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Everything You Need to Know About YouTube Shorts (+ 10 Tips To Grow)
Video Marketing Strategy for Social Media

Everything You Need to Know About YouTube Shorts (+ 10 Tips To Grow)


Updated on February 23, 2024
5 minute read

Tips that'll make them stop their scroll. ✨

Published February 23, 2024
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PSA: YouTube Shorts surpassed a whopping 50B daily views in 2023. 

So, if it’s not a part of your social strategy yet, consider this a sign.

We're sharing everything you need to know about YouTube Shorts — plus, 10 tips to get more views and optimize your content

Never Miss a Trend AgainJoin over 1 million marketers to get social news, trends, and tips right to your inbox!Email Address

What Are YouTube Shorts?

Similar to TikTok and Reels, YouTube Shorts are short-form vertical videos housed on the YouTube platform. 

Examples of YouTube Shorts via Later Media.

They’re linked to creators’ and brands’ YouTube channels where users can capture, edit, and add music from major labels like Universal, Sony, and Warner Music, before hitting upload. 

The best part? YouTube Shorts provide plenty of opportunities for boosted views, subscribers, and momentum (more on that, later). 

How Long Are YouTube Shorts? 

YouTube Shorts can be up to 60 seconds in length, with a minimum length of 15 seconds.

Can You Earn Money From YouTube Shorts?

Good news: Thanks to the YouTube Partner Program (YPP), users can earn money directly from their short-form content. 

To see if you're eligible, check out this YouTube support article

TIP: Start scheduling your YouTube Shorts with Later's social media management tools today — for free.

Why Should You Make YouTube Shorts?

By developing a YouTube Shorts strategy, you can boost your engagement, optimize your longform content, and reach potential subscribers. 

Plus, if you’re already creating TikToks and Reels, repurposing your content on Shorts is the perfect way to tap into a new audience with minimal effort. Win-win. 

PRO TIP: Read How to Schedule YouTube Shorts with Later to learn how to plan, optimize, and schedule your videos. 

10 Tips To Grow With YouTube Shorts in 2024 

Ready to get started with YouTube Shorts? Here are our top 10 tips to grow your channel: 

  1. Grab Attention

  2. Keep It Short & Sweet

  3. Schedule Your Shorts 

  4. Include a Catchy Title

  5. Tease Longform Content

  6. Leverage Trends

  7. Track Performance 

  8. Use Captions 

  9. Be Consistent 

  10. Experiment

#1: Grab Attention

The ultimate goal of short-form content is to grab users’ (and the algorithm’s) attention, so it’s important to get right into it. 

Our advice? Make use of hooks, like skinfluencer and dermatologist Dr. Shah of Doctorly:

@Doctorly Shorts

Simple as that. 

#2: Keep It Short & Sweet

It’s in the name, so be sure to keep your videos short and sweet. 

Whether you’re plugging your longform content or sharing behind-the-scenes snippets, you don't have to use all 60 seconds to get your message across.

@HextraHunt Shorts

Like Sims 4 creator Hextra Hunt, do what makes the most sense for your content!

#3: Schedule Your Shorts

The best hack to optimize your YouTube Shorts strategy? Schedule them in advance!

Lucky for you, we’ve already told you how. 

Watch How to Schedule YouTube Shorts with Later for the need-to-knows.  

Then, sign up for Later to get started — it’s free!

#4: Include a Catchy Title 

Spoiler: An engaging title is just as important as your YouTube Shorts themselves.

So, think about how you can use a few words to hook your audience and keep users watching until the end (without clickbaiting). 

YouTube Shorts examples with catchy titles.

Our main observation? Since the “subscribe” button is noticeably visible on most YouTube Shorts, a written CTA isn’t always needed to drive followers. 

In other words, an engaging video + a catchy, keyword-filled title = the perfect recipe for discoverability. 

#5: Tease Longform Content

A top tip for YouTube Shorts? Repurpose your longform content.

Why? Teasing your most interesting longform clips is a foolproof way to get more views and subscribers. 

We’ve already seen larger creators like Chicken Shop Date host Amelia Dimoldenberg use this tactic to promote new videos:

@AmeliaDimoldenberg Shorts

Try it out and watch the engagement roll in.

PSA: Video trends aren’t exclusive to TikTok and Reels!

YouTube Shorts trending page.

From the YouTube Shorts’ built-in Sound tool to the YouTube ‘Trending’ page, there are plenty of ways to track down trends, apply them to your niche, and reach potential subscribers.  

#7: Track Performance

Similar to TikTok and Reels, tracking your best-performing Shorts is crucial to informing future posts.

You can access your Shorts analytics under the Content tab in YouTube Studio Analytics. 

Later's YouTube Shorts analytics.

Here, you’ll see a ‘Shorts’ tab where you can explore data like your top Shorts, change in subscribers, and how often your content is shown in the Shorts feed. 

Later's YouTube Shorts analytics.

Schedule a week’s worth of YouTube Shorts in a few clicks. Sign up for Later to get started for free.

#8: Use Captions

Not only is it a great rule of thumb for accessibility — adding captions to your YouTube Shorts is necessary to keep users engaged. 

@AnthonyPadilla Shorts

Case in point: 69% of social media users view videos with the sound off in public places and 25% watch with sound off in private places. 

But don’t fret, there are three easy ways you can caption your YouTube Shorts:

  • By manually entering captions using YouTube Studio

  • Relying on auto captions generated by YouTube

  • Using an app like CapCut or Descript 

TL;DR: Don’t skip the captions!

#9: Be Consistent 

If you really want to grow your audience with YouTube Shorts, consistency is key.

This includes everything from your chosen content pillars to your posting cadence. 

Currently, Later’s social team posts 2-3 times per week. 

Which leads us to our final tip…

#10: Experiment

Our golden advice for getting started with YouTube Shorts? Don’t be afraid to experiment.

Try your hand at different hooks, content types, keywords, and hashtags to start. 

Then, make note of what works to really hone your strategy. 

And that’s that — everything you need to know to develop your strategy and grow on YouTube Shorts. 

With this shortlist of tips in your back pocket, you’re bound to show up in feeds again and again.  

ICYMI: You can save time, streamline your calendar, and grow your brand when you schedule your YouTube Shorts with Later. Get started today, for free

Never Miss a Trend AgainJoin over 1 million marketers to get social news, trends, and tips right to your inbox!Email Address
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