Modern online audiences love short-form videos. That’s one of many reasons behind the success of both TikTok as a platform and video Stories on Instagram. And it’s not exactly a new trend. Back in 2013, a new app called Vine was taking the world by storm. And though it has been discontinued since 2017, rumors still circulate that it might make a comeback.
Naturally, with such a demand for short and entertaining video material, it was only a matter of time before YouTube stepped up with its own response to the trend. Since their inception, YouTube Shorts have become one of the most beloved new features on the app. You can find content creators of various channel sizes and niches posting brief vids on their channels and raking in hundreds of thousands of views.
Now, as a channel owner yourself, you might want to get into this trend. In the paragraphs below, you’ll learn how to create and upload your very own Shorts.
YouTube Shorts Requirements
Of course, before you can actually create any Shorts, you need to have a few things set up:
- Your channel must have at least 1,000 subscribers;
- The maximum length of any Short is 60 seconds;
- You can use any audio from YouTube’s Audio Library, provided it doesn’t surpass the 15-second mark;
- Each Short you make must be shot vertically;
- Each Short you make must have a resolution of 1920:1080 pixels and an aspect ratio of 9:16.
Instructions on Shorts Creation
Content creators can upload YouTube Shorts from either their smartphone or their PC. However, creating Shorts is currently not available on PCs or tablets, only on smartphones.
The process of creating a Short is the same on both Android and iOS devices. Everything you need is already in the YouTube app:
- At the bottom of the app homepage, tap on the “+” icon.
- When the pop-up menu appears, tap Create a Short.
- Tap the red Record button once to start making the video, then once more to stop (alternatively, simply hold the button for the duration of your recording).
- For longer videos, tap the number 15 right above the Record button and change it to 60.
- For special effects, you can pick one of the following options on the side menu (and if you make a mistake during the edit, simply tap the Reverse arrow button):
-Rotating arrows, (they will switch the camera view);
-1x button (changing the speed of the Short);
-The Clock icon, (for hands-free recording);
-The Three Circles icon (for filters);
-Magic Wand (for retouching);
-The Person icon (for adding a different background, i.e., a photo or a green screen);
-The Ghost icon (for aligning transitions between multiple clips).
- Tap the ♬Add sound icon at the top of the screen to add audio to your Short.
- Save your Short by tapping the check mark.
- Finalize your Short by adding filters, text, and a music track; also, try tapping the Timeline prompt to choose when text appears during the video.
- After editing, tap Next (in the top right-hand corner of the screen).
- Choose whether your short will be Public, Unlisted, or Private.
- If needed, choose the appropriate age restriction and if the video is child-friendly.
- Tap Upload Short.
How to Create Shorts from Existing Videos
The cool thing about Shorts is that you can actually make them out of pre-existing videos, be they yours or someone else’s. The process is fairly simple. Firstly, pick a YouTube video or a live stream. It can be from your channel or somewhere else. Next, from the options below the video, tap Create.
Now, from this point, you have two different pathways. The first involves tapping Cut; the other requires tapping Sound. By choosing Cut, the segment of the video you cut for your Short will retain the original audio. On the other hand, selecting Sound will enable you to record your own audio over the Short.
No matter which pathway you opt for, your next option is to tap Next and then tap Next again when the prompt asks you to upload the Short. Fill in all the necessary info for your brief video, and finally, tap Upload Short, and voila.
Earning Money from YouTube Shorts
As of 2023, content creators can monetize their Shorts. However, before you can earn some revenue from your video snippets, you need to fulfill a few requirements. Firstly, as stated earlier, you need a channel with at least 1,000 subscribers. Next, your Shorts will need 10 million views over a period of 90 days.
Once you get the views and the subs, you can apply for the YouTube Partner Program and earn ad revenue from Shorts. The ads run between each video in the Shorts Feed. So, the money which YouTube earns from these ads will be accumulated and then used to reward the most creative Shorts creators, as well as cover the costs of music licensing.
