Everything You Need To Know About Youtube Shorts

Since its inception in 2005, YouTube has provided a space for creators to share content with countless people across the globe. Now, it wants to make content sharing even easier with its new feature YouTube Shorts.

What is YouTube Shorts?

YouTube Shorts is the platform’s answer to TikTok and Instagram Reels, allowing users to create, share, and watch short videos using their smartphones.

Now, creating short-form videos is easier than it sounds thanks to its features. It has multi-segment camera feature, speed controls, growing catalog of songs, and a timer countdown that allows for hands-free recording.

With these impressive features and its large user base, YouTube is going to give TikTok and Reels a run for their money.

How is YouTube Shorts unique?

YouTube Shorts has a lot in common with TikTok and Instagram Reels. While all three allow users to create short-form video content, it’s not quite the same as its competitors.

Here are a few features that make this new feature stand out:

• YouTube Shorts will be on the homepage of the YouTube app, allowing these 15 second long videos to benefit from its large, established user base.
• It will share subscriptions with YouTube channels, so anyone who subscribes to view a brand’s short videos will see their long-form content as well.
• YouTube will allow users to use audio snippets of videos in addition to their robust music library.

Although the idea is the same as TikTok and Reels, there are a few features that make YouTube Shorts a powerful resource.

Why use YouTube Shorts?

Since YouTube is the second most-visited website in the world (right behind Google),  it has the potential to help marketers and creatives expand their reach and connect to their target audience.

If you’re not sure if the feature is for you and your brand, here are some things to consider:

Growing your audience

Creating and sharing content to YouTube Shorts will expose your brand to a wider audience. 

YouTube Shorts will not have its own app. Instead, it will be featured on the YouTube homepage. 74% of adults in the United States use YouTube, which is greater than the percentage of adults who use Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, and YouTube boasts over 2 billion active, logged-in monthly users. This number does not include the host of people who browse videos on their site without signing in or creating an account.

With this many people viewing YouTube and seeing YouTube Shorts placed prominently on its website, you can’t afford not to use this resource to expand your reach.

Boosting engagement

The app TikTok and Instagram Reels, which have many features in common with YouTube Shorts, have taken off over the past couple of years. 

TikTok has over 600 million monthly active users, it has been downloaded over 2 billion times on the App Store and Google Play, and its users spend an average of 52 minutes using the app each day. Since its launch less than a year ago, Instagram Reels has led to as much as 67% more engagement for brands than Instagram  posts or stories.

Both TikTok and Instagram Reels have been successful in helping brands increase engagement and provide valuable content. There’s no reason to believe YouTube Shorts won’t perform as well, especially considering:

1. YouTube has more active users than Instagram or TikTok
2. It allows for short-form video creation like Instagram Reels and TikTok

Video marketing is more popular than ever, and people are interested in watching videos that are engaging without being time-consuming. Like its competitors, YouTube Shorts offers an engaging platform that will attract your target audience.

Repurposing content

YouTube Shorts will soon allow users to take sound snippets from any YouTube video to use in their videos. 

Movie audio? Check. 

Uploaded podcast audio? Check. 

How-to-video audio? Check.

This makes the new feature the perfect tool for repurposing content.

Do you have a podcast, webinar, or long-form video uploaded to YouTube? Now with a mobile phone and a couple of minutes, you can repurpose this long-form content into 15-second long videos that are easy to share with your target audience.

Repurposing content is valuable for many reasons:

• Allows brands to make the most of their existing content
• Gives followers on different platforms the opportunity to engage with a brand’s most popular content
• Makes it easier for brands to provide relevant, high-quality content on a consistent basis

Ready to take your video content to the next level? Schedule a demo today to learn how Repurpose House can help you utilize YouTube Shorts and repurpose your brand’s content.