What Does Youtube Shorts Mean: Complete Guide for 2026
YouTube Shorts are vertical videos up to 60 seconds long that appear in a dedicated feed within the YouTube app. Think of them as YouTube's answer to TikTok and Instagram Reels. They are designed for quick, engaging content that viewers consume by scrolling vertically on their phones.
The Technical Specifications
A video qualifies as a YouTube Short when it meets these criteria:
- Duration: 60 seconds or less
- Aspect ratio: Vertical (9:16) or square (1:1)
- Resolution: At least 1920x1080 pixels for best quality
You can add #Shorts to your title or description to help YouTube identify the content, but the platform usually recognizes Shorts automatically based on the video format and length.
How Shorts Differ from Regular YouTube Videos
Regular YouTube videos and Shorts serve different purposes and behave differently within the platform.
Discovery: Traditional videos rely on search, suggested videos, and subscriber notifications. Shorts get pushed through a dedicated scrolling feed that serves content based on viewer interests, similar to TikTok's For You page.
Viewing behavior: Long-form viewers typically watch intentionally, often sitting down for an extended session. Shorts viewers scroll quickly, making snap decisions about whether to keep watching within the first second or two.
Engagement metrics: For regular videos, YouTube prioritizes watch time and session duration. For Shorts, completion rate and repeat views carry more weight since the videos are so brief.
Where Shorts Appear
YouTube displays Shorts in several locations:
The Shorts shelf: A horizontal row of Shorts appears on the YouTube homepage, usually featuring content related to your viewing history.
The Shorts tab: A dedicated tab in the YouTube mobile app provides an infinite scroll of Shorts content. This is the primary way most people consume Shorts.
Search results: Shorts appear in search results when relevant to the query, though they're usually grouped together rather than mixed with regular videos.
Channel pages: Your channel displays Shorts separately from regular uploads, with a dedicated Shorts shelf or tab.
Creating Your First Short
You can create Shorts directly in the YouTube app or upload pre-made vertical videos. The in-app creation tools include:
- Recording with timer and speed controls
- Adding music from YouTube's licensed library
- Text overlays and basic editing
- Filters and effects
Many creators prefer editing Shorts in external apps like CapCut or Adobe Premiere Rush for more control, then uploading the finished video.
Shorts Monetization
YouTube introduced a revenue sharing program for Shorts in 2023. Creators in the YouTube Partner Program can earn money from ads that run between Shorts in the feed. The revenue pool is based on total Shorts views and gets distributed among creators based on their share of views.
While Shorts RPM (revenue per thousand views) is lower than traditional video ads, high view counts can still generate meaningful income.
Should Your Channel Use Shorts?
Shorts work best as part of a broader content strategy rather than a standalone approach. They excel at reaching new audiences and maintaining channel activity between major uploads. However, they typically do not build the same depth of viewer relationship that longer content provides.
Most successful channels use Shorts to attract viewers, then convert those viewers into subscribers through compelling long-form content.
Want to learn how Shorts can fit into your channel strategy?Reach out to discuss a customized approach for your content goals.
