YouTube Shorts: An Introductory Guide

A new article on Search Engine Journal reports that YouTube's quick and entertaining video format did very well in its first year. Here's everything you need to know about YouTube Shorts.



YouTube launched the beta version of Shorts in India on Sept. 14, 2020, prompting some people to ask, "What is YouTube Shorts?" Then, YouTube rolled out Shorts in the United States on Mar. 18, 2021. And some skeptics began to ask, "Can YouTube Shorts be monetized?" Next, YouTube introduced a $100 million Shorts Fund on May 11, 2021. And some creators started to ask, "How do I get more engagement and views on YouTube Shorts?" Finally, YouTube rolled out Shorts in more than 100 countries around the world on July 12, 2021. This prodded some marketers to ask, "Which content creators are using YouTube Shorts?"

You should always play to your strengths. But the YouTube audience tends to segment itself based on their interests and habits. As for content categories, the top 10 categories in the US with the largest number of Shorts uploaded in the last 365 days are:

• Video Games ‎(69,200).
• Video Game Genres ‎(52,900).
• Pop Culture & Entertainment ‎(50,400).
• Music ‎(40,700).
• Action Video Games ‎(27,400).
• Video Game Franchises ‎(27,300).
• Social Media ‎(26,300).
• Food & Drink ‎(24,500).
• Sports ‎(23,000).
• Role-Playing Video Games ‎(22,500).

However, the top 10 content categories with the most Shorts that have at least 5 million views and 100,000 engagements are:

• Pop Culture & Entertainment ‎(3,220).
• Humor ‎(1,704).
• Video Games ‎(1,316).
• Music ‎(1,213).
• Social Media ‎(1,192).
• Food & Drink ‎(1,063).
• Video Game Franchises ‎(895).
• Video Game Genres ‎(878).
• People & Lifestyles ‎(810).
• Jokes & Pranks ‎(807).

Now, YouTube Shorts is celebrating its first anniversary. And some influencers are asking, "Will YouTube Shorts replace TikTok?" These are all good questions. This article answers them using actual data instead of scientific wild-assed guesses.