Shorts are exploding on YouTube, generating over 50 Billion views/day. Artist channels uploading both Shorts & long-form are seeing better watch time & subscriber growth.
What are YouTube Shorts?
YouTube Shorts is a way for anyone to connect with a new audience using just a smartphone and the Shorts camera in the YouTube app. YouTube’s Shorts creation tools makes it easy to create short-form videos that are up to 60 seconds long with our multi-segment camera.
Best Practice TIPS for Shorts
IT’S RELEASE WEEK
Release week is an exciting time for artists and their team. What better way to promote a new song or project than by sharing the ins-and-outs of what goes down during release week?
Taking your fans along for the experience of release week will allow them to learn more about you and the process behind a release.
Tip: Showcase and react to all playlists your song has been added to.
“INSERT TEXT HERE”
Catch Their Attention: Short form is all about grabbing the viewer’s attention early and sustaining it. Creatively use text to guide the arc of the video.
Host a Short Q&A: Once in a while, take the opportunity to sit down with your followers and answer questions your followers want to know about you. Use the text-feature, or reply to comment feature to show the questions on screen before answering.
TAKE A STAB ON A COLLAB
Lean into collaborations to create variety in your content and get exposed to new audiences.
Reach out to your favourite creators, artists or even fans to collaborate on a new song, artwork for a release, or other creative endeavours you might have. The world is your oyster, and your creativity can expand the possibilities of what you can do together.
MAKE IT RELATABLE
Create content that makes your fans feel “oh, I felt the same way too…”, to foster the connection between you and your fans.
Creatively using music in your Shorts in a heartfelt manner or sharing how a song makes you feel will help you create an instant connection and attract the attention of your audience
USE THE MAGIC OF GREENSCREEN
Try out the green screen effect to visually transport yourself and the viewer to wherever you want.
React to your fan-made videos or chart milestones in a visual and fun way. You can even use your own pictures and videos from the camera roll to point out details from your tour life or even personal life, that they otherwise wouldn’t notice.
SEAMLESS TRANSITIONS
Transitions are a great way to keep user retention and make a Short creatively engaging.
An example is to record the exact segment from the same spot during the soundcheck and live show. This makes for an engaging transition piece, cutting from the lowkey pre-show vibe to your fans singing along.
Tip: Use the align tool function in Shorts Creation Tool to facilitate the transition moment. Using the pre-chorus leading into the hook is oftentimes effective for the energetic feel.
IT’S REMIX TIME
Many artists have a collection of YouTube videos in their archives that showcases their catalogue music or performances from multiple album releases.
Use the “Remix” function available on eligible YouTube videos*, take this content to Shorts, react to clips of your older long-form videos, and revisit them with your fans. Learn more here.
MAKE IT YOURS WITH SHORTS
Social media is filled with talented artists and singer/songwriters with loyal following that post their own songs and covers.
Covers such as this have been generating good engagement, creativity and streaming across platforms. Adding your spin on a verse or melody to another artist’s song is an easy and personal way of being more creative on your channel.