What is YouTube Shorts and How to Use It for Your Business

Posted: October 31, 2022 | Last updated: January 18, 2024

Have you been searching for your business on YouTube but can’t seem to find it? You’re not alone. However, it’s easier than you think to create short and eye-catching YouTube videos that can boost your company’s brand recognition and lead generation efforts. This guide will help you learn about what is YouTube Shorts and how to best use them for your business. To get started, read on!

YouTube Shorts is a new feature on the platform that allows users to create short, vertical videos. While it may be tempting to create a YouTube Short just for the sake of having one, there are certain ways you can use them to benefit your business. 

In this article, we’ll show you what is YouTube Shorts and how you can use them to promote your business.

Introducing YouTube Shorts

YouTube Shorts is a video-sharing app that allows users to create and share short videos with others. The app is available on both iOS and Android devices and is designed to compete with other popular video-sharing apps like TikTok.

You may ask: what are YouTube Shorts used for? The platform offers a number of features that make it unique from other apps. For one, it allows users to create videos up to 60 seconds in length, which is shorter than the maximum length of most other video-sharing platforms. This makes YouTube Shorts ideal for quick, bite-sized videos that can be easily consumed by others.

Additionally, YouTube Shorts offers a number of editing tools that allow users to add filters, music, and other effects to their videos. These make it more versatile compared to other video-sharing apps, which often only offer basic editing features.

What is the Difference Between YouTube and YouTube Shorts?

There are many differences between YouTube and YouTube Shorts. For one, YouTube videos are a much longer than YouTube Shorts. YouTube videos can go for up to an hour long, while Shorts are only supposed to last 60 seconds or less.

This difference in length means there’s also a difference in content. YouTube videos tend to be more informative, while YouTube Shorts are more meant for their entertainment value. Finally, YouTube pays its creators based on advertising revenue, while Shorts doesn’t currently have any ads. This means if you’re looking to make money from your videos, you’re better off sticking with YouTube.

Do YouTube Shorts Provide Money?

As mentioned above, YouTube Shorts doesn’t currently have any advertisements, so it doesn’t provide money as of now. But as announced by Google, ads will begin running in between videos on Shorts in 2023.  

So, how will YouTube Shorts monetization work? When a viewer watches a Short, they may see ads before, during, or after the video. These ads are served by Google and will generate revenue for both Google and the content creator. The revenue is then split between Google and the content creator, with the content creator receiving a percentage of the ad revenue.

Content creators can also generate revenue through YouTube Premium subscriptions. Premium subscribers can watch Shorts without ads, and content creators receive a portion of that subscription fee.

Who is Eligible for YouTube Shorts?

To be eligible for YouTube Shorts, your channel must be in good standing and you must comply with the YouTube Partner Program policies. You also need to meet the eligibility requirements for monetization. Once you’re eligible, you can start creating shorts from the YouTube app on your mobile device.

Other YouTube Shorts requirements include:

• A channel with at least 1,000 subscribers
• At least 4,000 watch hours in the last 12 months
• Located in a country where YouTube Shorts is available

What is the Ideal YouTube Shorts Size?

When it comes to YouTube Shorts size, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. The ideal length of your YouTube Short will depend on a number of factors, including the video’s purpose and your target audience.

That being said, there are a few general guidelines that can help you determine the ideal YouTube Shorts size for your video. In general, shorter videos are more likely to be watched all the way through than longer videos. This is especially true for viewers watching on their mobile devices.

Another thing to keep in mind is that YouTube favors videos that are between 30 seconds and two minutes in length. Anything longer than that may tend to lose viewers’ attention.

How to Utilize YouTube Shorts to Advance Your Business

YouTube Shorts have become increasingly popular over the past year and are a great way to promote your business. Here are a few tips on how to utilize YouTube Shorts to advance your business:

Plan your content

This may seem like a no-brainer, but it’s important to take the time to brainstorm ideas and plan out your videos. Not only will this save you time in the long run, but it’ll also help you create more targeted and effective content.

Target a specific audience

This could be based on demographics like age or location, or it could be based on interests and hobbies. Once you know who your target market is, you can create videos that speak directly to them.

Introduce customers to your team

This can help humanize your brand and give potential customers a sense of who they’ll be doing business with. Here are a few tips on how to do this effectively:

• Highlight each team member’s strengths and what he or she brings to the table.
• Share stories about how your team has helped solve customer problems.
• Use humor judiciously—you want potential customers to see you’re fun to work with, but not so much that they question your professionalism.

