What if your brand could tap into millions of new YouTube views in just a few seconds of video?
Many brands struggle to gain traction on YouTube Shorts, feeling overwhelmed by the competition and unsure of where to begin. A lot of marketers don’t even use YouTube Shorts in fear of getting it wrong.
This post will offer a step-by-step guide on how brands can go from zero to hero, using successful case studies and proven strategies to build engagement through YouTube Shorts. Read more to find out how brands use YouTube Shorts to significantly grow their reach.
Why YouTube Shorts Matter for Brands
Launched in 2020, YouTube Shorts was YouTube’s answer to TikTok and Instagram Reels, letting users post short, vertical videos that last up to 60 seconds.
Since its launch, YouTube Shorts has seen rapid growth: today, it hits over 70 billion views a day. With more than 2 billion logged-in monthly users watching YouTube Shorts according to Google data, marketers have the ability to capture the attention of a massive, engaged audience.
Here are a few reasons why YouTube Shorts matter for brands:
- Increased Discoverability: YouTube’s algorithm heavily promotes Shorts. This makes it far easier for brands to gain visibility than on other platforms.
- Cost-Effective Content: Creating short-form videos doesn’t take the same resources as longer content. This means far less expensive promotional content. You can create videos directly from your mobile device, edit them, and load them up.
- High Engagement: The format of YouTube Shorts encourages users to watch videos to the end, which increases engagement rates. Also, YouTube’s integration with its main platform means brands can benefit from the built-in user base. This will lead to more likes, comments, and shares.
- Cross-Platform Appeal: The short, vertical video format used in YouTube Shorts is similar to TikTok and Instagram Reels, making it easy for marketers to repurpose content, letting you run the same content across multiple social media platforms.
YouTube Shorts Success Stories
Let’s take a look at a few YouTube Shorts success stories, with specific lessons for marketers.
Engaging can be Easy
With Shorts, you can create content easily and affordably. The company Beardbrand, for example, doesn’t throw extensive resources at creating content for Shorts. They stick to a single theme for their short-form content, all under the banner of “beard transformations.” Their content appeals to the typical man with an unruly beard who wants to look a bit more chic.
Their content isn’t overly styled, but rather more aligned to the “rawness” that appeals to men. It’s short and engaging content that is easy to digest. Of course, they do punt the occasional Beadbrand product to help men tame their beardly beast.
Small is OK
You don’t need to be a massive brand to stand out on Shorts. Just make sure that your content is genuine and resonates with your target audience. Take Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for example. They’ve created a series of short-form videos that regularly get thousands of views and hundreds of likes.
Their engagement rates are impressive, because they are creating content that is both useful and timely. You can replicate this yourself by carefully considering your target audience and their pain points. Big or small, if you give users content that resonates, you’ll see your engagement rates fly.
Engage Authentically
A lot of marketers believe that they are doing their job correctly by sticking to a content plan and pushing out content on a regular basis. The mistake they often make is that they’re not being authentic. A good example of what we mean here is with Texas State University. Their strategy is to include more genuine human voices in their short-video content.
This creates more brand personality: a sense that users are connecting with real people and not just another brand. Don’t be afraid to showcase some of the people in your business, without using overly scripted or produced content. Be more real and you’ll attract a much wider audience.
Immersion is Powerful
While raw content works for most, there are other ways to draw users in, such as immersive content. Take a look at Hendil as an example. Hendil is all about the world of ASMR, where he posts content that helps users relax, focus, and sleep. He doesn’t post just any content though – he cleverly manipulates stock footage and snippets from movies and video games to make his viewers feel like they’re part of their fantasy world of choice.
This is a powerful way to really draw the user in, where they can get lost in the content that you are giving them. Consider stock footage that would resonate with your brand and weave it into your videos. Consider your audio carefully as well. If you get it right, you’ll be giving users an immersive product and your followers will grow.
Leveraging Trends
Remember that users don’t want to see dated content. They want news and info on things happening right now. This is where ESPN excels, using YouTube Shorts to post a steady stream of commentary, game highlights, and trending sports news. By doing so they are engaging with sports fans who prefer quick, digestible content.
For your brand, consider what current trends you can leverage. The best way to do so is to sign up for newsletters or social channels relevant to your business. When the moment arrives, strike with a short-form video.
Create Excitement
If you can get your audience excited about your video content, you’ll see your engagement rates and following skyrocket. You need to carefully consider what content you are going to feed to them and how it builds up this excitement.
One way to do this is with unboxing videos. You can do this with a wide range of products, from a consumer product that might appeal to a wide audience, to something a bit more niche. The unboxing of Percy Pig’s Fabulous Goody Basket from M&S is a great example of one of the many YouTube marketing strategies done well.
Instruction is Engaging
When YouTube’s main platform first arrived, instructional videos were all the rage. You could learn to do anything, from fixing a part on your car to understanding a complex business subject. It’s very much still the same today, and YouTube Shorts gives you a great opportunity to draw an audience in with short instructional videos.
Take a look at Apple for example. Their Shorts content is focused heavily on snippets of helpful tips and hints. From unique features of a new release to how to use Apple Pay, their content is helpful and concise. Do the same for your business by creating short-form videos that will help solve a particular pain point of your target audience. Just remember that you only have 60 seconds, so focus on one specific element as opposed to a broader problem.
Marketer’s Takeaway
YouTube Shorts gives marketers a great opportunity to quickly grow a following and reach high levels of engagement. Create content that is genuine and specifically focused on your target audience, with content themes that are current and relevant.
By starting small, leveraging trends, and tracking key metrics, you can grow your brand on YouTube Shorts and connect with a large audience.
If you’re looking to get started with YouTube Shorts, Media Shower’s AI-powered platform can help you create engaging content – backed by a full creative team to produce your Shorts videos. Start your free trial of our platform.