What are the advantages of YouTube Shorts and does it compete with TikTok videos?

The nature of the content we see on YouTube has changed a lot over the years. It has shifted from short clips that grab your attention for a moment like funny videos, to long, high-quality videos with valuable content. On the other hand, “Short Films” are another way to create videos on YouTube, but this time, they focus on short videos similar to TikTok videos that have been taking social media networks by storm, setting the pace for short video uploads. Therefore, Google recently launched what is called YouTube Shorts; but this raises questions about the nature of this new feature, is it here to compete with the TikTok app and start a new era of videos with YouTube?

As we know, the usual way people create content on YouTube is by filming with a camera, editing the video, and then uploading it to the platform. Although it was possible to record and upload directly using the YouTube app on an iPhone or Android, the idea was late. Therefore, “YouTube Shorts” is essentially a strong response from Google, the owner of YouTube, to TikTok and Instagram Reels. This feature has seen a rapid increase in usage with content creators flocking to the new feature in hopes of reaching a large audience.

On March 18 this year 2021, YouTube launched for the first time the feature “Short Clips” or YouTube Shorts, and initially, the feature was limited to content creators in the United States until it became available globally. The idea is that you can easily and quickly create short videos ranging from 15 seconds up to a maximum of 60 seconds from the YouTube app. Like TikTok and Instagram Reels, there are various editing tools available to you. You can combine clips, add text, music, adjust playback speed, and more.

While you can sit and watch a traditional YouTube video on your TV or laptop, “YouTube Shorts” offers a completely different viewing experience. Like other short video platforms, these videos are supposed to be displayed vertically on your phone. In short, YouTube Shorts are 15-second videos created using smartphones or tablets and meant to be viewed on them.

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YouTube has added a dedicated section on its homepage for short videos. These videos resemble stories on Facebook and Instagram Reels with full-screen options. Available in the YouTube mobile apps for Android and iPhone. However, it’s worth noting that this feature is still in the experimental phase at the time of writing this article, so it may not appear for you yet, and the site and feature may change in the future.

The experience of viewing these short videos is completely different from watching typical YouTube videos. Since they are very short, the idea is that you can quickly navigate between them and watch a set of them in one sitting by scrolling up and down. Once you navigate to YouTube> and click on the “Short Videos” button at the bottom of the YouTube interface, these videos will start playing one after the other. You can also scroll vertically from one video to another.

The feature works very similarly to TikTok and has a similar interface. To create a “Short Clip” on your channel, you can follow these steps: First, click on the icon (+) at the bottom of the YouTube app interface> and choose “Create a Short Video”> then click on “Allow access” to the camera and microphone> now you can record a short YouTube video, adding background music, filters, adjusting speed, and timing> click “Next” to preview> and finally, you can upload your videos.

Google also provides a quick guide on how to use the YouTube Shorts feature and get the most out of it, so we recommend downloading and reviewing it if you’re interested.