TikTok kickstarted the short-form video content war, and we have since seen rival social media platforms scramble to launch their own short video services and get involved with this booming digital format.
It would seem that YouTube’s version, YouTube Shorts, is performing particularly well, with recent figures revealing that the format is generating more than 50 billion daily views.
YouTube is looking to tap into and take advantage of these incredible figures, integrating the format with the YouTube Select ad presentation system. Digital brands that use YouTube Select will have their ads placed at the very start of the hottest trending Shorts.
When a user clicks on a Short to watch, the first thing they will see is Select ads. This is a fantastic opportunity for brands to maximise exposure and reach new audiences by taking advantage of this increasingly popular short-video format.
In addition, YouTube is adding Shorts to ongoing Video Reach campaigns, which utilise AI to optimise ad placement and boost efficiency.
The AI technology that powers Video Reach means that creators can upload horizontal videos that will, in turn, be optimised and adapted automatically to fit vertical screens, while also incorporating all relevant assets at the same time.
YouTube has been gradually adding more and more features to Shorts in an effort to further popularise and monetise the format. Last year, YouTube integrated the Super Thanks feature with Shorts, allowing viewers to reward their favourite creators with financial donations.
Short-form video content is more popular than ever, a trend that certainly looks set to continue for some time. As more and more social media channels develop their own short-form video services, we can expect to see much more brand involvement and further opportunities for digital marketers and businesses.
Could YouTube Shorts overtake TikTok? It seems unlikely, but anything can happen in the ever-evolving digital landscape.
