The Benefits of YouTube Shorts

One of the most appealing aspects of Shorts is the rapid growth they can bring to your channel. During a two-month period of daily postings, I averaged 100 new subscribers each week.

Engagement Levels are Impressive

My audience retention rates hovered between 150-220%, indicating that viewers often watched my videos multiple times. Additionally, my view-to-like ratio was approximately 1:15.

Effortless Editing

Creating Shorts doesn't require the extensive editing that long-form videos do. A compelling hook in the first few seconds can set the stage for the rest of the video, which I kept to a maximum length of 30 seconds.

No Need for SEO or Keywords

While I included a couple of hashtags in my titles, YouTube’s algorithm is adept at understanding the content of Shorts based on the video itself and its category. As long as your Short meets YouTube’s guidelines, it will be promoted in the Shorts feed, often without the need for tags or detailed descriptions.

The Drawbacks of YouTube Shorts

However, there are downsides to this format. Occasionally, I noticed that when I uploaded more than one Short in a day, only one would gain traction, while the others remained unseen. This inconsistency can be frustrating, especially if you've invested time in creating content.

Quality Doesn’t Always Equal Views

I initially dedicated over two hours to crafting each Short, hoping to perfect every detail. However, as I gained experience, my editing time shrank to just 15 minutes. Interestingly, the Shorts I considered to be of lesser quality often outperformed those that I meticulously edited.

I once came across a YouTube video that articulated this phenomenon well. The creator suggested that Shorts appeal to viewers with shorter attention spans, who often consume less meaningful content. I found this observation resonated with my own experience; my most successful Shorts were those that required minimal effort.

Monetization Challenges

The financial aspect of Shorts is disheartening. YouTube pays an average of $0.04 per 1,000 views for Shorts, compared to up to $21 for long-form content. To earn just $40 from a Short, it would need to hit 1 million views—an astronomical figure. Moreover, the inability to include affiliate links in Shorts restricts potential income streams.

The Risk of Subscriber Engagement

While YouTube Shorts can quickly boost your subscriber count, they attract a specific type of viewer. These subscribers often prefer mindless content, leading to a disconnection when you introduce long-form videos.

For instance, after gaining 1,000 subscribers on one channel, I anticipated that my long-form videos would naturally attract views. Unfortunately, I was met with disappointment—my long-form content garnered only a handful of views.

It’s not just me; many content creators have reported similar experiences. Subscribers gained from Shorts often show little interest in long-form content, leading YouTube to penalize channels with low engagement rates. If my subscribers aren’t watching, why would new viewers be interested?

Future Strategies

If you’re considering launching a channel focused on YouTube Shorts, it’s crucial to understand that long-form content may not be well-received. I recommend starting with a long-form channel and then creating a separate Shorts channel that carries the same branding. Mixing the two formats could harm your viewer statistics, as Shorts subscribers may not engage with longer videos.

In conclusion, while YouTube Shorts can facilitate rapid subscriber growth, they pose significant challenges for long-term engagement and monetization.