With over 2.58 billion monthly active users, YouTube is arguably the largest long-form video-sharing platform and the 4th-most-popular social media platform. This makes it a great platform for increasing brand awareness and building brand trust. However, with a diverse range of content formats, metrics, and audiences, creating outstanding YouTube content can prove challenging.

To succeed on YouTube, you need a good understanding of the difference between long-form and short-form content and how you can leverage the two-content format to grow your channel. In this article, we will guide you on how you can combine long-form and short videos to take your YouTube channel to the next level.

Importance of Combining Long-Form With Short Videos

Many YouTube content creators are often torn between long-form and short-form content. The answer to this question lies in balancing the two content formats to ensure the maximum ROI without burning out. The numbers tell a different story: YouTube Shorts generate over 200 billion views every day. On the other hand, long-form videos are ideal for boosting watch time and ad revenue per viewer. Therefore, to generate sustained growth, it is recommended to use both formats.

For instance, you can leverage YouTube Shorts to grow your following. The short, in this case, acts as a funnel, drawing people into the longer, more deeply engaging longform content. Instead of choosing between long-form and short-form content, you create a conversion system that feeds on one another.

The Business Case of YouTube Longform Videos

YouTube long-form videos usually last more than three minutes and require more resources to produce. On the other hand, longer videos often have a higher ROI than short-form videos because the content can be evergreen. Because they drive viewer engagement, long-form YouTube videos can be a good choice for increasing your content's reach, driving sales, and building trust.

Pros of Long-Form YouTube Videos

YouTube’s long-form videos have several benefits, such as:

Creating a Loyal Fan Base

With the long-form YouTube videos, you can dive deeper into a topic, which is a good format for sharing in-depth tutorials and behind-the-scenes videos. This content format can be a good choice for fostering a deeper, more personal connection with your audience. You can, therefore, use the content format to position yourself as an expert and a thought leader in your niche.

Higher Sales Potential and Revenue

YouTube long-form videos can be a good choice for explaining your product features and what makes them valuable and unique. It can offer a detailed approach that influences your potential customers, especially those looking to buy higher-priced products.

Better Discoverability in the Search Engines

The shelf life of long-form content is usually longer. That means the content will continue to attract viewers months or even years after its upload, especially if viewers find its format valuable. That is why, when using this content format. It's also advisable to use YouTube SEO to optimize your content.

Drawbacks of Long-Form Content

On the other hand, the long-form content format can have its drawbacks, such as:

• Time-consuming. Creating long-form videos takes more effort, as you need to plan, script, film, and even edit them. If your brand has tight schedules and limited resources, this can prove challenging.
• Slower growth in views. YouTube videos usually take longer to gain traction. While they can drive long-term engagement, you will struggle to gain views, unlike Shorts, which can go viral easily.

Key Metrics to Track on YouTube Long-form Videos

When determining the success of your long-form YouTube videos, you should track various metrics such as:

CTR (Click-through Rate)

CTR is a metric that shows how often people click on your video titles and thumbnails. It’s a metric that shows your video’s ability to capture interest and attention. When you compare the CTR of different videos, you can identify the titles and thumbnails that drive the most views, thereby refining your approach to attract more clicks and interest.

Create thumbnails with clear visuals that effectively represent your video content. When designing the thumbnail, you can zoom it to determine how it will look on YouTube. You can also evaluate whether the thumbnail can effectively and clearly represent the video content.

Watch Time (Total Minutes Watched)

Watch time is a total metric that shows how many hours your video has been viewed, which is an important metric for the YouTube algorithm. When the YouTube algorithm realizes that your videos are receiving high watch time, it interprets that as a sign of engagement, leading to higher visibility in search results and to your content being recommended. You can increase your video watch time by focusing on content that drives viewer engagement and prioritizing the best-performing videos.

Average Retention Rate and View Duration

The average view duration of your videos is a metric that indicates how long each viewer watched the video. This is an important metric that can show the video’s engagement level and its effectiveness in retaining viewers. One of the ways of boosting retention and driving viewers’ engagement is by creating outstanding hooks at the beginning that draw the viewer’s interest. When you discover a section that runs slowly, you can trim it to prevent viewers from dropping off. 

Engagement Rate

The engagement rate is a metric that reflects how well the video connects with your audience. It is a good metric for showing your ability to spark interesting conversations or provide shareable, useful content. If your videos are getting high engagement, it’s an indication that they resonate with the target audience. This is, therefore, a good metric that can guide your content creation efforts in the future.

One of the top ways to increase your engagement is to add prompts in the video to encourage viewers to like, share, and comment. You can also host giveaways and contests that incentivise your audience to engage more. When viewers comment on your videos, respond to their comments to foster a sense of community.

