Are you ready to elevate your content creation game on YouTube? The latest update to YouTube Shorts has arrived, and it’s packed with new features and updates that can affect how you engage with your audience, grow your subscribers, and even monetize your content.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll dive into everything you need to know about YouTube Shorts and the latest updates of note, from understanding the platform to navigating its policies and guidelines. Let’s jump in and uncover the secrets to adapting with the changes in YouTube Shorts!
Key Takeaways
- YouTube Shorts is a short-form vertical video creation platform and a feature in YouTube that enables users to create engaging content.
- Recent developmental updates in YouTube Shorts have been designed to improve the user experience and offer additional features such as clickable links, playlist curation, new stickers, live streaming options, and more.
- Monetization opportunities also exist with knowledge of platform policies & guidelines. It is important to always be aware of the recent updates to the platform to ensure that you adapt with the changes.
Understanding YouTube Shorts
YouTube Shorts allows you to create engaging, shareable content within minutes, and then have it featured on the YouTube homepage. It can help attract new audiences and grow your channel further.
You can create and share these short-form vertical videos using the YouTube app. This opens up a fresh avenue of creative content in short form video to engage viewers and expand your subscriber base. YouTube Shorts include features like vertical video, licensed music, use of captions, and editing capabilities
YouTube Shorts allows you to showcase your brand’s true identity and captivate your audience in an entirely different way.
The Power of Short-Form Videos
The rise of short-form videos is no surprise, as they have the ability to quickly capture attention and drive engagement. This is evident in the increase of daily views of Shorts, which now total around 50 billion Shorts viewed per day.
YouTube Shorts allows you to conveniently craft and distribute bite-sized content. This kind of content not only resonates with viewers but also has the potential to enhance your SEO rankings and shareability.
You can leverage the power of short-form videos to elevate your brand and enhance audience engagement.
YouTube Shorts Features
YouTube Shorts has an array of features that cater to creators’ needs. From vertical video for immersive viewing experiences to limited use of licensed music and added use of captions that enhance your content’s appeal, the platform provides all the tools necessary to produce captivating and engaging Shorts.
YouTube Shorts also provides editing capabilities, include things like video and the green screen feature, that assist in the creation of visually stunning content with snippets of other YouTube videos serving as the background. You can also interact with viewers by responding to comments with supplementary videos, depending on your settings. It is also important to ensure that the video is optimized for different devices and platforms, such as smartphones and tablets, as most YouTube viewers access the platform via smartphones and tablets. Additionally, YouTube Shorts can be a great way to repurpose your blog content into shorter and more engaging videos, allowing you to showcase the best and most visually pleasing parts of your day in a bite-size vlog format. Remember to add a CTA at the end of the Short to send people to watch the full-length video on your YouTube channel.
Recent Developments in YouTube Shorts
Updates have been announced that can further enhance the YouTube Shorts experience for both viewer and content creator alike. The recent developments in the ever-evolving YouTube Shorts include:
- Alterations to links in descriptions and comments,
- Introduction of clickable links on channel pages,
- Discontinuation of banner links, and
- Ability for viewers to curate playlists.
These updates are designed to enhance the user experience and offer more opportunities for creators to connect with their audience. It also helps provide a more customized YouTube experience tailored to individual preferences through personalized content. In addition, YouTube may show personalized ads depending on past activity and various factors, such as user viewing history, user interaction with videos, quality and relevance, metadata, and video popularity, to further improve the user experience on this popular search engine. The YouTube algorithm, which is proprietary to Google, uses these factors to rank and recommend videos. It is important for influencers and brands to keep up to date with algorithm changes and adapt their content strategy accordingly, just like the regular readers of Kolsquare’s influencer marketing blog, where they will always be informed of the latest industry updates.
Changes to links in Shorts descriptions and comments
To combat the invasion spam fraud and abuse into the platform, YouTube has made links in Shorts descriptions and comments non-clickable since August 31. Viewers or content creators can no longer edit and add clickable links in the comment section.
The aim was to control the worsening problem of spamming the comment section with links, which has become quite troublesome. This change may also impact other things like the content of video recommendations and user engagement.
