Imagine getting 15 billion impressions without spending anything on advertising and marketing? A powerful example is Nathan Apodaca’s TikTok clip. It is a short music clip while Nathan is riding a skateboard on his way to work while listening to “Dreams” and drinking Ocean Breeze’s cranberry juice. It boosted the product’s sales and lifted the Ocean Breeze brand into a positive light.

A video marketing agency Hong Kong has noted that short-form videos are dominating the digital space right now. After TikTok went viral in 2020, other social media platforms tried cloning the app. Instagram launched Reels. Snapchat released Spotlight. Twitter created Fleets, but it bade goodbye last July. And then, there was YouTube Shorts. With YouTube joining the short-video trend, how can marketers use Shorts?

WHAT ARE YOUTUBE SHORTS?

The largest video-sharing platform in the world has always been a place for entertainment. Favorite dance trends like Evolution of Dance, Roller Skate Dances, or the Jerusalema Challenge have emerged from YouTube. Short videos like Charlie Bit My Finger, Good morning yall, and Lockdown Trick Shots have been replayed millions of times. Over the years, the platform allowed creators to build a community among 2 billion people.

A digital marketing speaker Hong Kong narrated that the first video on YouTube was called “Me at the zoo.” It was an 18-second video uploaded by YouTube’s Co-founder Jawed Karim, at the San Diego Zoo in April 2005. The video is very similar to YouTube Shorts. Such bite-size content has amazed and entertained viewers by sparing a minute of their day. That is why YouTube got its inspiration from the said video clip. 

3 MAIN FOUNDATIONS OF YOUTUBE SHORTS

YouTube Shorts are designed under three main foundations – create, get discovered, and watch. 

Create. YouTube wants to make it easier for people to make easy and fun short clips. As such, the platform equips the Shorts camera with:

  • Multi-Segmentation to string together several video clips.
  • Music Recording from a large library of songs that the platform continuously updates.
  • Speed Controls for flexible editing.
  • Timer and Countdown for hands-free recording.

Get Discovered. YouTube Shorts allow 2 billion viewers to connect, laugh, and learn. Every year, YouTube will be allocating a $100 million Shorts fund. It aims to help Shorts creators get discovered and earn money from their creativity.

Watch. The homepage of YouTube now highlights Shorts in a row. As you search for regular videos on YouTube, Shorts comes along with a red symbol in the lower-right corner. Users can also find Shorts of specific creators by searching for the creator’s channel on the top search menu and going over their posted videos. Moving forward, the platform will make it easier to find and watch them. 

HOW TO USE YOUTUBE SHORTS IN MARKETING

A social media agency Hong Kong highlights that YouTube Shorts are unique from other videos because of their simplicity to create. Using just a mobile phone, users already have the tools to film, edit, and upload the 15-second clip. They also do not follow the same rules as regular YouTube videos. They are not monetized, but brands and businesses can still use them in their marketing approach. Here are some ways on how to use YouTube Shorts in marketing:

  • Use Shorts as a natural extension of full-length videos. Shorts can be a great way to serve as teasers or thumbnails for long-form YouTube videos. They can also be used to the best part or most interesting scene of a full-length YouTube video. By creating a bunch of Shorts clips, brands and businesses can expand their engagement and reach within the YouTube community.
  • Use Shorts for how-to videos. How-to has been a popular video content since the COVID-19 pandemic. Most people started learning many crafts to ease boredom and the need to perform simple repairs or recreations. Shorts can be a perfect tool to do how-to videos. Instead of 5 to 10 minutes, it will be easier to give a single how-to trick within 15 seconds. 
  • Use Shorts to recommend brands, products, and services. Brands and businesses can use YouTube Shorts to highlight and recommend their products and services. Creating Shorts clips showing the details and functions of a product in a glimpse can be eye-catching among YouTube viewers. It allows discovery and engagement among your target audiences.
  • Use Shorts to show quick tips and tricks. A vital part of digital marketing is educating the target audiences. Shorts can be a powerful tool in this marketing strategy. Use them to show quick tips and tricks then link them to your business eCommerce shop to drive conversion. 

THE BOTTOM LINE

As a marketer, you should always remain on top of trends to keep up with the competition. As the consumption for short-form videos is rising, YouTube Shorts can be a great tool to keep up with the market trends. It has great growth potentials because of its simple creation. It also makes it easier for marketers to create ads and campaigns by just using their mobile devices. 

Reference: https://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/how-to-make-youtube-shorts-for-business/