In this fast-paced world, people are becoming more and more interested in quick content to consume. They have no time to wait for something that doesn’t hook them within 3 seconds or even less. Generally, when people watch short-form content, you have to capture their attention in your video.
When other social media platforms introduced short-form content like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and all, in September 2020 YouTube also introduced its video shorts segment for its users to stay ahead of the increasing competition.
All the short-form content is booming now. Reels, YouTube Shorts, TikTok videos make users habituated to short forms of content because short video content is quick, engaging, and easily consumable in less time.
Now, you are about to learn how to blow up on YouTube Shorts by leveraging booming short-form content and achieving your goal. Let’s begin!
Facts You Should Know About YouTube
- YouTube has over 120 billion visits, and this rate is growing by 3.9% per month.
- YouTube has over 2.70 billion active users.
- It ranks as the second-largest website by traffic, surpassed only by Google.
- On average, a person spends 35 minutes on YouTube each day.
- YouTube boasts a perfect 100 authority score.
- It stands as the largest hub for video content.
What are YouTube Shorts?
Seeing people engage more with short forms of content, YouTube introduced another type of feature: Shorts! Shorts were inspired by the success of TikTok videos, reels, and other short-form content providers.
Shorts are created to be viewed in a vertical or portrait format. Typically, shorts last up to 60 seconds; this brevity makes users watch Shorts. It enables your viewers to like, dislike, comment, share, subscribe, or unsubscribe from your channel.
Making YouTube Shorts is pretty simple; you need to choose a camera, background music, your own voice, captions, descriptions, tags, and some video editing skills.
Shorts can also be created with your long-form content; you just need to add your Shorts in another section so that your viewers can discover and enjoy them seamlessly.
After uploading your Short videos, you and your viewers have lifetime access to watch them. However, you can remove your Shorts, and in some terms, YouTube can also delete your videos (We will talk more about it later in the precaution section).
Why YouTube shorts?
YouTube introduced its Shorts feature back in 2020. Users and creators like you can leverage these advantages. They offer a unique set of benefits for their users with Shorts as described below:
1. Increased Visibility:
- YouTube Shorts are prominently featured on the platform, making it easier for you to gain visibility.
- Shorts have a dedicated section on the YouTube homepage and can appear in the Shorts shelf on the mobile app, exposing content to a broader audience.
2. Algorithmic Boost:
- YouTube’s algorithm tends to favor Shorts, increasing the likelihood of videos being recommended to users.
- The algorithm takes into account user engagement, watch time, and other factors, potentially leading to rapid growth for creators.
For more details below is a dedicated section to understand it.
3. Accessible Creation:
- Shorts can be created using the YouTube mobile app, making it convenient for creators to produce content without elaborate setups.
- This accessibility encourages a broader range of creators to experiment with short-form videos.
4. Engagement Opportunities:
- Short-form content tends to capture viewers’ attention quickly, leading to higher engagement rates.
- Viewers are more likely to watch Shorts in their entirety, contributing to overall watch time.
5. Trend Participation:
- YouTube Shorts often involve trends and challenges that creators can participate in, providing an opportunity for content to go viral.
- Trends and challenges can attract a large audience, contributing to the discoverability of creators.
6. Monetization Potential:
- Creators can earn revenue through the YouTube Partner Program, including ad revenue from Shorts.
- Shorts can serve as an additional source of income for creators who meet the eligibility criteria.
7. Audience Diversification:
- Shorts may attract a different audience than longer-form content, allowing creators to diversify their viewership.
- It provides an opportunity to connect with viewers who prefer short, snappy content.
8. Creative Expression:
- Shorts allow creators to showcase their creativity in a concise format, experimenting with different styles and storytelling techniques.
- It encourages innovative approaches to content creation.
9. Mobile-Centric Format:
- Given the popularity of mobile devices, especially among younger audiences, Shorts cater to the preference for consuming content on smartphones.
- The vertical video format is optimized for mobile viewing.
10. Community Building:
- Engagement through likes, comments, and shares on Shorts can contribute to community building.
- Creators can establish a more interactive relationship with their audience.
11. Global Reach:
- Viral Shorts have the potential to reach a global audience quickly, enabling creators to gain international recognition.
- The shareability of Shorts contributes to content reaching diverse demographics.
