12 YouTube Shorts Tips and Tricks Every Creator Should Know (2023)
Wonder what are the best YouTube Shorts tips in 2023? Not only are YouTube Shorts (videos under 60 secs on YouTube) getting a ton of organic traffic, but they can also be monetized now by creators from around the world as of February 1st, 2023.
YouTube’s official announcement:
We’ve been hard at work evolving and expanding the YouTube Partner Program (YPP). Starting in mid-January 2023, updates to YPP will open up access to partnership for more creators and give all partners more ways to make money with YouTube Shorts, including revenue sharing on ads. Revenue sharing for Shorts ads will begin on February 1, 2023 for those who sign the appropriate agreements beforehand. Learn all the details on this page.
from YouTube “New Ways to Earn on YouTube”
In this article, we’ll help you understand if YouTube Shorts are worth creating for your channel or business, how to create compelling Shorts if you are new to this type of content, and how to repurpose existing content (including long-form videos) to be YouTube Shorts.
Let’s get started!
1. Are YouTube Shorts Worth Creating?
Yes, absolutely. Shorts on YouTube are getting an unprecedented amount of organic traffic since 2022. The trend has not slowed down in 2023. As a creator or a small business owner, you have to hop on this train to test out Shorts content, and how they can drive views, subscribers, and even high-value prospects to your business.
2. What types of YouTube Shorts can you create?
Think of shorts as a way for strangers and cold leads for your business to be exposed to your long-form content, and your key messages. You can create shorts right from your existing long-form videos. Be sure to grab key points that don’t have a ton of “ums”, “uhs”. You want to get to the point quickly and have distinct POVs.
3. YouTube Shorts are also great ways to experiment and test out new types of content and ideas
Shorts aren’t just for repurposing existing content. I used Shorts to create a series of YouTube strategy videos that are new on my channel not long ago. I can already tell that they are making a difference in my business.
4. YouTube Shorts don’t have to be perfect when you start
Shorts don’t have to be perfect or profound. Because they are only 60 secs or less, you can create them faster and in volume. Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t see an immediate return or views on Shorts. For example, you can experiment with YouTube Shorts with and without subtitles, using software you are comfortable with. No need to go crazy with emojis, or have to follow a certain style. You’ll find your style and Shorts that work for you and your business over time.
5. YouTube Shorts can be repurposed
That’s right, create once and publish them everywhere. Shorts can be repurposed and reused immediately as Reels on Instagram and Facebook, LinkedIn video posts, and TikTok.
When sharing content across multiple platforms, we prefer using software such as Later or Sendible.
6. How to Edit YouTube Shorts
YouTube Shorts are vertical videos of the orientation 9:16. You can use all your existing video editing software such as iMovie, and Final Cut Pro. There are newcomers such as CapCut that is getting increasingly popular among video creators. CapCut is not only free but it’s available for both Windows and Mac users, as well mobile apps on Android and iOS. If you are new to video editing, CapCut is absolutely worth learning and exploring.
7. How to Create YouTube Shorts Using Other Social Apps
For instance, can you create shorts using TikTok and Instagram apps? The answer is yes.
Because of Instagram and TikTok’s built-in editing features, these platforms can help you make short videos more easily.
This hasn’t always been the case. A few years ago, some YouTubers noticed that Shorts created using these other platforms weren’t getting sufficient views, or were even overlooked by YouTube. However, after observing this trend more recently, I don’t believe it still holds true. YouTube seems to be allowing creators freely use videos originally created through other platforms to still become popular on YouTube.
Creating original content is not an easy task and it takes a lot of time. If you are a creator or a small business owner, feel free to test out existing short videos created elsewhere on YouTube. You may be surprised by how well they will perform.
Don’t judge yourself if you can’t customize every piece of content to each and every platform. There’s no harm in testing the same content on multiple platforms. You’ll notice the platforms where your content thrives the most over time. How much time? For us and our clients, it can be as little as 30 days, and sometimes longer (60-90 days).
8. How to create compelling YouTube Shorts
To start, it’s easier to script your YouTube Shorts content before your record. This will make recording and editing easier too. Contrary to my own advice of not over-scripting for regular/long-form content, Shorts can use some prep to make sure you hit the minute mark.
