The importance of optimized YouTube Shorts

YouTube Shorts are sparking a global addiction. With a whopping 6.5 billion daily views, these bite-sized bursts aren't just trending - they're rewiring how the world consumes content.

If you're not riding the YouTube Shorts wave yet, it's high time you hopped on board. These bite-sized videos are taking the platform by storm, and the algorithms are loving them in 2024. It's no secret that shorts help with channel discoverability but with great popularity comes great competition. That's why we're here to talk about optimizing your YouTube Shorts creation process to drive engagement, views, and yes, that sweet, sweet monetization.

Let's face it, creating content that stands out in the sea of vertical videos is no small feat. But fear not. We've got some nifty tricks up our sleeves to help you boost your videos on YouTube. So, let's dive into the world of YouTube Shorts optimization.

YouTube Shorts creation demo

Before we jump into our hacks, let's quickly walk through the YouTube Short creation tools on the native app and the variety of tools they offer to create killer shorts that are optimized for engagement.

Step #1: Open the YouTube app on your mobile device.

Step #2: Tap the "+" icon at the bottom of the screen.

Step #3: Select "Short" from the menu in the bottom bar and record your video by holding the red record button, or upload existing footage.

Step #4: Add music, text, and filters as desired. You can even add a green screen at this point to make one of those reaction/commentary videos to existing shorts.

Step #5: Hit "Next" to add a title and set visibility options.

You can also choose if you want to allow video or audio remixing under shorts remixing. This is where you allow other creators to use the video or audio or both from your video.

Step #6: Tap "Upload" to publish your Short.

Boost your videos on YouTube: 7 golden hacks for more views and quicker monetization.

Now that we've got the basics down, let's move on to the good stuff – our 7 hacks to supercharge your YouTube Shorts game!

Hack #1: Captivating thumbnails and engaging titles optimized for SEO

Your Short is a masterpiece, but it's drowning in a sea of content. How do you make it stand out? Two words: thumbnails and titles. You need to make them catchy and make sure they rank on Google for increased discoverability.

Thumbnails are important for shorts even though they don’t appear on the shorts player. They appear on your viewer’s homepage, their subscriptions, on your channel’s homepage with the Shorts featured section. Most importantly the thumbnails of your Shorts also show up on Google search results. Here it becomes a major factor in people clicking on your video.

Thumbnails should be an accurate representation of the video or it may affect watch time. Make sure to make your titles both searchable and clickable. Check out our blog of video SEO here.

Here's your thumbnail recipe for success:

• Use contrasting colors to pop on mobile screens
• Include faces (preferably with exaggerated expressions)
• Add text overlay with your main hook

Hack #2: Optimize for high engagement with captions

This hack is a game-changer. You know how sometimes you're scrolling through your feed in a public place, and you can't turn the sound on? Well, guess what – your viewers are doing the same thing! That's why captions are so important in the world of YouTube Shorts creation.

Sure you can add captions when you upload Shorts via desktop on the native app but these are not burned into the video and you don’t get those stylish templates that are so popular on social media at the moment.

Here's why captions are so crucial:

• They make your content accessible to a wider audience, including those who are deaf or hard of hearing.
• 80% of people react negatively to videos without captions. They allow viewers to enjoy your content without sound and increase view time.
• Most importantly a new times study reports that we now have shorter attention spans than a goldfish. So if you don’t have eye-catching captions on your videos. Your viewers might scroll past before they even reach the good part.

Lit Captions is your ticket to automated caption creation that'll boost accessibility, appeal and virality.

Check out this comparison before and after using Lit Captions to captions a YouTube Short.

The difference is like night and day. With Lit Captions, you can transform your Shorts in no time.

Add Lit Captions🔥to Shorts for higher engagement

Hack #3: Create trend-aligned content to ride the viral wave

Keeping up with trending songs, challenges, and hashtags can skyrocket your Shorts' reach faster than ever.

One simple way to jump on the bandwagon of popular trends is to use the audio or video of a popular video that is going viral and recreate your own version of it using the Shorts Remix feature on YouTube Shorts.

The 'very demure, very mindful' trend popularized by Jools Lebron’s TikTok video talking about how she is mindful of her makeup and attire at work has got the social world buzzing. You even have celebrities jumping on board with this trend.

Here’s Penn Badgley’s take on this trend.

Hack #4: Perfect the length of your shorts for maximum retention

Size matters– at least when it comes to YouTube Shorts creation. When using YouTube’s native tools, you can choose between 15 and 60 second options for video length.

Here are some statistics by Demand Sage showing that mid sized videos are the most made Shorts but longer videos get more views on YouTube Shorts.

Hack #5: Leverage YouTube Shorts for discoverability and monetization

Alright, let's talk about the money. YouTube Shorts isn't just about creating cute little videos – it's a powerful tool for channel growth and monetization.

Combine Shorts with long-form content for a dual growth strategy. Use tools like Opus Clip to create Shorts from long form content using clips from your original video. Use this as a preview video that directs users to the main video.

YouTube recently started its Partner Program where Shorts creators can get paid from ad revenue share. There’s also YouTube Premium revenue sharing, fan funding and other revenue streams.

Check out this creator sharing how  much YouTube paid her for 10 million views on a Short.

Now that's what I call smart YouTube Shorts creation.

Hack #6: Regularly analyze and adapt content based on YouTube analytics

It's time to dive into the exciting world of YouTube Analytics.

Regularly reviewing key metrics like retention, views, and click-through rates is crucial for optimizing your YouTube Shorts creation process. Here's how to make the most of your data:

1. Check your retention graphs to see where viewers are dropping off.
2. Analyze which topics are performing best in your niche.
3. Use the Research tab in YouTube Studio to identify content gaps.

Here's a more comprehensive resource on important analytics to track for YouTube.

Hack #7: Consistency is key: Create a posting schedule

Last but not least, let's talk about the crucial aspect of content creation. Consistency and the grind. The YouTube algorithm loves creators who show up regularly, so it's time to get organized!

Here's how to create a posting schedule that'll keep you on track:

1. Decide on a realistic posting frequency (daily, 3x a week, etc.)
2. Use content batching to create multiple Shorts in one session
3. Leverage scheduling tools like Buffer or Hootsuite to automate your posting

Get our free content calendar template today and start posting consistently.

Get free template

Start your YouTube Shorts journey today with Lit Captions

We've covered a lot of ground, from the power of captions to the importance of analytics. YouTube Shorts creation is your ticket to boosting your channel's visibility, engagement, and yes, even your bank account.

Remember, consistency is key, trends are your friend, and data is your secret weapon. But most importantly, don't forget the power of great captions to make your content accessible and engaging.

Speaking of captions, why struggle with manual captioning when you can let Lit Captions do the heavy lifting? It's time to focus on creating more content, boosting your videos on YouTube, and achieving your monetization goals.

Ready to take your Shorts game to the next level? Give Lit Captions a try today. Your future viral videos (and your fingers, spared from manual captioning) will thank you.

Add captions to YouTube Shorts with Lit Captions🔥