12. Low Production Costs:
- Creating Shorts often requires minimal equipment and production effort, making it a cost-effective way for creators to produce content regularly.
13. Ignite Your Presence Across Platforms
- Don’t just stop at YouTube—give your Shorts the spotlight they deserve on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and more. Tweak them for Instagram Reels, ride the TikTok trend wave, and maybe even try Snapchat or Twitter Fleets.
- Stick on those trending hashtags, keep your Shorts game strong. It’s not just visibility, it’s about building your Shorts empire across the online universe.
14. Collaboration with Brands
- If you gain a decent amount of subscribers on your channel you can also promote brands which will pay you for this.
Understand YouTube shorts algorithm?
YouTube Shorts algorithm is designed to recommend Shorts or videos on the platform based on various factors.
Although YouTube doesn’t disclose how exactly the algorithm works, here are several keys that matter. I want you to read them carefully to leverage from its algorithm and gain viewership.
User engagement
YouTube algorithms consider user engagement metrics such as like, comments, shares and subscribers. If you have higher engagement on your videos YouTube recommends it to other users, meaning your content is valuable for others also.
Watch Time
Watch time plays a crucial role in YouTube’s algorithm. Longer watch time indicates the algorithm that the viewer finds the content compelling.
Although Shorts are inherently short, YouTube algorithms still consider the duration. If your viewers spend time on your Shorts, it indicates enjoyment, and YouTube recommends them to other users.
Click Through Rates (CTR)
When the viewer clicks the video after seeing the thumbnail and title, it influences the algorithm.
Higher CTR means you have something compelling to users in your Shorts or video.
Relevance to Viewer
Based on viewer’s search history, watch history, and overall behavior on the platform the algorithm recommends the Shorts to the viewer’s interest.
Trends
YouTube algorithms prioritize Shorts that align with popular trends, increasing the likelihood being recommended to users and can boost visibility.
Freshness of Content
The freshness of new and recent Shorts may be prioritized on the platform.
Consistent Shorts
Consistently posting Shorts indicates your commitment and helps you gain additional visibility.
Geographical, Demographic and Language Factors
YouTube algorithms take into account geographical location, viewer demographics, and language preferences, tailoring recommendations based on regional and audience-specific interests.
Quality of Content
YouTube algorithms analyze the quality of your content, including audio and video, which can impact your viewership.
Hashtag Usage
Using popular, trending, and relevant hashtags determine recommendations and help you to get views.
Monetization Eligibility
Being eligible for monetization often increases the likelihood of gaining views, as it indicates the authenticity of the content.
How to Blow up on YouTube Shorts
To blow up on YouTube Shorts, you have to ensure how you create your shorts. You might have a question in mind about how some YouTube shorts go viral and shake the internet.
Now let’s explore strategies on how you can create a YouTube short that go viral. Whether it’s about generating income, showcasing your creativity, sharing knowledge, reaching a wide audience, or any other objective, comprehending the purpose behind your Shorts will enable you to create a focused content strategy.
Understanding the purpose of your content will not only help you stand out but also aid in achieving your goals on YouTube.
Define Your Niche
Identify a niche for your content—one that aligns with your passion, experiences, expertise, or mastered skills. Whether you’re a beginner or have experience with Shorts, choosing a popular niche with abundant content ideas is essential. For beginners, consider starting with a micro-niche to stand out.
Rather than being a small fish in a vast ocean, aim to be a big fish in a small pond. Opt for a less competitive niche within the broader domain or explore untapped markets to establish yourself as a prominent figure.
Clearly defining your specific niche not only accelerates your growth but also it increases chances to blow on your shorts and allows you to tailor content for a targeted audience, ensuring faster traction and engagement.
Identify Your Targeted Audience
Identifying Your Targeted Audience for YouTube Shorts is a crucial step in creating content that has the potential to blow up and go viral.
To go beyond just making YouTube shorts and truly make them viral, you must understand the appeal and value your content brings to your specific audience.
Defining a specific audience provides clarity about who you aim to reach, a key factor in making viral YouTube shorts.
This categorization involves considering traits such as age, gender, region, interests, language proficiency, and more. By understanding your audience, you can tailor your YouTube shorts to meet their preferences and capture their attention effectively.
