In the fast-changing world of social media, keeping up with the latest trends can feel nearly impossible. As a digital marketing agency, we are always paying attention to what's coming next and evaluating where our clients’ time, effort, and budget will be best spent. One of the latest players in the short-form video space is YouTube Shorts. But is it worth the hype, or is it just another passing trend?
If you have opened up the YouTube app recently, you can’t miss them; YouTube has been relentlessly pushing vertical video. Launched in 2020, YouTube Shorts is Google’s answer to TikTok and Instagram Reels. Shorts are vertical videos, up to 60 seconds long, designed to deliver quick, engaging content to mobile users. They sit in a dedicated Shorts tab within the app and are served up algorithmically, making them highly discoverable to users who are not already subscribed to your channel.
For brands, this presents a tempting opportunity: access to YouTube’s massive, global audience without the need for lengthy or high-production content.
Shorts don’t offer the same built-in ad placements that you’ll see in standard YouTube videos, but there are still creative ways to tap into their potential:
It is worth noting that while Shorts now allows creators to link to related videos, other Shorts, or livestreams within YouTube, direct links to external websites inside organic Shorts are still not supported. However, brands running paid Shorts ads can include external links, making it possible to drive direct traffic or conversions, but only if you have ad budget available.
In addition, YouTube has started rolling out product tagging within Shorts, tapping into Google’s broader shopping ecosystem. While this feature is not widely used yet, it raises an interesting question: could Shorts follow the path of live shopping events and become a stronger player in social commerce? Brands may soon find more shopping-focused opportunities emerging within this format.
Used strategically, Shorts can be highly effective for brand awareness and YouTube channel growth. They can help brands reach new viewers by offering a sneak peek into your content in an easily digestible way. However, without paid ads or shopping features, they remain limited in their ability to drive external website traffic or direct sales.
At the end of the day, YouTube Shorts are an essential tool if you already have or want to develop a YouTube presence. They amplify your longer content, grow subscribers, and increase engagement within the platform. With the use of paid ads and product tagging there is a potential for the placement to drive conversions. However, we believe that Shorts are best viewed as a way to pull audiences deeper into your YouTube ecosystem, not necessarily as a standalone driver of external results.
As always, the key is aligning any platform’s strengths with your marketing goals and making sure your strategy is driven by purpose, not just the latest trend. And as with any changing platform, we recommend a test-and-learn approach while features are still being rolled out and evolving.
Whether it's a quickfire ad or a longer piece, advertising is our speciality, and we know how to make every second count. Let's chat about your next campaign.
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