There’s no denying that platforms (and audiences) are leaning more towards ultra short-form content - and while it may be hard to know where to start, the potential to reach new audiences and grow your channel can definitely be worth it.
One creator flying high on the success of short content is Jeenie, AKA Jeenie.Weenie. With 8.5 million followers on TikTok and 4.42 million subs on YouTube, it’s safe to say that she’s cracked the code on how to consistently make content that keeps viewers coming back for more.
Speaking at an Elevating Women’s Voices program Changer is running in collab with YouTube for women YouTubers in Canada, Jeenie shared her top tips on how to best get started with short-form content.
To expand on the above:
1. Just start posting
Once you post your first short, things will get easier! You’ll find out what worked (or what didn’t) - and you can begin to work and improve for the next one.
2. Post to a schedule
Jeenie’s strategy is to create a batch of videos in one go, and then use the scheduling tool on YouTube to gradually release them - this way you’ll have a channel that is more consistently active, and you can get into a rhythm of creating and scheduling content.
3. Check out your analytics
Once the shorts are live, make sure you’re paying attention to how your audience responds! You can use your analytics to check out when your viewers are active, and what content of yours they like.
It’s also wise to check out what others in your niche are doing - see if there are any video structures or strategies that are working, and see how you can incorporate them into content that is still uniquely yours.
4. Structure content so you’re easily identifiable
Speaking of uniqueness - making your content consistent in some form will help audiences remember you and keep coming back for more. For example, Jeenie’s content will often feature her wearing her iconic red jacket and have a plane background. Creating a recognizable image will help solidify your creator image and will help towards getting a returning audience.
5. Collaborate
Collaborating with other content creators can be a great way to expand your reach beyond your own audience. A well-fitted collaboration can bring relevant and likeable content to audiences and communities that may convert over and stay for a creator’s solo content. Plus, collaborating with another creator can bring about creative ideas that might not have been thought of before.
Jeenie’s advice? Reach out to creators that you really want to collaborate with - a lot of creators are open to collaborating on content.
6. Understand the place of shorts in your overall content strategy
Shorts have the potential to bring in a wider audience to your channel - but in themselves don’t bring in a lot of money. Shorts can be a really smart way to advertise your channel, leading viewers to watch long-form videos that then potentially bring in a higher ad revenue.
Another strategy top creators like Jeenie use on their channels is to create longer videos from their short-form content. For example, the below is a compilation of Jeenie’s shorts, in a format that allows her to gain ad revenue and increase her viewer watch time.
It’s important to keep in mind that building shorts into your content strategy is a long-term process. You may get lucky, strike gold, and go viral overnight, but even Jeenie needed 4-6 months before she started seeing traction - so consistency and persistence is key.
In a similar fashion, for Saksham of Saksham’s Magic, YouTube Shorts were responsible for his explosive growth on the platform. You can check out his 3 tips for YouTube Shorts Success here - in essence, his advice is to create content that has an immediate hook and delivers on it. Creating content that satisfies the viewer needs while also bumping up your viewer retention is a recipe for success.
Check out the below episode of Creator Generation Podcast to hear Saksham explain how he created a system to grow his channel to 4.49 million subs.
Overall, YouTube Shorts might sound like a lot of work - and it can be - but since the platform is keen on growing in the area, now is the time to jump on and try out some content for your channel.
Want to get started but need an accountability partner, or want other creator feedback on your shorts? The Creator Generation Community server is waiting for you - click here to come hang out with your fellow creators for advice, events, and more!