Crafting shorts that resonate with your targeted audience is essential for creating content that stands out on the platform.
If you really want to blow on your YouTube shorts, the foundation lies in understanding and catering to your targeted audience. This strategic approach ensures that your content not only reaches a wide audience but also creates meaningful engagement, contributing to the overall success of your YouTube shorts.
Make the High Quality Shorts
Content is the king to achieve success on the road of YouTube Shorts and creating compelling content is the first thing you should prioritize to blow the internet with YouTube shorts.
Because viewers come to see the content and the viewer is your hero and you have to make them happy by your content.
1. Video Quality:
- Use a smartphone or camera with decent video quality.
- Ensure good lighting, avoiding harsh shadows or overexposure.
- Steady shots are crucial; use a tripod or stabilization features if possible.
- Experiment with creative angles and framing to make your shots visually appealing.
2. Audio Quality:
- Record in a quiet environment to minimize background noise.
- Consider using an external microphone for better sound quality.
- Ensure clear and audible narration or dialogue.
- Use tools to avoid background noise.
3. Optimize for Device Visibility:
- Shoot in a vertical orientation to optimize for mobile viewing.
- Ensure that important visual elements are centered, especially in the middle of the frame.
4. Start with a Hook:
- Use the first 3 seconds wisely and get attention within these 3 seconds.
- Pose a question, present a surprising fact, or create curiosity within the first few seconds.
- Capture attention immediately to encourage viewers to keep watching.
5. Keep it Short and Concise:
- Aim for content that is 15-60 seconds in duration.
- Focus on a single message or theme to maintain clarity and impact.
6. Add Attractive Visuals:
- Use vibrant colors and high-contrast visuals to make your content pop.
- Experiment with creative transitions and effects to enhance visual appeal.
- Incorporate eye-catching graphics or animations.
7. Incorporate Music and Sound Effects:
- Choose background music that complements the mood of your content.
- Use sound effects strategically to emphasize key moments or add humor.
8. Engaging Thumbnail:
- Create a custom thumbnail that is visually compelling and represents the content whole content accurately.
- You can not make a thumbnail for Shorts, you have to select a clip from the video, so make sure that chosen thumbnail says everything about the Shorts.
- Use bold fonts and contrasting colors to make text on the thumbnail easily readable.
- Ensure the thumbnail is enticing and encourages clicks.
9. Trend:
- Stay updated on current trends within your niche.
- Participate in trends creatively, adding your unique spin to make your content stand out.
- Monitor social media and other platforms for emerging trends.
10. Optimize for Trends:
- Use relevant hashtags to align your Shorts with ongoing trends.
- Incorporate trending topics or challenges into your content to increase discoverability.
11. Clear Call to Action (CTA)
Appeal to your viewers to engage with your Shorts and subscribe to your channel. Your subscribers can watch your video whenever you publish any Shorts or video via notification if they press the bell icon.
12. Consistent Posting
Remember, it is not necessary for all of your YouTube shorts to go viral. This is a consistent process. I have checked many really good shorts that have the ability to go viral, but they didn’t. So, it also depends on the current sentiment of the audience as well as on the trends going on over the internet.
YouTube Shorts is a long-term game. Although the things we are discussing here help you achieve your Shorts goal, remember, this might be a long journey for you. Be consistent and patient with your Shorts. Post Shorts consistently to get there.
SEO of YouTube Shorts
Optimizing your YouTube Shorts for SEO is a strategic process that involves incorporating relevant keywords and tactics to increase visibility and engagement. Let’s explore how you can leverage these keywords in your SEO strategy:
Title Optimization:
- Craft compelling titles using keywords like “how to make viral YouTube shorts” and “blow-YouTube shorts.”
- Create titles that capture attention, such as “How to Blow Up YouTube Short Videos” and “Make Your YouTube Video Go Viral.”
Hashtags Strategy:
- Integrate trending and relevant hashtags, aligning with popular phrases like “#go viral on YouTube shorts” and “#viral YouTube promotion.”
- Optimize hashtags by incorporating variations such as “#viral shorts” and “#YouTube short clip.”
Keyword Integration:
- Strategically place keywords like “create a viral video on YouTube” and “get quick views on YouTube” in your video description and tags.
