How to Make YouTube Shorts for Businesses
You’ve probably heard by now that things like Instagram Reels or TikTok can really help skyrocket your business’s social media growth. But have you heard of YouTube Shorts yet? And how do you make YouTube Shorts work for your business?
YouTube Shorts is YouTube’s answer to the short form video content wave hitting the internet these days. It essentially functions the exact same way as Reels and TikTok, allowing you to upload short videos up to 60 seconds in length. But, what’s really cool about YouTube Shots is that, if you already have an existing YouTube page, you can start posting Shorts today. The other cool thing is that I don’t believe Shorts has become as saturated and widely used as TikTok and Reels, meaning there could be a better chance of actually having your content seen.
So, how do you make YouTube Shorts? The process is, again, very similar to Instagram Reels and TikTok. All you need to do is open the YouTube app on your phone, hit the plus sign on the bottom of the screen, and select “Create Short.”
Though the process is straightforward, we’ll run you through some key info to make sure your first Short is a success:
Film Vertically
As with all short form videos on other platforms, YouTube Shorts also utilizes vertical video. The easiest way to film footage for a YouTube Short is to use your smartphone camera, however, if you have existing horizontal footage or you want to film your Shorts with a Mirrorless DSLR Camera and a proper video mic, you will need to ensure your video is formatted to the correct dimensions before it can be uploaded. The correct dimensions for YouTube Shorts, as well as Reels and TikToks, are 1080 x 1920. If you’re going to film with a Mirrorless DSLR Camera, make sure you are filming in 1080p as well or higher. This will ensure your Shorts are always super clear, helping your brand maintain its professional look.
Make the Title Count
With YouTube Shorts, you don’t get space to craft a full blown description that will entice potential followers / customers; you only get a small amount of space for a title.
This may seem like a bad thing, but, with short consumable content, hooking the viewer fast is key to strong engagement, so come up with a title that speaks to the content of your video, but also makes the viewer stop scrolling. You could create an instant cliffhanger (such as the now famous “wait for it” captions), or you could say straight up what it is that you’re going to be teaching in your Short if it’s an educational one. Either way, make those titles count!
Include a Few Hashtags, but One in Particular
Even though you don’t get a lot of room to create a title, you can still likely place 2-3 hashtags in there that are relevant to your video. This will help the YouTube algorithm show your video to the correct audience. One hashtag that should always be included, however, is #shorts. By including #shorts, you are telling YouTube that this is in fact a YouTube Shorts video, and it will also notify YouTube’s algorithm that it should be included in the YouTube Shorts feed. If it gets included in the YouTube Shorts feed, your video can be shown to tons and tons of new viewers, helping expose your brand to new potential subscribers / customers.
So, if you’re a brand with a YouTube channel, or you’ve always wanted to start one, YouTube Shorts can be a great way to get your brand out there and grow your business. And learning how to make YouTube Shorts is super simple. All it takes is some quality video footage, and a few best practises, and you’ll be landing new subscribers in no time.
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If you or your brand would like some help making some high quality YouTube Shorts, or YouTube videos, for your channel, reach out to us at any time. Our video production services are focused making great videos to help tell your story in the digital world.
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