In case you hadn’t noticed, YouTube is really pushing Shorts, with short-form video now the fastest-growing content type in the app, drawing more engagement, and more usage time, for the video platform.
Indeed, Shorts is now up to 70 billion views across the app daily, though that’s only based on the most recent official stat we have, which YouTube shared in March last year. So Shorts is likely now seeing even more attention (third party reporting suggests that Shorts is now up to a cumulative 90 billion views).
And YouTube’s now looking to get more brands involved in the Shorts revolution, publishing a new report, based on data insights from eMarketer, which underlines the potential of Shorts for reaching your audience, and how to maximize your Shorts-based promotions in the app.
The report looks at how YouTube users are responding to Shorts, and the engagement potential of short-form content.
(And as you can see in the above stats, YouTube Shorts daily views have grown by 25% over the last year, which would take Shorts to almost 90 billion cumulative views.)
The data suggests that 2 billion YouTube users now watch Shorts content each month, while Shorts viewers are also actively engaging with ads within the format, presenting significant opportunity for marketers.
So what’s the best way to tap into Shorts for brand promotions?
According to the data, teaming up with creators, who already have established audiences, is the most effective way to engage shoppers via Shorts clips.
Indeed, on YouTube specifically, users are far more likely to trust the recommendations of creators than those on other platforms. Which is largely based on the fact that many consumers these days have grown up watching their favorite YouTube creators for many years.
That, in some ways, reflects traditional TV stars, who also had that imbued sense of trust that they’d built with their audience over time. Establishing a connection with a creator or celebrity in your formative years can strengthen that alignment, and many YouTube stars now have this connection with young adult consumers.
Which undoubtedly strengthens the case for Shorts in connecting with this audience, just as the platform itself also derives benefit from such linkage.
As you can see, the guide also includes tips for brands looking to utilize creators in their Shorts approach, and the types of creators that drive the most engagement.
Some interesting notes, and while it’s only a short guide (9-pages), it does raise some interesting considerations for those looking to boost their YouTube promotions, by incorporating Shorts into the mix.
And as the report notes, you can use BrandConnect to find relevant creators to partner with.
You can download YouTube’s full “The Untapped Potential of Short Form Video and Creator Content on YouTube” report here.