- Use keyword explorer tools such as TubeBuddy, SEMrush, Keyword Everywhere, and so on to discover variations and synonyms of key phrases to diversify your keyword strategy.
- You can find Best Keyword Explorer Tools for YouTube 2024 here.
Description Enhancement:
- Elaborate on your Shorts in the description, emphasizing phrases like “submit viral shorts” and “make a short go viral on YouTube.”
- Include a call to action related to views and virality, such as “Discover how to get more views on YouTube Shorts.”
Engagement with Viewers:
- Encourage viewers to comment and share their thoughts on your Shorts, fostering interaction.
- Prompt viewers to subscribe and enable notifications for consistent updates on your Shorts.
Consistent Posting:
- Regularly upload Shorts to the YouTube feed, maintaining a consistent posting schedule.
- Experiment with different content styles to find what resonates with your audience.
Thumbnail Optimization:
- Create visually appealing thumbnails with text elements like “Make Viral YouTube Shorts” and “How to Get Your YouTube Video to Blow Up.”
- Ensure thumbnails accurately represent the content and entice clicks.
Incorporate Trends:
- Stay informed about current trends within your niche and incorporate them creatively into your Shorts.
- Explore emerging trends on social media and adapt them to your content.
By strategically integrating tactics into your SEO approach, you enhance the discoverability of your YouTube Shorts. Remember to adapt your strategy based on analytics, consistently refine your content, and stay engaged with your audience for sustained success on the platform.
Analytics and Improvement
YouTube provides you with a dashboard for your entire channel, allowing you to analyze video statistics. By utilizing these analytics, you can make improvements and learn how to blow up on YouTube Shorts, as described below.
Watch Time
By analyzing watch time, you can understand which type of Shorts people found interesting and contribute to overall watch time. This will help you determine your Shorts’ average time duration and what to add or remove from the Shorts.
Views and Impressions
Track the number of views and impressions for each Short. If you are getting more impressions than views, then there needs to be an improvement in your title and thumbnail. Understand the click-through rate (CTR) by comparing views to impressions.
Engagement Metrics
Examine likes, comments, and shares. Identify which Shorts receive the highest engagement and why.
These metrics help you analyze the CTA (clear call to action) you are including in your video to see whether it is working or not and whether you need something to improve it.
Audience Demographics
Understand the demographics of your Shorts’ audience, including age, gender, and location.
Traffic Sources
Know where your Shorts are being discovered—whether through YouTube search, by recommendation, external websites, or other sources.
Retention Rate
Evaluate the audience retention rate to understand at what point viewers tend to drop off and ask yourself what you can do to make it better.
Hashtag Performance
If you use hashtags, monitor their performance. Assess which hashtags are effective in reaching your target audience.
Utilizing Data to Refine Your Content Strategy
Now you have an understanding of analyzing the data of your Shorts. Now let’s look at how to blow up on YouTube Shorts and how you can utilize them and make improvements.
Identify Successful Patterns
Look for patterns in your most successful Shorts. Identify common elements, themes, or formats that resonate with your audience.
Optimize for Trends
If certain trends or challenges consistently perform well, consider incorporating them more often while adding your unique spin. Maybe this is something your audience likes about yourself.
Understand Viewer Behavior:
Analyze how viewers interact with your Shorts. If viewers consistently drop off at a certain point, assess the content or pacing at that moment. This can help you expand your viewership.
Experiment and Learn
Use analytics as a guide to experiment with different content styles and formats. Experimenting with your content can help you widen your ideas and learn from both successes and less successful videos.
Adapt to Platform Changes
Big companies like YouTube constantly update their algorithms, so stay informed about YouTube algorithm changes. Adapt your strategy based on how the platform evolves and prioritizes content.
You can start following YouTube on different platforms to stay up to date with these changes.
Beating Competition
Firstly, congratulate yourself by my side for being part of this learning journey till now. I’m sure now you are ready to take off your shorts in the world of content creation.
You have learned everything you need to know about how to blow up on YouTube Shorts. But here is one more thing that is equally important to know about – COMPETITION! How can you beat competition? How can you stay ahead in your game by beating competition? Continue reading!
Well, in this digital landscape of content creation, content creators are numerous. If not this time, after some time, you will encounter competition.
