How To Make YouTube Shorts that Get Viral: 11 Powerful Tips

Do you want to attract a larger audience for your content? Are you interested in learning how to make YouTube shorts to grow your channel and gain more subscribers? Whatever, the case may be, this blog will help you increase the success of your channel and establish you as a successful content creator.

In this blog post, we’ll cover 11 powerful tips that will help you start creating Shorts that capture your audience’s attention and get them sharing and engaging with your content.

We’ll dive into everything from planning and shooting your Shorts to editing, adding music and captions, optimizing for discovery, collaborating with other creators, and promoting your Shorts on social platforms using a social media scheduler. Let’s get started!

What are YouTube shorts?

YouTube Shorts is a relatively new feature that has taken the platform by storm, with users consuming billions of Shorts every day. And it’s not hard to see why – with its short and snappy format, it’s a perfect fit for our attention-deficit world.

These videos are typically 60 seconds or less and are displayed in a vertical format, similar to the format used on platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels. 

Shorts can be created using the Shorts camera within the YouTube application or by uploading pre-recorded vertical videos. With the popularity of short-form video content on social, Shorts aims to provide a space for creators to showcase their creativity and reach new audiences.

What is the difference between YouTube videos and shorts?

While YouTube Shorts and traditional YouTube videos share some similarities, there are a few key differences between the two. First and foremost, Shorts are short-form vertical videos that are 60 seconds or less in length, while traditional YouTube videos can range from a few minutes to several hours. Shorts are also designed to be consumed quickly and easily, with a focus on capturing the viewer’s attention in the first few seconds.

In terms of production, Shorts can be created using the Shorts camera within the app, which offers a range of features and editing tools specifically designed for creating short-form video content. Traditional YouTube videos, on the other hand, are focused on long-form content, and typically require more time and resources to produce, including pre-production planning, filming, and editing.

Finally, Shorts are designed to be discoverable in a different way than traditional YouTube videos. While traditional videos can be found through search results, recommendations, and subscriptions, Shorts can also appear in a dedicated Shorts shelf on the YouTube homepage and within the Shorts tab of the YouTube mobile app. 

This provides creators with a new opportunity to reach a wider audience and potentially go viral in a way that may not be possible with traditional YouTube videos. Also, you can monetize YouTube shorts as well as long-form videos.

Let’s explore some excellent tips that can help you commence your Shorts journey!

Tip 1: Plan Your Content

One of the most important aspects of creating successful YouTube Shorts video is having a clear idea of what you want to create. This means taking the time to plan your content before you start filming.

One way to brainstorm ideas for your Shorts is to think about what kind of content your target audience would be interested in. This could involve researching trending topics, popular hashtags, or other successful Shorts on the platform. You could also take inspiration from your own experiences or interests and find ways to turn them into engaging short-form videos. Check out this blog to see some amazing YouTube video ideas that you can consider.

Once you have a general idea of what you want to create, it can be helpful to storyboard your Shorts. Sketch a rough outline of each shot and scene, with dialogue, music, and special effects. This visualizes your ideas and ensures smooth flow.

To give you an idea of what a well-planned and executed Short looks like, let’s take a look at some examples:

• One popular type of Short is the “life hack” video, which provides quick and easy solutions to common problems. For example, you could demonstrate how to remove a stain from clothing using common household items.
• Another effective type of Short is the “before and after” video, which showcases a transformation or improvement. For example, you could show the process of turning a cluttered room into a beautifully organized space.
• Finally, humor is always a great way to capture viewers’ attention and make your Shorts stand out.

Planning the content allows you to shoot videos in batches, fill up your content calendar, and schedule them all at once using social media bulk scheduling tools.

Tip 2: Shoot for the Small Screen

Shorts are designed to be viewed on mobile devices in a vertical format. This means that when you’re shooting your Shorts, you need to keep the small screen in mind and compose your shots accordingly in the aspect ratio of 9:16.

One of the main limitations of shooting in a vertical format is that it can be challenging to capture a wide or complex scene. To overcome this, you’ll need to get creative with your framing and find ways to make your shots interesting and engaging.

Another important consideration when shooting for a small screen is lighting. Since mobile screens are relatively small, it’s important to make sure that your shots are well-lit and easy to see. Natural light can be a great option for filming, but you may also need to use additional lighting to make sure that your subject is well-lit.

When it comes to camera movement, it’s important to keep it smooth and steady to avoid jarring your viewers. You can use a tripod or stabilizer to help with this, or simply try to keep your movements slow and deliberate.