Nonetheless, creators can still flourish in the YouTube Shorts realm by concentrating on producing engaging content and abiding by YouTube’s guidelines. By tapping Shorts, YouTube is trying to develop and improve new features and details to enhance a world of creativity for creators while also fighting spam fraud and abuse.
Clickable Links on Channel Pages
While links in the comment section have been disabled, YouTube has introduced a new way to showcase important links on channel pages. A clickable description below the channel’s username now leads to the About tab, where creators can display a description, edit up to 14 links, and additional details.
This modification streamlines channel navigation and equips creators to efficiently steer their audience towards additional content and resources.
Retirement of Banner Links
The retirement of banner ads on channel pages is another update of note aimed at mitigating spam and fraud. While banner links previously provided clickable access to external websites or social media profiles, the new clickable description feature on channel pages ensures a seamless and user-friendly experience for navigating to essential links, such as newsletters. As part of the latest YouTube Shorts update, certain links on desktop channel banners have been removed to curb misuse and protect users from malware, phishing, or scams. This update is particularly important for YouTubers who rely on channel pages to engage with their audience and promote their content.
To see additional information including details, users can search for and refer to the updated guidelines. Websites that use cookies and data may also tailor their ads for a better user experience. This update is part of a larger effort to improve the overall user experience on the platform.
Viewer-curated YouTube Shorts Playlists
In an effort to boost viewer engagement, YouTube has enabled viewers to add Shorts to playlists directly from the Shorts player. This provides creators with enhanced visibility, increased watch time, and potential monetization opportunities, as their Shorts become more accessible and discoverable to the YouTube community.
YouTube Shorts Creation Tools Updates
These new tools have been designed to empower creators and enhance their ability to produce captivating, relevant and engaging content for their audience.
Create YouTube Shorts with Collab
The Collab feature in YouTube Shorts is a game-changer for creators looking to collaborate and create content with a unique twist. By enabling creators to record a Short alongside other YouTube or Shorts videos in a side-by-side layout, Collab offers a fresh perspective on content creation and fosters collaboration among creators, attracting new viewers to their channels. This partnership can help increase visibility and reach on YouTube, naturally adding new viewers to their channel.
Q&A Stickers
Q&A stickers are an excellent addition to YouTube Shorts, allowing creators to pose questions to their viewers within the video. It is also a good way to foster interactive communities and build stronger connections with their audience.
This new feature can also help creators gain insights into viewer preferences. Armed with this information, it will allow them to create content that truly resonates with their fans.
Go Live
The mobile-first vertical live feature in YouTube Shorts is a fantastic way for creators to connect with a new audience in real-time. This will enable creators to create longer videos via their live feed and also take advantage of Super Chat donations and gain memberships with viewers via YouTube Shorts.
As viewers discover live creators in the Shorts feed, creators have the opportunity to increase their reach and engage with their audience in a more interactive and dynamic way. Live streaming on YouTube Shorts allows creators to interact with their viewers in real-time,
Remixing Tools
The remixing tools in YouTube Shorts, such as the Creation suggestions feature, make it easier for creators to produce engaging and shareable content. The Remix feature, along with the ability to sync audio and visuals from the same video, allows Shorts creators to pause a video and sample both audio and visuals to create a new Short with the help of AI.
By automatically bundling the audio and effects from a Short being remixed, creators can save time and effort, focusing on what truly matters – creating captivating content that resonates with their audience.
How the Latest Update Affects Creators
The most recent update to YouTube Shorts ushers in a plethora of benefits for YouTube creators, from the introduction of new features to enhancements in existing functionalities. With more opportunities for engagement and growth, YouTube creators can harness the power of YouTube Shorts to reach new audiences, build their brand, and potentially monetize their content by the end of September. Starting August 23rd, creators can add prominent clickable links in a new section on Channel Pages near the Subscribe button, connecting Shorts to other YouTube content. Some Shorts contain the #shorts tag on the video title or in the video description, further increasing their visibility and discoverability in October.