Tips for Creating Outstanding Long-Form YouTube Videos

Now that you understand the pros, cons, and features of long-form content to watch, here are tips to succeed with long-form YouTube videos:

Choose a Good Topic

Choosing the right topics to cover in your long-form content can be challenging, so start by understanding your audience’s needs and interests, and take time to read the comments people leave on your competitor’s videos that need answers. You can also leverage social listening tools to gain deeper insights into your audience’s conversations and understand what people are saying about your brand. 

Are there any customer frustrations or product knowledge gaps that need to be addressed? These insights can be helpful when creating content that addresses your audience’s needs. It can help increase trust and strengthen your connections with viewers.

Make Some Clear Expectations at the Beginning

An important element of Shorts is the hook, which should appear within the first few seconds. However, when creating longer videos, your goal should be to hook your audience in the first 30 seconds. When your viewers understand what to expect from your videos, you can maintain their interest and achieve higher watch time. Clear expectations can include sharing a quick summary of what viewers will gain from watching the videos.

Make Your Videos Free of Clutter

You can increase viewers’ engagement by removing unnecessary elements from your videos. When doing that, consider your audience and focus more on the part they will find most valuable and interesting.

Engage with Audiences

When creating long-form YouTube videos, focus on creating content that resonates with your target audience. Look for ways to add some relatable narratives or UGC to foster a deeper connection with viewers. When your audience sees your authentic side, they are more likely to engage with your content, resulting in a higher brand recall.

A Business Case For YouTube Shorts

As the name suggests, YouTube Shorts are videos that are usually less than a minute long. This content format works well for large-scale brand discovery. With the YouTube algorithm promoting Shorts, optimizing your Shorts can help you reach thousands of viewers quickly, even if you have no subscribers or a watch history.

Key Short Metrics to Consider

When considering the performance of your YouTube Short videos, you should consider various metrics such as:

• Engagement rate. According to a 2024 study, YouTube Shorts has one of the highest engagement rates among short video platforms at 5.91%, with TikTok coming second at 5.75%. Facebook reels had the lowest engagement at 2%.
• Shareability. YouTube Shorts have an average share rate of 1.8 per 1,000 views, which is usually higher than that of traditional YouTube videos.
• View velocity. When you create viral shorts, you can gain thousands of views within a few hours of uploading.
• Comments engagement. Shorts have an average like-to-view ratio of 0.9%, which is considerably higher than the 0.45% for long-form content.

Despite the discovery advantage, there are limitations on monetization. According to research, the CPM (revenue per 1000 views) for shorts is usually 60-80% lower than that of long-form videos. This can be attributed to lower watch time and limited ad placement options. However, shorts can offer significant value for your business in different situations, such as:

• Channel discovery. If you are a new creator looking to build your subscriber base, shorts can be a better option. Because the algorithm aggressively promotes short-form content, this can be a good option for emerging channels that long-form content can’t match in terms of velocity.
• Video validation. Before you can invest heavily in long-form content, you can experiment with the idea. Three content formats can be an important mechanism for validation. When you realize that a video concept doesn't engage in 60 seconds, it will struggle to hold the audience’s attention for over 10 minutes.
• Brand presence. If you are an established creator, shorts can help you maintain visibility and drive audience engagement. This is because they signal channel activity to both your audience and algorithms.
• Identification of niche audiences. Short-form video content can be a good choice for attracting different segments of the audience. Some niches, such as dance, comedy, and quick tutorials, often excel in short-form content. Depending on your niche, you might have a larger Shorts audience.

Tips for Creating Outstanding YouTube Shorts

 To ensure success with YouTube Shorts, use the following tips:

Understand the YouTube Shorts Algorithm

The YouTube Shorts algorithm uses a system that relies on signals like engagement rate and watch time to recommend videos. The goal is to provide viewers with videos they find interesting, so they stay on the forum longer and keep coming back. To determine which videos to show to viewers, the algorithm considers the average view duration. This metric is obtained by dividing total watch time by plays. If your audience regularly skips videos before completing them, those videos will be recommended to users less often than others.

You can boost the views of your short-form videos using certain best practices, such as:

• Adding a scroll-stopping hook. It’s advisable to ensure your shorts begin with a strong hook. They should start with an element of entertainment and intrigue to add value.
• Conduct competitor research. Competitor research doesn’t mean you copy their content. It means getting inspired by their content. Therefore, check your competitor’s videos to see the content generating the most views and see how you can create better content than them. You can also experiment with different Short features, such as styles, formats, and video length.

Use an Attention-Grabbing Title and Description

The title is one of the most important factors in determining whether people click on your Shorts. It will not only prevent viewers from swiping to the next video but also increase engagement and discoverability. When creating the title and description, ensure they accurately reflect the video and align with your overall subject or niche. This can be an effective way to improve your search engine visibility.

