Driving Growth and Engagement with YouTube Shorts

More than just virality, YouTube Shorts is capable of driving lasting impact. By using platform-specific tactics that TikTok and Instagram Reels cannot match, brands can truly stand out.

YouTube Shorts has already reached 2 billion monthly users, generating around 70 billion daily views. This rapidly growing format presents an untapped opportunity for many brands, especially those looking to tap into the next big thing in digital marketing.

When utilised effectively, YouTube Shorts unlocks a variety of benefits that other platforms simply can’t offer. These include:

Faster channel growth.
Higher engagement rates.
New monetisation streams.
A massive established user base of over 122 million daily viewers.
Powerful cross-promotion between short and long-form content.

Moreover, YouTube’s long-standing reputation offers a level of stability that newer platforms, such as TikTok, cannot guarantee.

Despite these significant opportunities, many marketers fail to capitalise on YouTube Shorts. Why? Because they struggle to adapt their budgets and strategies to YouTube’s evolving ad products. This is especially true when it comes to:

Reallocating TikTok spend.
Implementing product feeds.
Choosing between Shorts Select and auction options.
Leveraging YouTube’s new multi-format ad system.

Why YouTube Shorts?

Take this example:

One organic Short generated 2 million views, 90,000 likes, and 2,900 comments, with a 4.5% like rate, delivering an earned media value of around $6,000. This is the kind of growth YouTube Shorts can drive for your brand.

But why does this matter?

Because Shorts isn’t just another video format; it’s an accelerator for rapid channel growth, offering benefits that traditional video content can’t match. Creators are seeing massive reach through Shorts, and brands are already seeing tangible results.

Here are five key reasons why you need to jump on the Shorts bandwagon now:

Unique audience
Shorts tap into YouTube’s 122 million daily users, reaching beyond TikTok’s predominantly Gen Z audience. Additionally, YouTube’s established reputation offers less regulatory risk compared to newer platforms like TikTok.

Fast growth
Shorts are driving rapid channel growth, with reach volume taking off through this format. It’s a quick way to increase your visibility and audience engagement.

High engagement
Shorts are easily shareable, often earning higher engagement and feeding viewers into full-length videos. YouTube Select Shorts ads are viewed 90% longer than ads on other platforms. Furthermore, influencer-led Shorts ads have seen view-through rates as high as 15.9%.

Monetisation and ads
New monetisation opportunities, like the YouTube Partner Program for Shorts and Super Thanks, are encouraging creators to embrace the format. For brands, Shorts now integrate into ad products such as Demand Gen and YouTube Select line-ups, offering more ways to reach their audience.

Cross-promotion
Shorts can funnel viewers to a brand’s long-form videos or other channels, creating valuable multi-platform touchpoints. Having both short and long content on one platform boosts subscriber growth and retention.

Take Mr. Beast, for example. He has mastered the art of repackaging long-form content into 60-second Shorts that generate millions of views, creating a seamless funnel from short to long content. Even The Voice uses Shorts featuring judges in playful Q&As to promote season premieres, which drives measurable increases in fan engagement and viewership.

A few more big names are also jumping on Shorts:

Graza shares quick recipe Shorts featuring their olive oil, combining valuable content with product awareness in a natural, non-intrusive way.
ESPN keeps younger fans engaged between games by offering quick sports highlights and player updates in Shorts format.
Satori Graphics uses animated Shorts to teach design principles in a visually compelling, highly shareable format.

Big brands are embracing Shorts because they deliver results. YouTube itself has stated, “As the creator community continues to invest in Shorts, this will only grow.”

However, here’s the big mistake I see many brands making…

Shorts vs. TikTok vs. Instagram Reels

Many brands go wrong by treating all short-form video platforms identically. They fail to recognise the fundamental differences in content purpose and audience behaviour across platforms. To remedy this, it’s important to understand how these platforms work:

TikTok and Instagram
TikTok and Instagram thrive on viral challenges and trending skits. Their algorithm is interest graph-based, which makes them great for achieving broad virality. Instagram Reels often mirror TikTok trends and influencer content, capitalising on the popularity of viral movements.