The new updates also helps creators deal with spam comments that can have an effect on real engagement with the viewers. It is always a delicate balance in trying to make the creative space safer and yet provide a more open means to make Shorts.
The Role of Monetization in YouTube Shorts
Monetization is pivotal in YouTube Shorts, offering eligible creators avenues like ad revenue sharing, YouTube Premium subscription revenue sharing, continue to YouTube Shopping, and fan funding.
By understanding and leveraging these monetization opportunities, creators can generate income from their Shorts and invest in their channels’ growth and success.
Navigating YouTube Shorts Policies and Guidelines
For creators, understanding YouTube Shorts’ policies and guidelines is vital to ensure their content meets monetization eligibility and platform standards. By familiarizing themselves with these policies as well as the updates, creators can avoid potential pitfalls and penalties while creating content that resonates with their audience and meets YouTube’s requirements.
Advertiser-Friendly Content
Shorts need to comply with advertiser-friendly content guidelines to qualify for revenue sharing. This includes:
- Ensuring that the content is suitable for advertisers
- Adhering to community guidelines
- Obtaining necessary permissions and rights for third-party content.
By following these guidelines, creators can maximize their monetization potential and reach a broader audience on YouTube Shorts.
Third-Party Content and Revenue Sharing
Incorporating third-party content in Shorts can affect revenue sharing, as views get allocated between the uploader and any third-party rights holders. To ensure fair compensation and avoid copyright disputes, it’s essential for creators to obtain proper permissions and rights for any third-party content used in their Shorts.
This means that creators should be aware of the potential implications of using third-party content when they create Shorts. Obtaining additional information including details about copyrighted content can help prevent revenue loss.
Summary
In conclusion, YouTube Shorts presents an exciting opportunity for creators and marketers to engage with their audience, grow their channels, and even monetize their content through a well-planned marketing strategy. By understanding and leveraging the platform’s new updates, features, policies, and guidelines, creators and marketers can continue to create captivating content that resonates with viewers and achieve success on YouTube Shorts with minimal effort. This aligns with the goal of making Shorts content easily accessible to the audience and encourages them to explore more of the creator’s full-length YouTube videos, including different types of content such as short-form and long-form videos. Additionally, YouTube’s reputation as a trustworthy platform, especially in light of TikTok’s challenges with bans and censorship, makes it a more stable and reliable choice for creators who want to get involved in short-form content creation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I access YouTube Shorts?
Access YouTube Shorts by tapping the Shorts icon on the homepage of the YouTube mobile app, scrolling down the homepage until you see the Shorts shelf, or on the channel page. You can also view them on most smart TVs, game consoles, and other streaming devices (except for some released before 2019). Record a YouTube Short or upload a pre-recorded vertical video — you can upload existing clips from the bottom left of your screen (clips must be a maximum length of 60 seconds or less) and ensure they have a 9:16 aspect ratio and 1920 pixels by 1080 pixels resolution.
What is the deal with YouTube Shorts?
YouTube Shorts is a short-form video component allowing creators to share 15 to 60 seconds videos, designed to help drive engagement and entertain audiences.
Do YouTube Shorts have to be 15 seconds?
YouTube Shorts can be a continuous video of up to 60 seconds in length, or several 15-second videos combined. If music from the YouTube catalog is used, the duration must be limited to 15 seconds.
How much YouTube Shorts pay for 1,000 views?
YouTube pays up to \$3 per 1,000 views for its new Shorts feature, depending on factors such as content of the video and country of origin of the viewers. This amount is far lower than long-form videos, where the content you’re currently viewing can earn anywhere between \$1.61 and \$29.30 per 1,000 views.
How can I create engaging content with YouTube Shorts?
Create engaging content with YouTube Shorts by utilizing the platform’s features such as vertical video, use of licensed music, captions, and editing capabilities.
Reference links:
https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/12475004
https://support.google.com/youtube/thread/18138167
https://support.google.com/youtube/thread/18138167
https://support.google.com/youtube/thread/18138167
https://support.google.com/youtube/thread/18138167
https://support.google.com/youtube/thread/18138167
https://support.google.com/youtube/thread/18138167
