How to Get More Views on Youtube Shorts: a Detailed Strategy

Are you looking to skyrocket your YouTube Shorts views and dominate the short-form video landscape? You've come to the right place!

With over 70 billion daily views, YouTube Shorts has become a powerhouse for content creators and marketers alike. But standing out with what you upload in this sea of bite-sized content can be challenging. That's why we’re here to share our expert strategies on how to get more views on YouTube Shorts and take your channel to new heights in 2024!

Let’s Talk About YouTube Shorts in 2024

We need to take a quick moment to understand what YouTube Shorts are all about. Launched in 2020 as what many folks perceive as YouTube's answer to TikTok, Shorts are vertical videos up to 60 seconds long. They're designed for quick, engaging content that captures viewers' attention. 

What is it about YouTube Shorts that get more views than traditional videos? It's a combination of factors: 

First, is algorithm love. YouTube's algorithm favors Shorts, often promoting them heavily in the dedicated Shorts feed and homepage.

Second, it’s basically snackable video content. Call it a rise in attention deficiency. Call it lazy viewing. Call it whatever you want, but the reality is viewers are more likely to watch multiple short videos than commit to a longer one. In fact, a user could easily sit and watch an hour of YouTube Shorts daily instead of one hour long YouTube video! 

Finally, it’s all about discoverability. The reason creators love to upload short content is the YouTube Shorts format makes it easier for new creators to get discovered. This is largely because viewers can quickly swipe through multiple creators' content and find YouTubers they may not have previously encountered. The reason? They are making similar content to videos that the user has already engaged with. The almighty algorithm wants to feed more videos to users that it thinks they will like.

Now that we're on the same page about the wild world of the YouTube Shorts audience, let's explore how to leverage these factors to boost your Shorts views! 

Optimizing Your YouTube Shorts Content

The key to getting more views on YouTube Shorts starts with creating irresistible content. Let's look at how to make your content stand out. Every time you want to upload YouTube Shorts, you should:

Craft Attention-Grabbing Titles

Your title is your first impression, so make it count! Keep it short, punchy, and intriguing. Use power words, questions, or numbers to pique curiosity. For example, instead of "Cooking Pasta," try "5 Pasta Hacks That Will Blow Your Mind!" 

Pro tip: Incorporate your target keywords naturally, but don't force it. A/B test different titles to see what resonates with your audience.

Create Eye-Catching Thumbnails

Yes, Shorts have thumbnails too! You should create one to upload into YouTube Studio for every piece of content you create.

While these thumbnails may not be as prominent as in long-form videos, they still matter. Use bright colors, clear imagery, and text overlays to make your thumbnail pop. Consistency in branding across your Shorts can help build recognition. 

Tools like Canva or Adobe Spark are great for creating professional-looking thumbnails, even if you're not a design pro. 

Perfect Your Hook

You have mere seconds to grab a viewer's attention, so make them count! Start with a bang – a surprising fact, a funny joke, or a teaser of what's to come. Avoid long intros; get straight to the point. 

For example, if you're doing a cooking Short, start with the final, mouthwatering dish before showing how to make it. This creates curiosity and keeps viewers watching.

Consider What's Trending

When relevant to your audience, creating content that aligns with current trending topics can significantly boost your views. Here's how to do it effectively:

- Stay informed: Keep an eye on trending topics, hashtags, and challenges within your niche and on YouTube in general. Tools like Google Trends, TubeBuddy, or even YouTube's Trending page can be helpful.

- Act quickly: Trends move fast in the world of short-form content. When you spot a relevant trend, try to create and publish your take on it as soon as possible to maximize its impact.

- Add your unique spin: Don't just copy what others are doing. Put your own twist on trending topics to stand out and showcase your creativity.

- Maintain relevance: Only jump on trends that make sense for your channel and audience. Forced or irrelevant trend-chasing can come across as inauthentic.

- Balance trendy and evergreen content: While trending content can provide a quick boost in views, don't neglect evergreen content that can continue to attract viewers over time.

The goal is to use trends as a tool to amplify your unique voice and content, not to let them dictate your entire strategy. Be smart when incorporating trends. This can help you increase your chances of getting more views on your YouTube Shorts while still staying true to your brand and growing your audience.

Leveraging YouTube Shorts Features for More Views

YouTube Shorts comes packed with features to help boost your visibility. Here's how to get more watch time:

Utilize Trending Sounds and Music

Music can make or break your Short. Use YouTube's built-in music library to find trending sounds that resonate with your content. Don't be afraid to jump on sound trends – they can significantly boost your discoverability. 

Better yet, create your own original sounds. If they catch on, other creators using your sound can lead viewers back to your channel!

Keep in mind however, using copyrighted music can get you flagged on YouTube. Though there have been claims you can use 15, 30, or sometimes 60 seconds for certain songs, you do run some risks using them in your YouTube Shorts. As record labels get more lawsuit happy, it becomes evermore apparent that you're better off using copyright free and/or royalty free music that you have licensed to avoid strikes on your channel in YouTube Studio.

Your best bet? Try to be the one creating trending sounds for others to use! 

Implement Effective Hashtags

Hashtags are your friends with every YouTube Short video you create. It's a good idea to always include #Shorts in your description, along with two or three relevant, trending hashtags. Research popular hashtags in your niche, but don't go overboard – too many can look spammy.

Create a unique branded hashtag for your channel to encourage community engagement and make your content more discoverable.

Maximize Engagement with Interactive Elements

Engagement is king for the YouTube algorithm. Encourage viewers to interact with your content by:

- Using polls and questions to spark discussion

- Asking viewers to comment their thoughts or experiences

- Implementing clear calls-to-action (CTAs) like "Follow for more tips!"

