In the “coming weeks”, YouTube Shorts is coming to the United States. It will be in beta form, according to Neal Mohan. Mohan is YouTube’s Chief Product Officer. YouTube Shorts is a new way for creators to express themselves in 15 seconds or less. In the India beta version there are a few tools available:
- A multi-segment camera for stringing multiple video clips together
- A library of songs to add to your video
- Speed controls
- A time and countdown for recording hands-free
The Shorts beta in India has been successful, according to metrics that Mohan shared with us. Since the beginning of December, the number of Indian channels using Shorts creation tools has more than tripled. The YouTube Shorts player is now receiving more than 3.5 billion daily views globally
While Mohan also touts YouTube’s growth with YouTube Music, YouTube TV and VR applications, YouTube has roots in short form. The first upload ever to YouTube is a 18 second video called “Me at the zoo”.
TikTok reached nearly 79 million unique visitors in December 2020, according to Comscore. Some YouTube creators have already detected a migration of viewers of particular video genres to TikTok over the past year.
TikTok also boasts a powerful set of tools for creators. Mohan promises that YouTube will be unlocking more tools for Shorts creators.
Advertisers are also turning their attention toward short form content. WPP saw significant opportunities for brands as they cemented a partnership with TikTok earlier this month.
