Master YouTube Shorts: Creation, Optimization, and Growth Tips

How to crack the YouTube Shorts algorithm 2025 with emotional transformation in 42 seconds

Andy Davidson — Tue, 22 Jul 2025 13:30:00 +0000

If you’re a small creator trying to grow your channel in 2025, understanding the evolving YouTube Shorts algorithm is key. Recently, a 21-year-old creator with just a few hundred subscribers went viral with a 42-second horizontal short that racked up nearly a million views in just three weeks. More than that, it boosted his subscribers to over 15,000. What made this seemingly simple video explode? How can you replicate this success for your own channel? Is it time to update your YouTube Shorts strategy playbook? Scott Simpson, a seasoned YouTube strategist, breaks down this viral phenomenon and reveals a repeatable formula that taps into emotional triggers. This article unpacks the key lessons from Scott’s analysis, showing you how to create shorts that resonate, engage, and grow your audience fast. Table of Contents Why this 42-second video cracked the YouTube Shorts algorithm 2025 At first glance, the video seems simple: filmed on a phone, no fancy edits, just a direct message delivered by a young creator. But the power lies in the details: The emotional storytelling formula behind the viral short Sonam’s video into a five-step emotional storytelling structure that compresses the hero’s journey into less than a minute: This structure… Continue reading How to crack the YouTube Shorts algorithm 2025 with emotional transformation in 42 seconds

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How to Add a Thumbnail to YouTube Shorts

Andy Davidson — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 13:35:40 +0000

Adding a thumbnail to YouTube Shorts requires a bit of a work-around, but here’s exactly how to do it in four simple steps… with video.

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YouTube Shorts strategy: How to make the most of short-form content

Andy Davidson — Thu, 24 Apr 2025 14:13:00 +0000

YouTube Shorts may not pay much on their own but short-form video is a powerful tool for creators looking to expand their reach and grow their channels. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to enhance your existing content, understanding and implementing an effective YouTube Shorts strategy is a YouTube growth hack and can drive views to your long-form videos. This guide will delve into why Shorts are essential, how to create compelling short-form content, how get insights from YouTube Shorts analytics, and how to optimize your Shorts for maximum impact. Why Shorts are important for audience growth Long-form creators often wonder whether YouTube Shorts are worth their time. They are. These bite-sized videos are designed to grab attention quickly and keep viewers engaged. They introduce your content new audiences and they can boost your long-form videos. Not convinced? That’s OK. But consider these benefits: Creating engaging, shareable Shorts To get the most out of YouTube Shorts, you need to create content that grabs attention and encourages viewers to engage. For some creators, the ideas are the easy part but for the rest of us, here are some ideas and YouTube Shorts thought-starters: Editing techniques for effective YouTube Shorts The… Continue reading YouTube Shorts strategy: How to make the most of short-form content

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YouTube Shorts related video strategies that turn Shorts views into channel growth

TubeBuddy — Fri, 04 Apr 2025 15:53:34 +0000

YouTube Shorts are a great way to get exposure but are they actually growing your audience and revenue? Before we introduce you to our newest tool—YouTube Shorts Related Video Manager—let’s talk about how YouTube Shorts can help you as a creator… and how they can’t. Racking up Shorts views may feel great but it doesn’t take long to arrive at the unpleasant truth: YouTube Shorts don’t pay much. Converting YouTube Shorts viewers into a subscriber within the YouTube Shorts interface is also a challenge. Does that mean creators shouldn’t bother with short form content? Absolutely not. While Shorts don’t pay well, they’re an amazing promotional vehicle. Look at successful YouTubers: they’re making Shorts work for their business and driving traffic to their long form content. The trick to making YouTube Shorts pay is to be strategic. In this blog post, we’ll talk through a few of the tried and tested ways creators can turn YouTube Shorts into a powerful traffic engine, driving Shorts views to long form videos. We’ll talk through three proven strategies that big creators use to push Shorts views to their long form content. We’ll also introduce you to the latest TubeBuddy tool: our YouTube Related Video… Continue reading YouTube Shorts related video strategies that turn Shorts views into channel growth

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Reach new audiences with TubeBuddy Suggested Shorts

