For a creator, YouTube Shorts may seem like an awesome opportunity or a colossal waste of time.
How you end up using this platform is up to you, but it's hard to argue against one thing; the audience is there, and it's on you to figure out how you can capture it.
In this guide, our focus is on showing you the top benefits of YouTube Shorts, as well as some potential disadvantages and negative sides.
Why Make YouTube Shorts When You Can Make Longer Videos?
The current state of YouTube Shorts is quite uncertain; monetization opportunities for Shorts are nothing compared to those for long-form videos.
The algorithm is also unreliable and changes on, what feels, like a daily basis.
Getting views on YouTube Shorts is hit and miss for a lot of creators. If you are struggling to get views on YouTube Shorts, you can read our guide on why are your YouTube Shorts not getting views.
And without views and with less guarantee of an ROI, it's easy to wonder if you should put in the effort in making these videos.
There are many reasons to do it, which we will outline in detail below. But it mainly comes down to one simple thing; are YouTube Shorts here to stay?
Given that we know short-form content is a guarantee, and that YouTube is still everyone's preferred choice for video content, it's easy to make an educated guess that Shorts are ready to establish themselves as part of the platform for years to come.
And so far they also proved to be:
- Easier to go viral than with long-form content.
- Easier to make.
- Less commitment. You don't need a huge production.
Let's explore all of the benefits of making YouTube Shorts.
Convenience
With no need for a desktop computer or a laptop screen, the convenience to make YouTube Shorts is there.
And now that we have phone cameras that can almost match the professional ones, there's no excuse not to give Shorts a try.
Fire up that camera, and start creating content.
Entering YouTube's Partner Program
We already mentioned above that YouTube Shorts tend to go viral a lot easier than long-form content if you are a new creator on the platform.
And if you are a new creator, then you are likely still trying to get into YouTube's Partner Program in order to make money from YouTube Shorts, and your long-form content.
The newest YouTube policy change allows you to enter YPP with:
- 1,000 subscribers.
- 4,000 public watch hours on long-form content OR 10M YouTube Shorts Views.
10 million views may sound like a lot, but in the world of short-form content and its virality, it can often be achieved with only 1 video.
And 10m views are also likely to provide you with enough subscribers to get yourself fully into the YPP.
Additional Income Stream(s)
Once you are inside YouTube's Partner Program, you will have an opportunity to make ad revenue on all of your YouTube Shorts.
How much money can you earn from YouTube Shorts is a topic we explored in a separate guide. But we know that getting some sort of return on your investment is going to be critical for your long-term consistency with video creation.
Exposure To A New Audience
With another format and practically another platform, you can't deny there's an opportunity to get your content exposed to a brand-new audience.
It's also important to note that not all of the content is suitable to be made into short-form.
You have to ask yourself whether your audience is going to enjoy 60-second-long videos.
With short-form content, you can explore ideas like:
- Teasers
- Behind-the-scenes footage
- Trends
and these ideas are likely to fit within most social media marketing strategies.
Vukasin Ilic
Repurposing
Last but not least important is the power of repurposing. This is another major benefit of making YouTube Shorts.
With other platforms having millions of daily users (TikTok and Instagram, I am looking at you), you'd be a fool not to consider including them in your social media strategy.
But who has the time to focus on content creation for another platform out there?
Luckily, you don't have to. YouTube Shorts have the same format as Instagram Reels or TikTok. All you have to do is repurpose and publish your content on other platforms, and potentially increase your viewership further.
One thing to watch out for is Music Rights. Using music in YouTube Shorts is not the same as using the same music in TikToks, because these 2 platforms have different policies and author rights.
Monetizing YouTube videos with copyrighted music can be very tricky, and if not done correctly, it will result in copyright strikes or copyright claims.
What Are The Disadvantages Of Making YouTube Shorts?
Since we have outlined the benefits, it'd be fair to say a bit more about the disadvantages of making YouTube Shorts. While there aren't that many, they are still important to consider.
Audience That Prefers Short-Form Content
The audience that consumes short-form content likely prefers short-form content. That means, that a certain percentage of subscribers you gain through YouTube Shorts may not be watching your long-form content.
This is still in the domain of theory; we don't have any stats to support this, but we are looking toward running an experiment.
Less Money To Be Made
Monetization opportunities for long-form content are vast, compared to those for YouTube Shorts.
It's quite simple; you don't have many opportunities in a 60-second-long video. While there are ways to make money outside of ad revenue share, they are quite limited in nature, simply due to the format of the content.
This is especially true for smaller creators. Rarely anyone wants to watch a person unknown to them make a product or a service recommendation, which heavily excludes opportunities related to affiliate and direct product sales.
This doesn't mean you should not experiment. With a good YouTube Shorts strategy, you can get people engaged enough to consider watching your long-form videos, subscribing, or even trying out your product.
Bottom Line
Every now and then, there's a new platform or a new format that comes out and takes the digital world by storm.
And while it's booming, the world usually separates into believers and non-believers.
The believers tend to take advantage of opportunities and jump right into them, even if they may end up wasting time or money if the new platform ends up being a fad.
But they are also the ones taking home all the wins if it proves to be a success. And it's almost always because they were the first guys in.
Speed matters. Even though it may not seem like YouTube Shorts can get you far right now, they are worth experimenting with.
A lot of creators are still not using this format, and that might be an opportunity for you to get a leg up.
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