
The format requires a vertical orientation, with a resolution of 1920×1080 pixels and an aspect ratio of 9:16.
For the audio aspect, you’re free to utilize audio tracks from YouTube’s library or other videos, but not exceeding the 60-second limit.
Excitingly, you’ve achieved a milestone of 10 million views on your Shorts within 90 days and have over 1,000 subscribers. In that case, you’re eligible to apply for YouTube’s upcoming revenue-sharing program.
Can YouTube Shorts have a negative impact on your channel?
Contrary to some concerns, YouTube Shorts does not hurt your channel. In fact, it can provide several benefits:
Content Variety:
It allows you to explore different content styles and topics, keeping your channel fresh and dynamic.
Visibility Boost:
YouTube promotes Shorts in a dedicated section on their platform, increasing your content’s visibility. Due to the short, digestible format, viewers are likely to watch the video in its entirety, potentially improving your audience retention rates.
Potential for Revenue:
Even though Shorts are not directly monetizable now, they can lead viewers to your regular, monetizable content. Plus, YouTube is exploring future monetization options for Shorts.
Less Time-Consuming:
Creating a Short is quicker than producing a full-length video, allowing you to post content more frequently without compromising the quality of your longer videos.
Increased Exposure:
With the dedicated Shorts shelf on the YouTube mobile app and the Shorts tab on the desktop version, these short videos have their own space to reach a vast audience. Users are more likely to stumble upon your Shorts while scrolling, offering an excellent opportunity for exposure.
New Audience Discovery:
Shorts can help you reach a younger, more mobile-focused demographic, aligning with current consumption trends of short, quick content. With Shorts, you can reach new audiences and attract a younger demographic to your channel. With the Shorts ecosystem expanding, viewers will likely be looking for new content to engage with. By regularly creating Shorts, you can attract new subscribers and viewers to your channel.
Creative Freedom:
With Shorts, you can experiment with styles and topics outside your usual content. It’s a great way to diversify your content without disrupting your channel’s regular content.
Drive Traffic to Channel: With the ability to add links in the video description, Shorts can serve as a way to drive traffic and subscribers to your channel.