YouTube’s announced that it’s making Shorts ‘shoppable’ – this means that brands and marketers will soon be able to include clickable product links in the actual video.
Sure, they’re chasing TikTok’s tail (who isn’t, right now?) But YouTube Shorts are a pretty big deal, with 30 billion daily views. And while Shoppable Shorts haven’t arrived yet in the UK, they’ll be here soon enough – and the brands with the Shorts knowhow are the ones who’ll reap the rewards when the time comes.
Why you need YouTube Shorts in your video marketing strategy
Short-form video is more popular now. Hootsuite’s recent Social Media Trends survey shows short-form video is now comfortably the dominant video format across all social media platforms.
Following the meteoric rise of TikTok, the major platforms have scrambled to get in on the action – some successfully (Instagram Reels), others not so much (Twitter Fleets).
Shorts on YouTube shows how even the world’s largest video sharing platform is responding to the changing trend in video consumption.
It’s an easy way to provide broader, more varied video content.
The format lends itself well to recording on the fly, preferably with a smartphone. Short form video is shot in portrait mode, and videos are 60 seconds max. You can create BTS (behind the scenes) footage for authenticity – if you’ve already got longer, slicker videos then shorts will fill in the gaps, providing your audience with the bigger picture of what you’re about.
Keeping it short means people are more likely to watch the whole thing.
If you’ve got a YouTube channel, you know what we’re talking about – that 15-minute explainer video you spent months on, but nobody watches past the first minute? Yeah, that.
Working to a 60-second limit means you have to get the good stuff in there quick – and your audience are more likely to stick around for that call-to-action at the end.
How to make YouTube Shorts
1. Film it (on your phone for ease of editing)
2. Make any edits you want (good phone apps include Zoomerang or Funimate)
3. Click the ‘Shorts’ icon or the ‘+’ add video function
4. Trim the video length to < 60 seconds
5. Create your title and description, adding #shorts in the description
That’s it!
Some tips on YouTube Shorts for brands
It’s all about the intro. People scroll really quickly through short form video. Grab their attention in the first two seconds with something that’s eye-catching and fun. You can lead off with the most exciting bit of your video, then add the context later on.
Editing is essential. Novices should at least learn to cut the pauses. Once you’ve got the hang of editing, try and add something visually interesting every five or six seconds – use jumpcuts, captions, filters and colour to crank up the energy.
And if your videos are gloomy, invest in a studio light – you’re not making a Batman film.
Learn from the best, and add a twist. Head over to TikTok and Reels to see how established brands in your niche are killing it. Think about what you could use from their approach, then add your own flavour. Use storytelling and humour as much as possible – the more fun you can have with it, the more your audience will respond.
We know, it’s tough keeping up with social media marketing trends. If you want to see how it’s done, maybe you need to call round our new offices, see our new video production suite, and talk strategy with the hottest video marketing company Leeds has to offer.