TubeBuddy — Thu, 06 Feb 2025 07:01:00 +0000

YouTube Shorts are a great way to grow your audience and boost engagement, but finding the right ideas for them can be tricky. The TubeBuddy Suggested Shorts feature makes it easier by highlighting the most engaging parts of your long-form videos. With this tool, you can quickly turn your best content into Shorts that resonate with viewers. Let’s explore how you can use TubeBuddy Suggested Shorts to create impactful content and help your channel grow. What is TubeBuddy Suggested Shorts? TubeBuddy Suggested Shorts is designed to make creating YouTube Shorts a breeze. By analyzing your long-form videos, it highlights the exact moments that captured the most audience engagement, complete with timecodes. These insights help you effortlessly clip and repurpose high-performing segments into Shorts that not only boost engagement but can also drive traffic back to your channel. Beyond repurposing, TubeBuddy Suggested Shorts offers predictions on potential audience interaction, making it easier to decide what new Shorts to create based on what resonated most with viewers in your longer content. Why Shorts are essential for YouTube growth Shorts are a powerful way to grow your YouTube channel. These quick, engaging videos are perfect for capturing attention and drawing new viewers to… Continue reading Reach new audiences with TubeBuddy Suggested Shorts

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How to Film CRISPY iPhone Video

TubeBuddy — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 17:20:32 +0000

Looking for that extra crispy clarity from your iPhone videos? Shoot clear iPhone video by following these simple steps.

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The Ultimate YouTube Shorts Strategy for Small Channels to Start Posting Shorts Today

TubeBuddy — Thu, 10 Oct 2024 16:05:00 +0000

There's not a lot of money in YouTube Shorts themselves, but all channels — especially small channels — need a YouTube Shorts strategy.

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YouTube Shorts Thumbnail Update: What You Need to Know

TubeBuddy — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 15:46:09 +0000

The YouTube Shorts thumbnail update finally brings some options for YouTube Shorts thumbnails, but it’s not exactly what creators were hoping for. While the new features allow for some customization, the long-awaited ability to upload fully custom thumbnails is still missing. Table of Contents Introduction to YouTube Shorts Thumbnail Options The recent updates to YouTube Shorts thumbnails have sparked interest among creators. While the features may seem limited (because they are), they offer a fresh perspective on thumbnail customization. This section will delve into the new options available and how they can be utilized effectively. YouTube Shorts Thumbnail Update: New Features Explained YouTube has introduced a few enhancements to the way creators can manage their Shorts thumbnails. The most significant change is the ability to select a frame from the video and add elements like text and emojis. Editing Thumbnails After Upload One of the most welcomed features is the ability to edit thumbnails post-upload. This flexibility allows creators to refine their visuals based on performance analytics or personal preference. How to Edit a YouTube Short Thumbnail Give us Custom YouTube Shorts Thumbnails Already These are good updates to YouTube Shorts thumbnails they’re not the solution many creators have been… Continue reading YouTube Shorts Thumbnail Update: What You Need to Know

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Use This 3-Click YouTube Shorts Strategy to Grow Your Long Form Videos

TubeBuddy — Tue, 24 Sep 2024 17:40:26 +0000

If you do nothing else today, please use this simple YouTube Shorts strategy to grow your channel. It’ll literally take a minute and it works. As a small YouTube creator, you’ve probably been there: you spend hours crafting a long form video, perfecting the thumbnail, scripting, and editing—only for it to just kinda… sit there, not getting the views to justify the work, and not getting you any closer to your monetization goals. Meanwhile, a short, fun clip you tossed together in 15 minutes seems to be racking up the views. It’s frustrating and can make us feel like we’re taking shots in the dark, cursing The Algorithm, never quite understanding what’s going on. There is a simple strategy that all creators can use to turn Shorts views into views of your long form content, which is always the goal. It only takes three clicks. It works for us, it works for many small and big creators on YouTube, it’ll work for you too. All you need to do is connect your Short(s) videos to your long form videos. If you’re already sold on the idea and you just want the instructions (what is this, a recipe blog? We don’t… Continue reading Use This 3-Click YouTube Shorts Strategy to Grow Your Long Form Videos

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Real Numbers: How Much Does YouTube Shorts Pay for 1 Million Views?

Andrew Moore-Crispin — Wed, 27 Mar 2024 15:10:00 +0000

How much does YouTube Shorts pay for 1 million views? We’ll break it down. It’s not a lot, but ad revenue is only part of the YouTube Shorts story for creators.

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