Use the tools I described above to analyze your competitors. You can know about your competition, like who their targeted audience is, what are certain keywords they are ranking for, and how many views they get.
Last Mover Advantage
You have probably heard about the first-mover advantage, but if you start making shorts for the audience your competitors are targeting, you can utilize these keyword explorer tools to know the market size of your audience.
One more benefit of this last-mover advantage is you can decide whether you want to enter that market or not.
Case Studies from People Who Did It?
Comparatively, on YouTube, there are fewer short-form creators in comparison to Instagram Reels and TikTok, and the audience is incredibly high.
People who create Shorts and are successful on YouTube say it is easier to rank on YouTube.
Below are some popular YouTubers who have the answer on how to blow up on YouTube Shorts and how they did it.
Alan Chikin Chow
Subscribers – 35.6 Million
YouTube Started – February 2020
Country – United States
Views on Channel – 33,081,456,519
YouTube Channel Link – www.YouTube.com/@AlanChikinChow
Alan is one of the most-watched Shorts creators. He is gaining popularity very rapidly. He makes high-quality Shorts. His unique comedy Shorts have millions of views and are watched more often.
He makes long-form content, including web series, but also posts interesting Shorts on his YouTube channel.
He makes fun videos, and watching them is interesting. He intelligently markets his content by posting some clips of his web series to gain viewership.
MrBeast
Subscribers – 218 Million
YouTube Started – Feb 2012
Country – United States
Views on Channel – 38,684,709,145 views
YouTube Channel Link – www.YouTube.com/@MrBeast
You’ve probably seen MrBeast’s videos. He is the most-subscribed individual on YouTube. His out-of-the-box Shorts attract views on his channel. He always brings fresh ideas and comes up with adventurous ideas.
MrBeast has a massive audience, and they upload, on average, one long video every week, with a duration of 20 to 30 minutes. But his continuous and adventurous Shorts dose is constant on his channel.
Marie Stella
Subscribers – 1.87M subscribers
Country – Toronto, Canada
Started YouTube – July 2020
Views on Channel – 861,744,821
YouTube Channel Link – www.YouTube.com/@Laframbuesaa
Marie is a great Shorts actor with a dose of comedy. Her unique style of creating Shorts is incredible. Her videos are compelling to everyone, regardless of age. She is known for acting in different characters to make her videos.
She has only six videos on her channel of more than 60 seconds. We can say she is a pure Shorts creator on YouTube. Her rapid growth with a large number of views on her Shorts shows how creative she is.
Avoiding Pitfalls for YouTube Ranking and Channel Safety
- Avoid directly copying content from others. Inject your unique style and perspective into your Shorts to make them stand out.
- While YouTube permits you to clip segments from other videos and create your own, if you choose to do so, ensure it reflects your distinctive style.
- If YouTube detects any content that appears to be plagiarized, they won’t assign it a ranking on search engines, and, in the worst case scenario, they can delete videos and ban the channel.
End Note
That’s all for now my YouTuber Friends, congratulations on diving into this in-depth article on blow up on YouTube Shorts!
As you explore strategies and case studies, remember that success isn’t just about views—it’s about making a lasting impact.
YouTube Shorts offers incredible reach, with 2.70 billion active users and 35 minutes of daily watch time per person. Seize this opportunity to captivate your audience and make a lasting impression.
To make a viral YouTube short, understand Shorts dynamics, algorithms, and create high-quality content. Ride trends, engage your audience, and let your creativity shine in Shorts’ concise format.
In SEO for your YouTube shorts, keywords are your key to discoverability. Strategically place them to boost visibility and reach in the vast Shorts landscape. Use the keywords explorer for YouTube like Semrush, Tubebuddy, Keywords Everywhere, Google Trends and so on to get more ideas about keywords.
Analytics is your guide, helping you understand viewer behavior, engagement, and demographics. Learn from data, adapt, and achieve sustained growth.
In a competitive space, use the last-mover advantage. Learn from successful YouTubers like Alan Chikin Chow, MrBeast, Marie Stella etc. for inspiration.
Avoid pitfalls by staying authentic, avoiding direct copying, and letting your unique style shine. YouTube Shorts is not just a platform—it’s a creative ecosystem.
Embrace the journey, stay true to your voice, and let your YouTube Shorts blow up on the internet.
