18th January, 2024
4min Read
Author: Hannah
Industry experts have suggested that YouTube is gearing up to take over the social media landscape in 2024 and its secret weapon – short-form content.
Last year saw the rise and fall of several social media platforms rise and fall, such as Meta’s Threads and BeReal. Despite having their day in the sun, these apps quickly faded into the background and failed to be real contenders against big players like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
In contrast, YouTube has seen unwavering popularity in recent years; more than 1 billion hours of video content are consumed per day on the platform. It is the world’s second-largest search engine, after Google, and the second most popular social media platform, with 2.49 billion active users, ahead of WhatsApp and Instagram.
In fact, one-quarter of YouTube users say they frequently discover new brands and products through YouTube ads, which reach 86% of internet users in the UK. YouTube’s success is primarily due to the prevalence of influencers, who are a major driving force for engagement.
But the question remains: How can you leverage YouTube within your marketing plan?
The Rise of YouTube Shorts
YouTube has always been a powerful platform for content creators, especially during the early 2000s, which saw vlogs become crucial to the platform’s DNA. However, recently, YouTube Shorts have risen to prominence. Much like TikTok videos, these short clips are 60 seconds long, filmed in vertical format, and offer bite-sized content that appeals to the masses.
According to YouTube, Shorts now gather over 70 billion daily views. They offer the perfect medium for online advertising, and brands are beginning to recognise this. For example, Clash of Clans managed to amass over 90 million views and 3 million likes solely from a 60-second short clip.
Therefore, it’s no surprise that marketers believe YouTube Shorts should play a key role in your 2024 marketing strategy. To find out how to integrate YouTube Shorts into your marketing plan, contact Puddle Agency today!
Google Search Integration
Perhaps YouTube’s pièce de résistance as an advertising platform is that it’s owned by Google, the most-used search engine of all time.
You may have noticed that if you type a ‘how to’ query into Google nine times out of ten, you are met with a helpful YouTube video or YouTube Short. Because YouTube is integrated into Google, its videos consistently rank very well.
To optimise your YouTube Shorts and ensure they rank as highly as possible, you can add keywords, catchy descriptions, eye-catching thumbnails, and captions. This will maximise the number of people who see your content, giving your brand more visibility and boosting sales.
Is it really worth it?
You might wonder if it’s really worth venturing into the unknown. Perhaps you already use YouTube for advertising and don’t see the point of YouTube shorts.
According to YouTube, advertisers that regularly release short videos see a 10% to 20% increase in conversions per dollar compared to campaigns that only use traditional landscape videos.
Shorts can involve anyone and everyone, from creators to celebrities, brands to performers. It offers an exciting way to reach new audiences and build brand awareness. It’s no wonder they’re becoming such a popular marketing tool, which you should definitely consider going into 2024.
Top tips for creating effective YouTube Shorts
You might be thinking all of this sounds great, but how do I actually create an impactful YouTube Short that will get results? Don’t fear; here are a few top tips that could help.
- Grab attention quickly. Hook your audience within seconds through thumb-stopping visuals, questions, and overlays.
- Stay on trend. Follow the latest trends, immerse yourself in social media, and inspire yourself from the brands around you.
- Maintain brand essence. Staying on-trend is important, but try to maintain the essence of your brand. Your brand identity makes you stand out, so don’t be afraid to celebrate it.
- Test, test, test. Find what content works best for you and your audience. The videos you release should serve a purpose and help to drum up business; you won’t always get it right the first time, but that’s an integral part of the process.
Call us at +44 (0) 113 8561930 to explore more unique marketing opportunities, like YouTube shorts, and elevate your marketing plan.