The more engagement your Shorts get, the more likely YouTube is to promote them to a wider audience which in turn helps you get more views.

Developing a Consistent Posting Strategy

Consistency is key to building a loyal audience and increasing your views over time. Let's take a look at how to develop a winning posting strategy. 

Determine Optimal Posting Frequency

There's no one-size-fits-all answer to how often you should post Shorts. Start with around three to five YouTube Shorts per week and adjust based on your audience's response. Of course, you also need to consider your capacity to create quality content, and promote it to viewers.

Use tools like TubeBuddy or VidIQ (or even your analytics within YouTube Studio) to analyze your performance data and identify the best times to post for your specific audience. 

Create a Content Calendar

Planning ahead is crucial for maintaining a consistent presence. Create a content calendar that outlines your Shorts topics, posting schedule, and any relevant trends or events you want to capitalize on. 

Mix up your content types to keep things fresh – educational Shorts, behind-the-scenes glimpses, trending challenges, and evergreen content can all have a place in your strategy. 

Cross-Promoting Your YouTube Shorts

Don't limit your Shorts to just YouTube! You can increase your audience and views count by doing the following:

Sharing Shorts on Other Social Media Platforms

Repurpose your Shorts for platforms like Instagram Reels, TikTok, or Facebook. Adapt the content slightly for each platform's unique features and audience expectations.

Use teasers or highlights on other platforms to drive traffic back to your YouTube Channel.

Collaborating with Other Creators

Collaborations are a fantastic way to tap into new audiences. Find creators in your niche or complementary niches and brainstorm collaboration ideas. This could be anything from duets to challenge videos or even a Shorts series. 

Remember, the goal is mutual benefit – choose collaborators whose audience would genuinely be interested in your content (and vice versa).

Analyzing and Improving Your Shorts Performance

Data is your best friend when it comes to optimizing your Shorts strategy. Here's how to use it effectively:

Understand YouTube Analytics for Shorts

Pay close attention to metrics like:

- Views

- Watch time

- Engagement rate (likes, comments, shares)

- Traffic sources

Use these insights to inform your content decisions. What types of Shorts are performing best? When are your viewers most active?

Here are a few posts we highly recommend reading to learn more about improving visibility for your YouTube Shorts:

• Dissecting Views on YouTube: How Does Youtube Count Views? 
• Youtube Studio: A Comprehensive Guide to Managing Your Channel
• 6 Key Factors That Influence the YouTube Shorts Algorithm

A/B Test and Iterate

Identify your top-performing Shorts and analyze what made them successful. Was it the topic, the hook, or perhaps the posting time? Use these insights to replicate your successes and continually refine your strategy. 

Don't be afraid to experiment with different styles, topics, or formats. The beauty of Shorts is that they're quick to produce, making them perfect for testing new ideas.

Advanced Techniques for Boosting YouTube Shorts Views

Let's discuss some advanced strategies that could help improve your YouTube Shorts visibility. 

Implement SEO Strategies for Shorts

Yes, SEO matters for Shorts too! Optimize your Shorts descriptions with relevant keywords, just like you would for long-form videos. Use closed captions and subtitles to make your content more accessible and searchable.

Create Series and Themed Content

Develop Shorts series that encourage binge-watching. This could be a daily tip series, a storytelling series, or even a mini-course broken into Short-sized chunks. 

Build anticipation by teasing upcoming Shorts in your current content. This creates a reason for viewers to return to your channel regularly.

Castmagic Can Enhance Your YouTube Shorts Strategy

What is Castmagic? We’re so glad you asked! Our software is an AI-powered platform, and it could help you supercharge your YouTube Shorts strategy in several ways. With Castmagic, you can:

Streamline Content Creation

Castmagic's AI tools can help generate video ideas, create scripts, and even automate the process of writing descriptions and tags. This frees up your time to focus on the creative aspects of your Shorts.

Maximize Efficiency

One of Castmagic's coolest features is its ability to repurpose longer content into Shorts. Have a popular long-form video? Castmagic can help you identify the most engaging snippets to turn into Shorts, expanding your content library with a lot less effort.

Enhance Content Quality

Castmagic's AI can analyze your videos and provide suggestions for improvements. It can help you refine your language, ensure your content is engaging, and even offer ideas for hooks that can capture viewer attention in those crucial first few seconds. This can lead to higher-quality Shorts that are more likely to resonate with your audience and get shared. 

Optimize for SEO

Worried about SEO for your YouTube Shorts? Castmagic has got you covered. Our platform can suggest relevant keywords and hashtags based on your content, helping to improve your Shorts' discoverability. It can also help you craft SEO-friendly titles and descriptions that balance engaging language with strategic keyword placement. 

With the help of Castmagic's AI-powered features, you can not only save time and effort but also create more engaging, discoverable, and successful YouTube Shorts. Check out many of our use cases!

Now You’re On The Path to YouTube Shorts Success

You came here looking for advice on how to get more views on YouTube Shorts. We hope we’ve given you a lot of food for thought. If you take nothing else though, here's the bottom line: success with YouTube Shorts comes down to creating engaging, optimized content consistently, understanding your audience, and leveraging the right tools and strategies. 

It may take time to build a successful YouTube Shorts channel. Be patient, stay persistent, and don't be afraid to experiment. Use the strategies we've discussed – from crafting perfect hooks to maximizing efficiency with Castmagic's AI capabilities – and watch your views soar! 

Are you ready to take your YouTube Shorts to the next level? Start implementing these strategies today, and don't forget to check out Castmagic to streamline your content creation process.