What Are YouTube Shorts? A Guide to Short-Form Video Potential

You've seen them everywhere: quick, vertical videos taking over your YouTube feed. These are YouTube Shorts, the platform's answer to TikTok and Instagram Reels. But what exactly are they, and should you be making them? This guide will break down the format and its incredible potential for channel growth.

The Anatomy of a YouTube Short

At its core, a YouTube Short is defined by a few simple characteristics:

• Format: They must be in a vertical or square aspect ratio.
• Length: They must be 60 seconds or less.
• Discovery: They are primarily discovered on the "Shorts Shelf" and in the Shorts feed. Including #shorts in the title or description helps YouTube identify it. The process is part of our guide on how to upload a video.

Why Shorts are a Game-Changer for New Channels

For creators, especially new ones, Shorts are a powerful tool for several reasons:

• Unmatched Reach: The Shorts algorithm is designed for discovery. A single Short has the potential to be seen by millions of non-subscribers.
• Rapid Subscriber Growth: While watch hours from Shorts don't count towards YPP, the subscribers you gain *do*. This can be the fastest way to reach your goal of 1000 subscribers.
• Low Barrier to Entry: Shorts are faster and easier to create than long-form videos. You can film and edit a Short entirely on your phone.

How to Use Shorts Strategically

Don't just post random Shorts. Integrate them into your overall content strategy, which you can learn about in our Content is King guide.

• Use them as "trailers": Create a compelling Short that acts as a teaser for a new long-form video you just published.
• Repurpose key moments: Take the most exciting or valuable 60-second clip from your longer videos and turn it into a Short.
• Test new content ideas: Have a video idea you're unsure about? Make a quick Short on the topic. If it gets a lot of engagement, that's a great sign that you should create a full-length video about it.