Which content type should I focus on? Shorts or Long-form content?
We know this question comes to everyone’s mind as to what sort of content you should be focusing on when it comes to your channel! Deciding which video type would be ideal for your channel all depends on your channel goals. There are two types of videos: Long-form content and Short-form content.
If your primary goal is to boost your views, then shorts are your best bet. The shorts algorithm is designed to quickly expose content creators to a broader audience and increase views. When it comes to gaining subscribers, shorts can be effective, but there's a catch. While they may bring in a significant number of subscribers if your content performs well, it's worth noting that these subscribers tend to be less engaged and more likely to be passive. Some of them might even be bots, which YouTube often detects and removes such fake engagement over time.
If your aim is to become monetized, it’s worth noting that some creators find the Shorts monetization guidelines (3 million views from the past 30 days) to be more challenging to attain compared to long-form video guidelines for monetization (3,000 hours in the past 365 days).
Ideally, if you're looking to grow your channel for the long term, long-form content is the way to go! Remember, the way short algorithms work is a bit different from long-form content. There are instances where SFC works well in the longer run, but only when you're making a video or shorts about such topics that are being searched; if you've optimized your video well, the videos populate on search engines such as Google, YouTube, websites, and so on.
Shorts are an effective way to promote your long-form content. For example, if you run a gaming channel, you can use Shorts to showcase clips from the games you're covering or highlight crucial missions to promote your complete content. Why does this work? You'll draw viewers already interested in your niche, encouraging them to visit your channel, explore your videos, and potentially subscribe if they find value in your long-form content.
Long-form content, the OG of YouTube, holds its evergreen charm, provided it ticks the boxes: solid retention, SEO, engaging content, and top-notch editing. When you're juggling both long-form and Shorts, it's essential to give the long-form videos the front seat. You don't want your audience to be shorts-obsessed and skip your main acts.
And here's the kicker: throwing Shorts off-topic or mismatched with your long-form niche, no matter how popular they are, can wreak havoc in the long run. Your subscribers might feel a tad puzzled when your Shorts world and long-form realm don't align. It's like showing up to a party and realizing it's a costume ball and you’re not dressed for it. YouTube's algorithm also gets confused, making it a CTR disaster.
So, keep it consistent, and your channel's harmony and performance will thank you!
How can TubeBuddy help?
Learn more about our Suggested Shorts tool which shows you the most engaging parts of your long-form videos - https://www.tubebuddy.com/tools/suggested-shorts/