How to create Youtube Shorts

The rise of short-form video on social media platforms has not only introduced exciting new avenues for creativity but also opened doors to exponential growth through virality. Among the most recent platforms to jump on this trend is YouTube, which has launched its 'Shorts' feature, providing a unique opportunity for content creators.

If you're looking to ride the wave of Shorts content, this comprehensive guide will equip you with everything you need to know. From setting up your account to analyzing performance, we'll break down the process into actionable steps that ensure your videos stand out and your channel thrives in this fast-paced digital space.

Whether you're a YouTuber or just a casual YouTube watcher, connecting it with IFTTT can optimize your experience and focus on what matters most: creating content and enjoying the videos you love without the hassle of tedious and manual tasks. IFTTT is an automation service that lets you connect over 900 different services including Facebook, Google Assistant, Discord and more. You can do so with YouTube Applets and our newly launched AI YouTube Assistant, which we will also teach you how to effortlessly integrate.

Here’s a few of our most popular AI YouTube Assistant and YouTube Applets:

Table of Contents

• Introduction: Understanding YouTube Shorts
• Why YouTube Shorts?
• Getting started with YouTube Shorts
• Crafting compelling content for Shorts
• Optimizing your Shorts for success
• Promotion strategies for your Shorts
• Analyzing performance and adjusting your approach

Introduction: Understanding YouTube Shorts

In 2020, YouTube announced a new platform feature that seemed to be directly opposing the essence of traditional long-form content that the site is known for. YouTube Shorts, a feature that allows creators to upload videos of up to 60 seconds with music from YouTube’s large library, entered the scene, catering to those who thrive on instant, catchy content.

Although initially launched as a counterpunch to the likes of TikTok and Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts is carving out its own niche. This guide will show you how to leverage this feature to its full potential and join the ranks of creators seeing rapid success with Shorts.

Why YouTube Shorts?

Joining the YouTube Shorts train may not seem immediately appealing to everyone. However, with the potential to reach millions, it’s an opportunity that’s hard to ignore. For creators who regularly publish long-form content, Shorts can be a great way to expand their audience reach and provide bite-sized content that complements their main channel. Here’s a breakdown of the key advantages of utilizing YouTube Shorts:

Increased discoverability: YouTube Shorts can increase a channel's visibility due to their format and the algorithm's favoring of engaging, concise content. This format is easily consumable, making it more likely for users to watch multiple shorts in one sitting, which can increase the chances for creators to get discovered by a new audience.

Enhanced engagement: Due to their short nature, these videos are typically easier for viewers to consume, leading to higher engagement rates. Viewers are more likely to watch a short video in its entirety, which can positively affect a channel's overall metrics and visibility on the platform.

Quick subscriber growth: YouTube Shorts can lead to quicker subscriber growth compared to traditional long-form videos. The format's engaging and easily digestible nature makes it an effective tool for attracting new subscribers in a relatively short amount of time.

Efficiency in content creation: Creating a YouTube Short requires less time both to record and publish, making it an efficient way to produce content.

Getting started with YouTube Shorts

Getting started with YouTube Shorts is a straightforward process, designed to be accessible for both seasoned creators and newcomers to the platform. Here's a step-by-step guide on how you can begin creating your own YouTube Shorts:

Log into your YouTube account: Start by signing into your YouTube account. If you don't have an account yet, you'll need to create one.

Access the Create feature: Once logged in, find the 'Create' button, typically symbolized by a plus (+) icon located at the bottom of the app homepage on your mobile device or on the top right corner on your desktop.

Create a 'Short': From the options presented after tapping the 'Create' button, choose 'Short'. Do note that the ability to create a Short is only available on a mobile device and not on desktop.

Record or upload your video: You have two choices here. You can either record a video directly through the app by pressing and holding the record button or upload a pre-recorded video from your gallery. For desktop users, you can either drag and drop or select a video file.

Edit your short: YouTube provides a variety of editing tools within the app to enhance your Shorts. You can add special effects, text, and music to your video. Take advantage of these features to make your content more engaging and unique.

Publish your short: Once you're satisfied with your video, you can proceed to publish it. Add a catchy title, relevant hashtags, and a description to improve its discoverability. The more engaging and optimized your content is, the higher the chance it has to attract viewers.

Enable monetization (optional): If you’re looking to earn revenue from your Shorts, you'll need to enable monetization on your YouTube account and go through Google's approval process.

Crafting compelling content for Shorts

Creating content that can thrive in the Shorts format takes a bit of practice. The following are some key strategies to keep in mind:

First impressions matter: An important hook is crucial as you need to capture the viewer’s attention immediately.

Pose a question: Make viewers curious by posing a question. It can increase engagement as they would want to stick around to find the answer.

Storytelling in a snap: Even in 60 seconds, there's room for a narrative. Keep it simple but engaging.

Visuals speak volumes: Utilize jumping cuts, vibrant colors, and dynamic camera work.

Text overlay for impact: Use text to convey the message where spoken words fall short. Additionally, adding captions can make it more accessible to a wider audience as some watch videos without sound and it can make your content more understandable.

Optimizing your Shorts for success

Content optimization on YouTube doesn't differ much between regular videos and Shorts, but there are subtleties to be aware of:

Compelling titles and descriptions: Ensure your title is clear, concise, and includes your main keyword. Descriptions provide context, so use them wisely.

Strategic tagging: Add relevant tags to help the algorithm understand your content better.

Hashtags: Engage with trending hashtags when relevant, and consider creating your own.

Promotion strategies for your Shorts

To ensure your Shorts get the engagement they deserve, a robust promotion strategy is essential:

Leverage other platforms: Share your Shorts on platforms with larger user bases like Twitter and Instagram.

Cross-promotion: Feature your Shorts on your long-form videos or community tab on your YouTube channel.

Community engagement: Foster a community by responding to comments and engaging with other creators.

Analyzing performance and adjusting your approach

Understanding how your Shorts are being received is crucial to iterative content creation:

Use YouTube Analytics: This provides insights into views, likes, comments, and shares.

Identify trends: Look for patterns in popular Shorts to replicate success.

Solicit feedback: Ask your audience directly through polls and comments to refine your content.

Integrating YouTube Shorts with IFTTT

With the exponential growth of short-form video content across social platforms, YouTube Shorts combines storytelling and creativity in a unique way. It's more than a trend; it's a type of content that changes how people create online and shaping digital content strategies. Additionally, you can make your YouTube game more powerful by integrating it with our YouTube services on IFTTT. Let’s take a closer look into the two services that were mentioned in the beginning of the blog.

AI YouTube Assistant With our AI YouTube Assistant, you can add a custom built AI model directly into your YouTube creation workflow, helping you create 6 months of ready-to-film YouTube content in an hour. For example, you can put one idea into your phone with the note widget and get 3 YouTube titles, a set of hashtags, an outline for your YouTube video, and a potential script to start your video work. This shoulders some of the brainstorming load, letting YouTubers focus on refining ideas and bringing them to life. Explore our full how-to blog here to understand how you can use our AI YouTube assistant to the highest potential.

YouTube integrations With our YouTube integrations, you can manage your liked videos, get notified about new uploads from your subscriptions, and grow your YouTube subscribers by automatically letting the world know when you post something new on your channel. For example, you can saved your liked YouTube videos and save them to a Google Spreadsheet, Google Drive, Spotify, and Evernote.

So, what are you waiting for? Join IFTTT for free today!