Tip 3: Edit with Speed and Precision

Once you’ve shot your footage, it’s time to edit it into a concise and engaging Short. This means using quick cuts, snappy pacing, and concise storytelling to make the most of the short-form format.

One important technique for editing short videos for YouTube is to keep your shots short and sweet. Since Shorts are designed to be consumed quickly, it’s important as content creators to keep your editing snappy and to the point. This means cutting out any unnecessary footage and focusing on the most engaging and interesting parts of your video.

To give you an idea of what effective editing looks like, here are a few examples:

• A Short that uses quick cuts to create a sense of urgency or excitement, such as a montage of a person completing a task in a short amount of time.
• A Short that uses music or sound effects to create a sense of rhythm or energy, such as a Short that’s synced to a catchy beat.
• A Short that uses creative transitions or special effects to add interest and depth to the video, such as a Short that uses split-screen or text overlays to convey information.

Tip 4: Add Music to Set the Tone

Shorts are all about capturing attention and creating an emotional connection with your audience. One way to achieve this is by choosing the right music to set the tone for your Short. Music is a powerful tool that can help convey emotions, evoke nostalgia, and create a sense of excitement.

When selecting music for your Short, it’s important to consider the mood and genre of your content. You want your music to fit seamlessly with your visuals and enhance the overall message you’re trying to convey. For instance, if you’re creating a Short about a beautiful sunrise, you may want to choose music that’s soft and calming. On the other hand, if you’re creating a Short about a thrilling adventure, you may want to choose music that’s upbeat and energetic.

There are many resources available to help you find copyright-free music to use in your Shorts. YouTube has a library of free-to-use music and sound effects that you can access from within the YouTube Shorts editor. You can also find music on websites like Epidemic Sound and AudioJungle, which offer a wide variety of royalty-free music tracks for a small fee.

Tip 5: Use Text and Captions to Enhance Communication

Another way to enhance communication and engagement in your Shorts is by adding text overlays and captions. This is especially important when creating Shorts that are meant to be watched without sound. Adding text can help clarify your message and make it more accessible to a wider audience.

When using text overlays and captions, it’s important to consider the font, color, and animation. You want your text to be easy to read and visually appealing. Bold fonts with high-contrast colors tend to work best for text overlays. You can also experiment with different animation styles to make your text more engaging and dynamic.

Tip 6: Include a Strong Call to Action

When creating a YouTube short, it’s important to have a clear goal in mind. What do you want your viewers to do after watching your video? Whether you want them to subscribe to your channel, visit your website, or follow you on socials, it’s important to include a strong call to action (CTA) in your video.

Your CTA should be clear and concise, and it should be positioned at the end of your video so that viewers know exactly what to do next. You can also use graphics or text overlays to emphasize your CTA and make it more engaging. This is an important tip to remember while learning how to make YouTube shorts.

Some effective CTAs include asking viewers to like and comment on your video, subscribe to your channel, or check out another one of your videos. Just make sure that your CTA is relevant to the content of your video, aligns with the goals for your channel, and helps improve your overall social media positioning.

Tip 7: Optimize for Discovery

Creating a great YouTube short is only half the battle – you also need to make sure that it gets discovered by your target audience. One of the best ways to do this is to optimize your video for search and discovery.

Start by doing some keyword research to find out what phrases and terms your target audience is searching for. You can use tools like Google Keyword Planner or TubeBuddy to help you identify popular keywords and phrases.

Once you have your keywords, make sure to include them in your title, description, and tags. You can also use hashtags to help your video get discovered by viewers who are searching for specific topics or themes.

Tip 8: Leverage Trends and Challenges

Trends and challenges are a great way to make your content more relevant and shareable, and are also kind of necessary for effective social marketing. By participating in popular trends and challenges, you can tap into the existing buzz around these topics and reach a wider audience. The key is to find a way to put your own unique spin on the trend or challenge, so your Shorts don’t feel derivative or unoriginal.

To get started, keep an eye on the latest trends and challenges that are circulating on the platform. You can do this by browsing the Shorts homepage, checking out popular creators in your niche, and keeping an eye on relevant hashtags. 

Once you find a trend or challenge that you want to participate in, think about how you can add your own creative flair to the concept. This could involve adding your own music, incorporating interesting camera angles, or using creative editing techniques to stand out from the crowd.

