Founder and CEO of Sway Group, an award-winning agency that specializes in influencer marketing with a focus on B2C nano and micro campaigns
getty
If there’s a single type of content that is now officially king, it’s mobile-friendly short-form video.
You’re probably thinking, “Great, so my business should be running to TikTok, right?” TikTok may seem like the obvious platform of choice for on-trend video marketing. After all, TikTok’s meteoric rise over a relatively short period of time has garnered all sorts of attention: Not only did TikTok outrank Google in 2021 as the most popular internet destination, but TikTok users spend an average of 95 minutes per day in the app.
However, brands that are dazzled by TikTok’s undeniable appeal may want to consider yet another contender in the short-video game: YouTube Shorts. YouTube Shorts is a relatively new offering, having officially launched globally in July 2021, but this extension of YouTube’s already powerful reach may just turn out to be the social marketing channel to win them all in 2023.
3 Ways YouTube Shorts Can Boost Your Marketing In 2023
1. You Can Expand Your Reach With A Massive Built-In Audience
YouTube Shorts offers the short-form video format while also integrating into YouTube’s larger long-form platform with nearly 2.6 billion monthly active users.
YouTube is the second-largest social media platform, coming in just behind Facebook. It’s clear that YouTube is heavily promoting Shorts, with a series of recent announcements and features that include a $100 million investment in original creator content.
Brands that experiment with Shorts have the opportunity to leverage the momentum of YouTube’s own promotional efforts. As YouTube continues to ramp up Shorts discovery and viewership, brands have a variety of ways to help users find their short-form content: in the YouTube app, on the YouTube homepage, in their notifications, in their subscriptions and more.
What sets YouTube apart from other video-centric platforms is its enormous appeal: There’s so much content among so many categories that it attracts users from all walks of life. While a brand targeting older consumers may have trouble reaching its target audience on TikTok, it’s much more likely to be able to find the 55-plus market on YouTube.
YouTube Shorts means that more brands can engage a wider audience demographic with on-trend short videos—with the added benefit of connecting Shorts content to already established YouTube presences.
2. You Can Engage Audiences In Creative New Ways
Much like TikTok, YouTube Shorts offers built-in tools with endless possibilities for content creation and display, including the ability to edit together multiple 15…….