The next step is about learning and experimenting. You want to watch Shorts created by a variety of creators and ask yourself: “What is it about the style and content that draws me in?” Wearing both hats as a creator and viewer can be very helpful. You can sometimes reverse engineer what works for others to test your content. Over time, you’ll find your own unique style.
9. How would I script or re-script a longer video to be Shorts?
There are a few ways to script shorts from long-form videos.
- Shorten the long-form video to focus on just a few key points, or
- If you have tips or best-practices videos, consider creating one Shorts video per “tip”.
There is no single way to repurpose content. If you have long-form videos such as hours of podcast videos and livestreams, consider our AI-powered, human verified software PodIntelligence. You can request a free sample here.
10. Outsourcing the Editing Part
Is it possible to outsource the production of Shorts to an editor? Absolutely, many editors are now specializing in or adding shorts as a skill to their portfolio. I recommend platforms such as Fiverr or Upwork.
My recommended approach is to find a few editors after reviewing their profiles. Then invite each person to work on one Shorts video. Based on their editing style and communication, you will naturally find yourself gravitating toward one or maybe two editors and even developing a long-term relationship with them.
11. What Are Some Good Examples of YouTube Shorts
Alex Hormuz is one of the most popular Shorts guys on YouTube, but I also like Ali Abdaal’s more natural and friendly style. Another masterful young creator is named doobydobap, whose Shorts focus on food and vlogs. Doobydobap creates loop videos that trick you into not being able to easily tell the beginning and the end of her videos. Her viewers often find themselves watching the same video more than once (think over 100% watch time). How brilliant is that?!
You can learn a lot from watching Shorts with a pair of strategic and creative eyes. Don’t just be a consumer, always remember that you are a creator and you can learn from everyone.
12. Learn From Other Platforms
Be sure to learn from other platforms (outside of YouTube). Some platforms such as TikTok and Instagram (reels) have been around longer for shorter video content. They are very creative in terms of filters, features, and styles you should pay attention to as a creator. Tharyk (musician on TikTok) is thriving and building an audience of over half a million from scratch.
Video Walkthrough: 12 YouTube Shorts Tips and Tricks
Video Chapters
- 00:00 Intro
- 00:30 Tip 1. Are #shorts worth your time creating?
- 01:04 Tip 2. What types of #shorts content can you create?
- 02:27 Tip 3. How to use #shorts to experiment with new content and ideas
- 03:54 Tip 4. #shorts do not need to perfect
- 04:43 Tip 5. Remember to repurpose #shorts on other platforms
- 05:00 Tip 6. How to edit #shorts
- 05:47 Tip 7. How to create compelling #shorts content
- 06:50 Tip 8. Creating #shorts using other apps such as TikTok, Instagram Reels
- 08:12 Tip 9. How to repurpose long-form videos to be #shorts content
- 09:18 Tip 10. How to outsource #shorts production
- 10:20 Tip 11. Who are some of the top #shorts creators on YouTube
- 12:50 Tip 12. Learn from other platforms to create better #shorts on YouTube
Bonus: 5 YouTube Short Tips for Creators (By Chatgpt)
Since ChatGPT has data until 2021, I was wondering what would its answers be when asking for YouTube Shorts tips for small creators. Here are the results:
Q: Give me 5 YouTube Shorts Tips for small creators
- Keep it short and sweet: As the name suggests, YouTube Shorts are meant to be short-form videos that grab the viewer’s attention quickly. Aim to make your content engaging and to-the-point to keep viewers interested.
- Use hashtags: Hashtags help your content get discovered by users who are interested in the same topics. Make sure to use relevant hashtags to increase your reach and exposure.
- Leverage trends: Keep an eye on what’s trending on YouTube Shorts and create content around those trends. This can help your videos gain more views and engagement.
- Focus on quality: Even though YouTube Shorts are short-form videos, it’s important to focus on quality. Use good lighting and sound equipment to ensure that your content looks and sounds professional.
- Engage with your audience: YouTube Shorts provide a great opportunity to engage with your audience through comments and likes. Make sure to respond to comments and engage with your viewers to build a loyal community of followers.
Enjoyed this article? You might also like…
- How to create podcast shorts and reels with this AI tool (PodIntelligence)
- ChatGPT for Podcasters: Grow Your Show With BETTER Content (2023)