“YouTube Shorts” is a vertical video format of up to 60 seconds provided by YouTube. It first appeared on the heels of TikTok and Instagram Reels, and has now grown into a huge platform that boasts billions of views per month. Monetization (distribution of advertising revenue) for creators will also begin in 2023, greatly expanding business opportunities. In this article, we will explain how to effectively use YouTube Shorts and key points for monetization.
The biggest strength of YouTube Shorts: “The hugeness of the existing platform”
The biggest advantage of YouTube Shorts compared to other short video SNS is that it is seamlessly connected to YouTube, a huge search engine and video platform.
Even if a video goes viral on TikTok, it can be difficult to direct users from there to your website or long YouTube videos. However, with YouTube Shorts, the process of ``gaining recognition with a short video, leading people to the long video (main video) on the same channel, and converting them into fans’’ is completed within the platform.
Utilization strategies for companies and creators
1. Short story for “new acquisition”, long story for “fan development”
Short videos have overwhelming reach because they are more likely to appear in the feeds of new users who have not subscribed to your channel (short funds).
- Role of short videos: Shorten entertainment elements and useful information that tend to go viral to gain wide and shallow recognition. (Example: “How to make omelet rice that never fails”)
- Role of long videos: Provide deeper information to users who are interested in short videos and turn them into core fans. (Example: “A thorough explanation of the history of omelet rice and professional cooking tools”)
2. “Cut (repurpose)” past long videos
Even if you don’t have to shoot a new short video, you can make a great short video by simply cutting out the most exciting scene'' or important conclusion’’ of a previously posted long video and re-editing it within 60 seconds. YouTube’s mobile app also has the ability to create shorts directly from existing videos.
Monetize YouTube Shorts (Partner Program)
Starting in February 2023, if you meet the YouTube Partner Program (YPP) conditions, you will be able to share revenue from ads that appear between short video plays.
Conditions for monetization (as of 2026)
One of the following must be met:
- 1,000 or more subscribers + 4,000 hours or more of long-form videos watched in the past 12 months
- Over 1,000 subscribers + Over 10 million short video views in the past 90 days
It is not easy to achieve 10 million views with just a short video, but the explosive power when it goes viral is not comparable to a long video.
The Reality of Profitability
At present, the playback price (RPM) for short videos alone is quite low compared to long videos (in-stream ads) (about a few sen to 0.1 yen per playback). Therefore, rather than make a lot of money just from advertising revenue from short videos,'' it is important to have an overall funnel design that gather recognition and subscribers with short videos, and monetize them through affiliate sales, sales of your own products, or views of long videos.''
Summary
YouTube Shorts is not just a trendy short video tool, but a powerful weapon for cultivating new customers within the huge YouTube ecosystem. Monetizing short videos alone is attractive, but the quickest route to success is to use them strategically as ``a device to guide long-form videos and your own business.''