YouTube put out their “Shorts” feature a while back. I’ve been using it for 2 1/2 months now, and I got to say — I’m shook. I started using YouTube as another way to publish my long-form videos alongside their homes on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. I had no idea that the shorts are a “workaround” for growing your channel! It’s notoriously hard to get subscribers on YouTube it’s the most challenging part of turning your YouTube channel into a cash-producing channel. So why the hell has my new (ish) channel grown as it has?

Almost 85% of my new subscribers come from the Shorts feed, which is really exciting! I would also like to note that adding Shorts to my repurposing strategy was a quick adjustment since Shorts, TikTok, and Reels all support 9:16 (though Instagram will crop the frame).

The clip feature

Now we might be creators, but how often are we checking the YouTube Creators channel to find out about the latest features? I check the account about 1–2 times per month to catch up on the latest, but that’s not the point here. YouTube unveiled the “Clip” feature which is their response to the stitch and clip features from TikTok and Reels. Essentially you can “clip” smaller segments out of your live streams or long-form videos and upload them as Shorts! Why am I so excited? Because Shorts allow you to use cards and end screens just like a regular YouTube video! This means that I can link off to the videos, using the most intriguing bits as “bait” — though I do genuinely try to give good info that’s actionable.

Recap

Everyone should use Shorts, especially if you have a YouTube channel you use or if you create TikToks or Reels ANYWAYS. Make sure to use the clip, end screen, and in-video cards to capture interest from the Shorts feed!