It’s important to keep in mind that relying solely on trend participation won’t guarantee the success of your Shorts. However, using trend participation as a powerful tool to get your Shorts noticed can significantly increase their chances of success. To truly resonate with viewers, you still need to execute your YouTube short video well and make it engaging. So, make sure you’re also following the other tips in this post to create Shorts that are both on-trend and highly effective. For a broader approach to achieving viral success across platforms, explore our Viral Marketing Strategy guide.

Tip 9: Collaborate with Other Creators

When it comes to collaborating on Shorts, there are a few things to keep in mind. First and foremost, make sure you’re partnering with someone whose style and content align with yours. It’s also important to have a clear plan in place for your collaboration, whether that’s a specific theme or idea, or simply working together to create something fun and engaging.

To find potential collaborators, start by reaching out to creators whose work you admire and whose audiences are similar to your own. You can also join online communities and forums dedicated to creators, such as Reddit or Facebook groups, and connect with like-minded individuals there. You can also connect with Instagram collaborators to promote your brand to a wider audience.

When it comes to successful collaborations, the sky’s the limit. Some creators work together to create hilarious skits, while others team up to showcase their musical talents. Whatever your collaboration looks like, make sure it’s something you’re both excited about and proud to share with your audiences.

Tip 10: Promote Your Shorts on Social Platforms

Now that you know how to make YouTube shorts and have created an amazing video, it’s time to get it out there for people to see! One of the best ways to promote your Shorts is by using social platforms. Social platforms allows you to reach a wider audience and get your content in front of people who may not have seen it otherwise. You can easily schedule YouTube shorts on popular platforms and cross-promote them.

When promoting your Shorts, it’s important to create engaging posts that drive traffic to your Shorts. One way to do this is by creating teaser clips or behind-the-scenes content that pique your followers’ interest and encourage them to watch the full Short on YouTube. You can also use hashtags, tag relevant accounts, and share your Shorts in Facebook groups and Reddit communities to increase visibility.

It’s important to remember that it is not just about promoting your content, but also about engaging with your audience. Be sure to respond to comments and messages, and interact with other creators in your niche to build relationships and grow your following.

You can use a tool like RecurPost that allows you to schedule your posts on multiple platforms at once, and also monitor messages from all accounts in a single place.

Tip 11: Analyze and Iterate

As with any content creation, analyzing your Shorts’ performance is essential to ensure your success. By understanding your audience’s preferences and behavior, you can iterate and make adjustments to improve your content and increase engagement. Here are some tips for analyzing and iterating your Shorts:

• Use analytics tools: YouTube provides creators with a wealth of analytics tools to track their Shorts’ performance. You can see how many views, likes, and comments your Shorts have received, as well as information about your audience demographics and watch time.
• Identify trends: Look for trends in your Shorts’ performance, such as which topics or styles resonate with your audience. Use this information to inform your future content creation.
• Experiment: Don’t be afraid to experiment with different styles, formats, and topics to see what works best for your audience. Use your analytics to track the performance of your experiments and make adjustments as needed.
• Engage with your audience: Pay attention to comments and feedback from your viewers. This can provide valuable insights into what they like and don’t like about your Shorts.

Short-form content like YouTube Shorts is a fantastic way to grab attention and potentially go viral. But what if you want to create longer-form content for your channel as well? This requires a strong concept to keep viewers engaged. If you’re feeling stuck for ideas, check out my other blog post “Top 20 YouTube Channel Ideas“. It explores a variety of niches and themes to spark your creativity and help you find a perfect fit for your channel.

Advantages of creating YouTube shorts

• Reach a new audience: With the dedicated Shorts shelf on the YouTube homepage and the Shorts tab in the mobile app, Short videos for YouTube can be a great way to reach a new audience that may not have discovered your content otherwise.

• Quick and easy to produce: The Shorts camera in the app enables creators to create Shorts quickly and easily, making it a great option for those who want to produce engaging content more frequently or who are just starting out. This is in contrast to traditional YouTube videos, which may require a significant amount of time and resources to produce.

• Increased engagement: Shorts are designed to be consumed quickly and easily, which can lead to higher engagement rates than traditional YouTube videos. Viewers are more likely to watch a shorter video in its entirety and engage with it by liking, commenting, or sharing.

• Chance to go viral: Due to the nature of short form video content and the way that Shorts are discoverable on the platform, there is a greater chance for Shorts to go viral and reach a wide audience in a short amount of time.

Overall, creating Shorts can be a great way to expand your reach, engage with your audience, and potentially go viral. So why not give it a try and see what kind of Shorts you can create?

Below are some tips on how to create a content calendar and automate your channel to get consistent traffic, beat the YouTube shorts algorithm, and go viral on the platform.

