How to Get More Views on YouTube Shorts

Youtube Shorts are attracting creators and viewers in droves. Currently when you search #youtubshorts, results bring in 84 million videos on 6.6 million YouTube channels with the #youtubeshorts hashtag. However, the actual figure is likely much larger. YouTube states there are, “Billions create, edit, watch and share short videos with YouTube Shorts.” So what exactly are these videos, why are they so popular and how can you get more views with your own videos?

Shorts are videos that don’t exceed 60 seconds. Some commercials are longer than this! So the key is to be intentional and pack all the video value into a minute or less. Shorts are intended to be fun videos, hysterically funny even. Think about trending social media challenges, bloopers, talking dogs -that is Shorts content.  

Creating and editing shorts is intended to be an enjoyable, low-pressure social media content experience. Below are eight tips to help you get more views on your Shorts. Before we dive in, it’s worth mentioning that creativity rules content. Don’t overthink it, but do put a little thought in each video so you are sure it connects the content to your personal brand. Once you have an idea for what you will record, follow these tips to help you gain more views.

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1. The first tip to gaining Youtube Shorts views and channel subscriptions is to post both Shorts and regular video content. Don’t limit yourself to Shorts. Your Shorts will draw people in to see other content on your channel and vice versa. Give people variety.

2. When filming on your camera, keep the camera vertical, the lens clean and the energy up. Shorts are intended to be fun and “real,” meaning no high tech gear or major editing is required. Shorts are not high production videos. Think of them as something fun you would text to your friends or post on another social media account to entertain.

3. Utilize the free sound library available on YouTube to bring more to the video. Not every short makes sense to have music but when there isn’t a lot of talking needed, find a song in the library that goes well with the video and attach it. It’s free and by using YouTube’s sound library, you know you are in compliance with Copyright. If you use sounds outside of this library, your video may be flagged or even removed, which is certainly not good for views.

4. Hashtag your Shorts with #shorts and #youtubeshorts to increase chances they will appear in feeds and when searched. To further target your desired audience, include relevant hashtags as well.

5. Allow remixing of your Shorts to reach a wider audience. Videos uploaded to YouTube are automatically opted-in so unless you take action to restrict this, you are already all set. Note that to prevent others from remixing your Shorts content, you need to have YouTube Studio Content Manager access. Anyone however, can limit remixing of their regular videos in the Content Settings.

6. Give the video a little more with using some of the editing features such as filters, frames and even text. Knowing that many people view videos silently, if there is something they need to hear in order to get the full context of the video, put it in text on the video.

7. Look at the analytics for your Shorts to see what people like and then do more of that. While at first, it may be  trial and error when posting content, once you have enough out there to analyze, measure the performance. It might be difficult to walk away from a certain type of video you thought would be a hit. But if people aren’t watching and engaging, then unless your YouTube channel is just for your pleasure, it’s time to pivot.

8. Be a consumer as well as a creator. Watch other Shorts and comment on videos where it feels right. This lets people know you are out there and will encourage others to click through to your channel and watch your videos. What is more, when you watch other Shorts, you will spot what is trending and be able to get in the mix early on.

Shorts are quick, fun and easy! They are a great way for new content creators to break into the space because they don’t really ask for much to be good. If you have an idea to entertain people and make them smile, you record it with a steady hand and you give it a little editing love, you are on your way!  And if you aren’t sure where to begin, ask your audience - tell them you are recording some Shorts and want to know what they want to see. Social media is meant to be a collaborative space where content and people come together. You don’t need to operate in a vacuum of assumptions.