Decoding YouTube Shorts: Unveiling the Pros and Cons

Since September 2020, YouTube has embraced the fashion of short-form video content by enabling its users to post Shorts. This feature has since become a powerful tool that numerous channels have leveraged for their growth. If you can consistently churn out content, YouTube Shorts can be a valuable part of your marketing strategy for expanding your channel’s reach. However, just like any other internet trend, it’s crucial to understand the advantages and disadvantages before jumping in. This article explores some of the biggest pros and cons of using YouTube Shorts.

Youtube Shorts Benefits

Let’s dive deep into the advantages of using YouTube Shorts before exploring why you might want to rethink utilizing them.

Unleash Extra Exposure

One top incentive for YouTubers to create Shorts is the possibility of gaining supplementary exposure. Although long-format videos hold their unique edge, accumulating views may take a while. In contrast, Shorts are designed to cater to our fast-paced consumption habits and can potentially yield quick results.

If you’re a newcomer to YouTube, employing Shorts can be a phenomenal strategy to carve out and fortify your digital presence. Plus, if your posting shorts frequency is constant, you might notice an uptick in subscribers compared to what you’d usually get.

Be bold in playing around with diverse subject concepts to enhance your exposure through Shorts. And while it might be tempting to skip the description part, including it can elevate your content visibility. Think of it as the neon sign that broadcasts your message to potential views in the digital crowd.

Chance to Compete on Other Platforms

YouTube Shorts has gained popularity as a platform for short-form video content, but it’s not the only one. TikTok played a significant role in popularizing this medium, and now Facebook and Instagram have introduced their version called Reels. While each social network has unique features, some skills are transferable from one platform to another.

You can quickly adapt and apply your knowledge to other platforms by mastering the art of creating YouTube Shorts. Additionally, consistently publishing Shorts allows you to gauge the success of different topic ideas, helping you make better content choices on other platforms.

Step Out of Your Comfort Zone

To succeed as a content creator on YouTube, you must challenge yourself and avoid complacency continuously. Staying in your comfort zone can lead to stagnation and being outpaced by others.

As online creators, it’s easy to overlook new features and opportunities if our current strategies work well. However, often this reluctance stems from a fear of venturing into the unknown.

One way to push yourself outside your comfort zone is through YouTube Shorts. Even if you have never experimented with short-form videos, embracing this platform can open up new possibilities and expand your creative horizons. It’s not necessary to do anything outrageous or perform silly stunts; simply trying something new can be enough to nurture a mindset of growth and adaptability.

Shorts Are Quickly Published

Publishing shorts on YouTube is a breeze, especially compared to the time-consuming sharing of long-form content. If you have ever created lengthy YouTube content, you understand the effort involved in filming and editing. The procedure can be time-consuming, from capturing the footage to processing and exporting it, especially if your computer is not the most up-to-date.

Conversely, publishing Shorts is incredibly simple. You can capture videos directly from your smartphone and use user-friendly tools like Filmora to edit the content on the same device.

Once you have completed the editing process, uploading your video is as easy as pie using a computer, smartphone, or tablet.

Add the #shorts tag at the end of your video’s description to ensure that YouTube treats your video as short. This way, YouTube will recognize and publish it accordingly.

No Need to Edit Heavily

Working on lengthy video projects on your MacBook usually involves segmenting your video clips and fine-tuning your footage’s color palette. Plus, you must ensure your audio is crisp and clear and incorporate graphics as needed. Such deep editing can feel tedious for extra-long content.

Shorter videos also entail editing; discarding nonsensical portions is essential, and deciding on a color theme would be beneficial. It’s also worth considering the addition of subtitles. Regardless, they generally require less overall editing, which means it should take a manageable amount of time to refine your video.

The best part? Since heavy editing is optional, you can get your core message to your audience much quicker.

Disadvantages of YouTube Shorts

Although YouTube Shorts bring many advantages when interacting with your viewers, you may observe a few downsides when utilizing this function.

No Growth Guaranteed

Believing that growth is guaranteed on your YouTube channel due to consistently posting youtube shorts is a misconception. The stark reality is that even with a consistent release of YouTube Shorts, achieving massive popularity may remain a dream.

If your content does not create significant value, don’t expect people to flock and subscribe to your channel. You may need to opt for trial and error here— spotting a successful strategy won’t happen immediately. However, it’s crucial over time to strive for improvement with every Short that follows.

Shorts take time to Make

While Shorts may seem quick to produce, crafting may take longer than you anticipate. Coming up with conversation-worthy subjects may need some investigative work, and it’s good to have at least a basic blueprint of what you aim to communicate.

If you plan to upload Shorts more than thrice per week, allocate some time in your schedule dedicated to filming these. A bulk-recording approach can save you time; consider using tools such as Apple Calendar to keep everything organized and prevent yourself from missing any deadlines.

Shorts Don’t Count for Monetization Watch Hours

Many content creators consider reaching YouTube’s ad revenue eligibility a significant milestone. You need to achieve 1,000 subscribers and accumulate 4,000 viewing hours in a year to get there.

Short videos, or “Shorts” on YouTube, can garner many views, particularly when you post content piquing your audience’s interest. However, a demotivating factor can be that these short-form videos do not contribute toward the accumulated view hours necessary for reaching your monetization goal.

On a positive note, even though Shorts don’t add to your view hours, you have the alternative to monetize your channel if you gain 10 million views within three months, provided you already have 1,000 subscribers. Additionally, even before hitting the designated view hours for monetization, there are various other methods through which you can earn money from your channel.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it Worth Doing YouTube Shorts?

Yes, it’s worth doing YouTube Shorts. They are a cost-effective way for creators to engage with their audience and can potentially reach more viewers due to their short, easily digestible format.

Is YouTube Shorts an Excellent Way to Grow?

Indeed, YouTube Shorts can be a strategic way to grow. They allow creators to share brief, engaging content that can attract new viewers and potentially increase subscription rates faster.

What is the point of YouTube Shorts?

The point of YouTube Shorts is to provide a format for creators to share concise, engaging videos. They cater to the short-form video content consumption trend, similar to platforms like TikTok.

Final Thoughts

YouTube Shorts is an incredible tool for building an online presence via YouTube, assuming you continuously provide your viewership with content of value. This platform allows you to draw a larger audience to your channel, potentially boosting the views on your more extended content.

However, it’s essential to remember that there’s no guarantee of growth, and the views garnered from Shorts do not contribute to watch hours. Despite this, the advantages of utilizing this feature far exceed the drawbacks.