Now that you’ve mastered the art of creating viral YouTube Shorts, the next step is to ensure your videos get the visibility they deserve. Explore our comprehensive guide on Effective Ways to Promote a YouTube Video to learn how to effectively boost your Shorts’ reach and impact.

How to Create a Content Calendar for YouTube Shorts

Creating a content calendar is essential for consistently posting high-quality content and staying organized. One effective tool for creating a content calendar is RecurPost, which allows you to schedule and repost content across various platforms, including YouTube.

To create a content calendar using RecurPost, start by setting your content goals and deciding on the frequency of your posts. Then, create a RecurPost account and connect your YT channel. From there, you can start scheduling your Shorts and organizing them into categories or themes.

RecurPost offers a feature called “Content Library” where you can save your best-performing Shorts and repost them at a later date. This can help you maximize reach and engagement without having to constantly create new videos.

By using RecurPost to create a content calendar for your videos, you can save time and stay consistent with your posting schedule, ultimately helping you grow your channel and increase your audience engagement.

In addition to creating a content calendar, RecurPost can help you build a presence on YouTube with the following features:

• Automated Scheduling: You can schedule YouTube videos and shorts to be posted at specific times and dates, so you don’t have to worry about manually posting them.
• Social Media Integration: RecurPost supports multiple social platforms, allowing you to easily cross-promote your Shorts on other social accounts.
• Content Curation: Find and share relevant content from creators, industry experts, or news sources to keep your audience engaged and informed.
• Analytics and Insights: RecurPost provides detailed analytics and insights on your social performance, allowing you to track the success of your Shorts and make data-driven decisions.
• Hashtag Recommendation: Use RecurPost’s hashtag recommendation feature to store the best hashtags for your videos, increasing their visibility and reach.
• Team Collaboration: Collaborate on social content creation and scheduling, streamlining your workflow.

To effectively grow your channel and reach a broader audience, check out our comprehensive guide on How to Promote Your YouTube Channel for proven strategies and tips.

How to make and upload YouTube Shorts

Step 1: Get the YouTube App

To get started with uploading YouTube Short video, you’ll need to download the official YT app. Instead of using a separate YouTube shorts app, it has conveniently integrated it into their main app. Follow these steps to know how to make shorts on YouTube:

1. Open your preferred app store (iOS App Store or Google Play) and search for “YouTube.”
2. Download and install the official YouTube app.
3. Sign in using your Google account or create a separate YouTube login if needed.

Step 2: Begin Making Your YouTube Short

1. On the app homepage, locate the (+) icon and tap on it to create a Short.
2. Tap on “Create a Short” to initiate the recording process. You can also use video editing apps to upload pre-made videos. The YouTube shorts aspect ratio is 9:16.
3. Hold down the red record button to capture a 15-second video clip. Tap the button once to start recording and tap it again to stop.
4. If you want to record a full 60-second video, tap the number 15 displayed above the record button to switch the video length to 60 seconds.
5. Explore the toolbar on the right side of the screen to enhance your video with special effects.
6. To include sound in your Short, tap the “Add sound” icon at the top of the screen. Note that you can add an audio track before recording or during the editing process.
7. If you make a mistake while recording, tap the reverse arrow next to the record button to undo the previous action.

Step 3: Edit and Upload Your Short

1. After completing your recording, tap the checkmark to save your Short.
2. Enhance your Short by adding a music track, text, and filters to it.
3. For more advanced editing options, tap the timeline icon to adjust when text appears on the video timeline.
4. Once you finish editing, tap “Next” located in the top right-hand corner.
5. Provide the necessary details for your Short, including the video’s visibility (public, unlisted, or private).
6. Indicate whether your video is suitable for children or requires an age restriction.
7. Check the best time to upload shorts on YouTube and schedule your content accordingly.
8. Finally, tap “Upload Short” to publish your video and share it with others.

Final Thoughts

YouTube Shorts can be a fun and rewarding way to reach a wider audience and showcase your creativity. By following the tips we’ve covered in this blog post, you can know how to make YouTube shorts, set yourself up for success, and increase your chances of going viral on the platform. Remember to plan your content, shoot for the small screen, edit with speed and precision, and leverage various tools like music, text, and CTAs to make your Shorts more engaging. 

Don’t forget to optimize for discovery, collaborate with other creators, and promote your Shorts on social platforms, while keeping a close eye on your analytics to continually improve your content. With some effort and creativity, you too can start making YouTube Shorts that get viral and capture the attention of millions of viewers!

Frequently Asked Questions