Additionally, creating informative and high-quality content can lead to more likes, shares, and comments, increasing engagement and causing the algorithm to recommend your Shorts even more. Use the description to add context to the video’s subject. This can help search engines index content faster, allowing the short to reach a larger audience.

Understand the Elements of High-Quality Videos

The number one factor in the success of your YouTube Shorts is the quality of your videos and how well they meet your target audience's needs. When we speak of high-quality content, we mean a strong storyline with great visuals and audio that easily capture the viewer’s attention. 

Here are a few tips:

• Video quality. Ensure that you have the necessary tools for video production to ensure crisp images and visuals.
• Original content. Make sure the content in your Short videos is original and unique, so they stand out from the competition. If you are creating a short on non-original content, you can offer a fresh perspective. For instance, you can use storytelling to introduce a challenge for your target audience to overcome. You can also build the climax by offering important insights and providing a satisfying closure that shows the journey’s transformation.

Create Trending Content with Trending Music/Sound

A  good idea when creating YouTube Shorts is to focus on trending content. Whether it’s a meme, a challenge, or a song, you should focus on creating a video that taps into a viral trend. Also, use trending music and sounds in your video to boost your content's discoverability. 

Here are tips for using trending sounds and music:

• Check the YouTube audio library. This offers a wide variety of sounds and tracks you can use in your short videos.
• Add music to the content. Instead of simply adding a popular song to your content, you can make it part of the content. Use storytelling, synchronized cuts, and even choreographic movement to match the music tone and beat.
• Choose your genre’s music. When you add the right sounds with visuals, you can enhance the impact of your Shorts video.
• Get a license for the music. The choice of music can impact your revenue, and therefore, you should be careful to use sound efforts and music that doesn't violate copyright. Either obtain a license to use the music or select royalty-free music on platforms such as Envato.

Drive Engagement

To increase your content’s reach and gain more dedicated followers, engage in conversations with your audience. You can drive your audience’s engagement on YouTube Shorts in different ways, such as:

• Responding to comments. When your audience comments on your posts, respond to them. Also, host giveaways, ask your audience questions, and send them a shoutout. This can be a good strategy to increase audience engagement, which also signals to YouTube that you are creating highly relevant videos.
• Host Lives/Q&As. You can drive user engagement by hosting Q&A and live sessions. This will enable your viewers to interact with your content in real-time, creating a sense of community. The events can also help you promote shorts and generate traffic for them.

Be Consistent in Posting

If you want to leverage YouTube Shorts to grow your audience, you need to maintain a consistent posting schedule. When you create a posting schedule and adhere to it, not only will it satisfy your audience’s need for fresh content, but it can also help drive consistent engagement, enabling sustainable channel growth in the long run. 

There are several tips you can use to maintain a consistent posting schedule. These include:

• Choose the right posting schedule. This could be once a week or every day.
• Ensure that your audience understands what you will be posting. You can let them know when they should expect fresh content from your channel. You can even create short video teasers before your actual posting date to drive the hype.
• Consider batch creation. You can create several videos and edit them simultaneously to save time and ensure a consistent flow of ready-to-post content.

Use Hashtags

Make sure you add two to three hashtags in your short video description to boost the content’s reach. Many creators also create some specific hashtags for their product launches. When used well, they enhance YouTube SEO and help YouTube better categorize your content, making it easier to reach your target audience.

When viewers click on or search for a hashtag, your videos will be among the results. When you strategically use relevant, popular hashtags, you will attract more views, drive engagement, and grow your YouTube Shorts audience.

Cross-Promote Your Shorts

Short-form content has an advantage in that it's perfect for repurposing and redistribution. You can cross-promote your shorts on other platforms, such as Instagram Reels and TikTok. You can even embed the shorts in your website to drive visitor engagement. By redistributing your shorts across other social media platforms, you can reach a larger audience and maximize the content's reach. 

In Conclusion: Creating a Hybrid System

The best YouTube growth strategy is the one that combines a long-form and Shorts video strategy. According to various studies, creators who combine YouTube Shorts with long-form videos as part of their growth strategy experience 41% higher channel growth than those who don't. This is because a hybrid system that combines both formats can leverage the benefits of each format.

The short videos can be effective for a short-funnel audience because they are promoted by the algorithm, are low-friction, and made specifically for casual viewers. On the other hand, the long-form content is perfect for converting the audience into subscribers and community members. The videos can help build their trust and show your expertise. 

Therefore, use the steps above to combine long-form and short videos for your YouTube growth. You can read our guide on repurposing podcast clips for YouTube Shorts and TikTok.