YouTube
On the other hand, YouTube Shorts often serve as teasers, driving traffic to longer YouTube content. While YouTube’s algorithm also favours engaging Shorts, it has a distinct advantage when combined with Google’s targeting data, offering better precision to reach specific audiences, especially when combined with paid media.

Moreover, YouTube uniquely positions Shorts prominently in-app, ensuring high visibility, even on TV apps. YouTube subscribers are incredibly valuable because any new video—whether short or long—reaches 100% of subscribers’ feeds. In contrast, TikTok and Instagram only show content to a fraction of followers. This difference means repeat engagement and remarketing are far stronger on YouTube.

Additionally, product feeds can now be integrated into Shorts for dynamic product ads. While Shorts Select reservation buys are primarily aimed at major budgets, most advertisers should focus on auction-based campaigns with targeted audience parameters.

YouTube’s 2024-25 multi-format ad system is a massive win for media buyers, as it now allows simultaneous deployment across Skippable In-Stream, In-Feed, and Shorts formats to align with specific marketing objectives.

Content strategy for Shorts

High-level overview: Use Shorts for entertainment.

This continues to prove itself as one of the highest performing categories when it comes to Shorts placement. To achieve success, it’s essential to focus on key creative aspects when building Shorts aimed at entertaining audiences.

Nail the first 5 seconds
The first few seconds of your video are crucial. Use lots of motion, a bold statement, or an intriguing question to capture attention right away. Short-form viewers tend to scroll quickly, so grabbing their attention early is key.

Nothing fancy
Avoid overly polished, “TV commercial” looks, and instead, opt for styles that are more common to user-generated content (UGC). This could include selfie camera monologues or featuring everyday people in real settings. Keep it authentic.

Leverage popular audio
Sound plays a huge role in the Shorts experience. Using trending music or popular audio clips can significantly boost engagement. Just make sure you have the rights to the audio through YouTube’s library or licensed tracks.

Keep it fun
Short-form content tends to lean heavily towards humour and entertainment. Ads that are positive, high-energy, or witty tend to perform better. Even if your message is serious, try to find a creative angle to deliver it in a light, engaging way. Quick cuts, visual effects, or text overlays can also help maintain a dynamic feel.

Use a clear CTA
It’s essential to stick to one key message or product per Short ad. Too many points can overwhelm the viewer. While Shorts ads themselves may have limited click options, you can always prompt viewers to visit your channel or search for your brand for further engagement.

Test and iterate
Use YouTube Analytics to track completion rates, likes, shares, and click-throughs. If one Short ad outperforms others, try to identify what worked well. Was it the hook, the music, or the topic? Replicate and expand on that successful formula. Also, repurpose high-performing content across other formats like Stories, Reels, or TikTok to refine its effectiveness.

Finally, track how your Shorts contribute to subscriber growth and explore their long-tail discovery potential via YouTube search. Unlike TikTok or Reels content, which may generate quick virality but lack staying power, YouTube Shorts benefit from the platform’s built-in advantages for sustained discovery and engagement.

TL;DR: You can win with Shorts

YouTube Shorts offers unique advantages over other short-form video platforms, including:

Unmatched reach and stability: You can tap into YouTube’s massive user base and established platform, providing your content with a far-reaching audience and the stability that newer platforms cannot offer.
Superior engagement: Research shows that Shorts viewers watch ads 90% longer compared to other platforms, meaning you’re more likely to capture and maintain attention.
Growth engine: YouTube Shorts acts as a powerful driver of rapid channel growth, enabling quick subscriber acquisition and increased visibility.
Cross-promotion power: The integration of short and long-form content on YouTube creates a seamless funnel, allowing viewers to transition between formats and engage more deeply with your content.
Monetisation opportunities: YouTube’s partner program and ad integration provide valuable opportunities to generate income and monetise your content effectively.

For success on YouTube Shorts, focus on creating entertaining content with strong hooks, an authentic style, trending audio, and clear calls to action (CTAs).

In addition to this, implement promotion strategies like optimising metadata, cross-platform sharing, engaging with your audience, collaborating with creators, and maintaining a consistent posting schedule.

Unlike TikTok or Instagram trends that tend to fade quickly, YouTube Shorts benefits from long-term discoverability through YouTube’s powerful search functionality. This ensures your ads and audience remain engaged over a more extended period.