How to Start Marketing with YouTube Shorts: A Beginner’s Guide
YouTube Shorts are one of the fastest-growing content formats on the internet. With over 2 billion monthly logged-in users watching Shorts, this vertical video format offers a massive opportunity for brands and creators to reach new audiences, drive engagement, and build awareness—without needing a big production budget.
If you’re new to using Shorts for marketing, here’s a step-by-step guide to get started.
What Are YouTube Shorts?
YouTube Shorts are short-form vertical videos, typically under 60 seconds, designed for mobile-first viewing. They appear in a dedicated Shorts feed and can go viral quickly thanks to YouTube’s recommendation algorithm.
Key features:
- Vertical format (9:16)
- Up to 60 seconds long
- Accessible via the YouTube app or desktop
- Includes features like music overlays, captions, and filters
Why Use Shorts for Marketing?
- Reach: Shorts are prioritized in YouTube’s algorithm and can help you tap into massive organic distribution.
- Efficiency: Short videos are easier and faster to produce than long-form content.
- Engagement: Viewers tend to like, comment, and share Shorts more often, increasing interaction with your brand.
- Cross-promotion: Shorts can be used to drive traffic to your long-form videos, product pages, or other social platforms.
Step-by-Step: How to Start Marketing with YouTube Shorts
1. Define Your Goal
Before creating anything, decide what you want from your Shorts:
- Brand awareness?
- Product promotion?
- Lead generation?
- Channel growth?
Clear goals help shape your content strategy and messaging.
2. Know Your Audience
Understand what your target viewers care about:
- What problems do they have?
- What questions do they ask?
- What type of content do they engage with?
Use YouTube Analytics, Reddit threads, comments, or customer feedback for insights.
3. Choose Your Content Style
Some common, high-performing Shorts formats include:
- Quick how-tos or tutorials
- Product showcases or demos
- Tips or hacks
- Founder or team stories
- Customer testimonials
- Before-and-after transformations
- Behind-the-scenes clips
Use trending audio or music to increase discoverability.
4. Script and Shoot Your First Short
- Hook the viewer in the first 2 seconds
- Keep it simple—one idea per video
- Use big, readable text on screen
- Film in 9:16 vertical format
- Good lighting and clear audio matter more than fancy gear
You can shoot with a smartphone, edit using tools like CapCut or Premiere Rush, and upload directly via the YouTube app.
5. Optimize for Discovery
- Title: Use a clear, engaging title with relevant keywords
- Hashtags: Add #Shorts plus relevant tags (#marketingtips, #productdemo, etc.)
- Thumbnail: YouTube often auto-generates this, but choose a strong frame if possible
- Description: Include a CTA (e.g., link to your website, other videos, or product page)
6. Post Consistently
Shorts thrive on volume and experimentation. Aim to post 2–4 times per week to start. Analyze which videos perform best and iterate from there.
Look at:
- Watch time
- Click-through rate
- Comments and likes
- Subscriber growth
7. Repurpose and Cross-Promote
The same video can be reused (with slight tweaks) for:
- Instagram Reels
- TikTok
- Facebook Stories
- LinkedIn posts (if relevant)
This multiplies your reach without requiring additional content creation.
Final Tips for Success
- Keep branding subtle—focus on value, not hard selling
- Use CTAs like “Subscribe for more,” “Visit our site,” or “Watch the full video”
- Engage with comments to boost visibility and community
YouTube Shorts are a low-cost, high-reward channel for building awareness and trust. Start small, stay consistent, and iterate as you learn what works best for your audience.
