What if I told you that the biggest opportunity to connect with customers is a platform your brand is already utilizing? And the problem is you’re just doing it wrong. Or, more accurately, you’re failing to take advantage of millions (or billions) of guaranteed views in a format that’s growing in popularity -- especially among young audiences that are incredibly tough to reach with ads.

The opportunity sitting right in front of you, of course, is YouTube Shorts.

Launched in March 2021, Shorts have been a hit from the start. And it’s no surprise either, since short videos have proven popular on every other platform, including Snapchat, TikTok, and Instagram's Reels. YouTube's Shorts is Google's response to TikTok, which alone reported over 100 million users in the U.S. as of summer 2020.

Beyond videos tagged with #Shorts, it ends up that all short videos (those running 60 seconds or less), have been hugely popular over the last year. Since the start of 2021, views of new YouTube videos less than a minute long ballooned from 64.7 billion in January to 658.4. billion (up 918%) between January and December, according to Tubular Labs data.

But uploads haven’t increased at the same rate. From January to December, uploads jumped by about 77%. So why would creators avoid taking full advantage of a video format that’s seeing explosive views growth?

One answer is… money. Videos clocking in at less than a minute (but aren’t specifically “Shorts”) don't monetize well on YouTube. And while YouTube has committed $100 million to creators of the most-engaging Shorts videos, the Shorts program doesn't offer traditional monetization options yet. Given direct-to-consumer brands’ existing emphasis on digital video, opening up this avenue could be a boon for them, in particular, as a way to gain more exposure without exorbitant ad costs.

Decreased access to ad revenue also tamps down the creator pool and the number of uploads. While more advertiser involvement increases the financial incentive of creators to utilize Shorts en masse. You can certainly see the opportunity for brands here.

Influencers with little-to-no budget are generating billions of views a year with short-form video due to lack of competition. For instance, the Moldovan Tsuriki Show had 692 million unique viewers on YouTube back in July. That's 100 million more than any other creator or property on the platform. And the content driving the boom in viewership was almost entirely through the Shorts program.

Smart creators like this can leverage Shorts to grow their audience and convert them to subscribers. In turn, they use their following to strike sponsorship deals with advertisers, who are tepid about diving into waters currently dominated by a handful of influencers.

The next steps for brands and media companies alike should be pretty straightforward, though:

1. Start partnering with top Shorts creators, or

2. Start cranking out Shorts yourself.

Partnering and Sponsoring

Shorts creators have already built an audience for Shorts content on YouTube. They've tested out video formats, quality, and duration. So long as their followers align with your target customer,  the easiest way to jump in is to partner with those that have already mastered the format. These creators have an existing ecosystem, a set cadence of engaging content, and audiences that flock to it.

It’s not much different than partnering with TikTok influencers, only it’s far less competitive at the moment, so the going rate stands to be more advantageous to advertisers. The playbook is already there for any interested in following it.

Original Content

Media companies and brands have several advantages many Shorts creators don't. One is the resources and experience in creating long-tail content. If you're looking to capitalize on the popularity of Shorts with your own brand "look," you can quickly stand out without a lot of competition. Not even 6% of global short video views on YouTube in 2021 have come from brands. There’s clearly room for growth.

And as established companies, YouTube's lack of monetization features isn't your biggest concern. After all, you're using Shorts to get eyes on your brand or product, not for incremental revenue.

Ultimately, the data is clear... YouTube Shorts are long on opportunity to connect with audiences. Go ahead and take the plunge before competitors beat you to the punch.