Optimize your content

Here are a few tips on how to optimize your YouTube Shorts content: 

• Use keyword-rich titles. Your title is the first thing viewers will see, so make sure it includes relevant keywords for your video.
• Create an engaging thumbnail. A thumbnail is like a movie poster—it should be eye-catching and give viewers a taste of what your video is about.
• Write a compelling description. In your description, tell viewers what they can expect from your video and include any relevant links or call-to-action.
• Use tags. Tags help YouTube understand the topic of your video and match it with relevant searches. Choose a few relevant tags for each video you upload.
• Utilize a social media content creation tool. Get started by reading this Capssion review. 

Create how-to or explainer videos

How-to or explainer videos are perfect for YouTube Shorts. They’re short, to the point, and can be very effective in promoting your business. By creating these types of videos, you can reach a wider audience and promote your business in a new way.

Highlight customer testimonials and reviews

This is a great way to show potential customers that your business is reputable and trustworthy. Customers are more likely to purchase from a business they feel is credible, so featuring customer testimonials and reviews is a great way to build trust with potential customers.

Another benefit of featuring customer reviews is that it helps your business appear more relatable. When potential customers see that other people have had positive experiences with your business, they’re more likely to believe they’ll have a positive experience as well.

Take advantage of YouTube Shorts’ ability to go viral

What makes YouTube Shorts special is that they have the ability to go viral. With over 2 billion active users, YouTube is one of the most popular social media platforms. This means there’s a huge potential audience for your business, which could lead to more customers. 

Use YouTube Shorts to drive traffic to your website

You can use YouTube Shorts to drive traffic to your website by including a link in your video’s description. This is a great way to get more people to visit your site and learn about what you have to offer. 

Increase brand awareness with YouTube Shorts

YouTube Shorts is a great way to show off your products or services in a creative and visually appealing way. If you can capture the attention of viewers with your videos, they’re more likely to remember your brand when they need something you offer, thus increasing your brand awareness. 

Promote your content across multiple social media platforms

By promoting your content on multiple platforms, you’ll be able to reach a wider audience and potential customers. Here are some ways how to do it:

• Share your videos on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites.
• Use hashtags to help people find your content.
• Create a blog post or article about your video and share it on your website and other places online.
• Email your video to friends and family members who might be interested in it.
• Use a social media management tool like the one in this Postfity review.

Common Pitfalls in Making YouTube Shorts

When it comes to the topic of what is YouTube Shorts, discussing pitfalls can’t be avoided.  While there’s no one formula for success when making YouTube shorts, there are some common mistakes that can trip up even the most experienced video creators:

Not planning your content

Failing to properly plan and storyboard your video before starting to shoot can lead to a disorganized and disjointed final product that doesn’t flow well or engage viewers. It can also lead to a number of problems, including not having a clear idea of what you want to achieve with your video and wasting time and money on filming footage you’ll never use.

Relying too heavily on editing tricks

Relying too heavily on special effects or editing tricks can often make your video look less professional and can take away from the overall message you’re trying to convey. Instead of relying on these gimmicks, focus on creating strong content that will engage your viewers. In many cases, less is more when it comes to post-production work.

Not having a clear purpose

Without a clear purpose, your YouTube Short will lack direction and any sort of cohesiveness. As a result, your viewers will likely become bored and click away before the end. So, what should you do instead? 

Before you start filming, take some time to brainstorm what the point of your YouTube Short will be. What are you trying to communicate? Once you have a general idea, start mapping out your short list and storyboard accordingly. In this way, every scene in your YouTube Short will work towards fulfilling its purpose.

Not being consistent

By not posting regularly, or by only posting sporadically, creators lose out on the chance to grow their audience and build a following. Consistency is key when it comes to YouTube Shorts. If you can commit to posting new shorts on a regular basis, you’ll be much more likely to find success with this format.

Not knowing your audience

The best way to create content that will resonate with your viewers is by understanding who they are and what they want to see. So, take the time to research your target demographic and figure out what kind of content will appeal to them. This will help you create videos that are more likely to be successful with your YouTube Short audience.

Get Ahead of the Curve with YouTube Shorts

So now you know what is YouTube Shorts and how they can be beneficial to your business. It’s time to start creating engaging content and get ahead of the curve with YouTube Shorts. With a little creativity, you can use the platform to create informative, entertaining, and even educational content that will keep your viewers coming back for more.

So what are you waiting for? Get started today and produce the best results for your business! 

Read this article to get more ideas on how to do business on YouTube: “How to Create a Business YouTube Channel: A Comprehensive Guide.”