My failed experiment with YouTube Shorts
As misguided as a time-traveling Steve Urkel.
When YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, or any other social platform implements a new feature, they heavily push it to entice users to give it a try. Early adopters of these features get a lot of visibility because there isn’t a ton of content in that space yet, and whatever is there gets a big boost.
When YouTube Shorts was first launched to compete with TikTok and Instagram Reels, all of the experts I was watching at the time recommended, “Hey, use Shorts, test it out—you’re going to bring a lot more traffic to your channel.”
My “totally tubular” YouTube Shorts…
The long-form content I usually create doesn’t naturally fit the vertical, short-form format. With less than three seconds to hook the audience before they swipe away, it’s a tough sell. But I figured nostalgia—specifically ‘80s and ‘90s pop culture—has a much broader appeal. People who stop to watch these types of videos would certainly be in the proper age group for my target audience; if a percentage of them are also interested in content creation and check out my channel, they’ll subscribe. Essentially, I tried to use Shorts to narrow the audience down to the right age group and hope that a percentage of them are also aspiring content creators.
In theory, this made sense.
I posted a Short about the ‘80s movie Rad, which features a bike dance at prom—something everyone at my elementary school was obsessed with back then. I figured if someone my age saw that in their feed, they would definitely stop and watch. I created multiple Shorts about specific Saved by the Bell episodes, as well as one about Saved by the Bell: The College Years, covering the plot of the entire series in 60 seconds. I made one about an episode of Webster where he gets locked in a hidden room with a creepy doll and one about Out of This World, an often-forgotten show where a teenage girl has an alien dad who gives her magical powers.
I also made a Short about Family Matters and how weird it got when Urkel started changing his DNA, turning into Bruce Lee, and time traveling, among other bonkers plots:
On TikTok, this same Family Matters video has over 120,000 views; more on this later.
Collectively, these Shorts have over 26,000 views, and each one would bring in anywhere from 10-20 new subscribers the day they’re posted.
…NOT!
Subsequently, every time I’d post a long-form video, I’d lose most of those new subscribers. They came here for the ‘80s and ‘90s stuff—and that’s not what they’re getting. To them, it’s a bait and switch, and they bail. Can’t blame them; I’m sure I’d do the same.
My hope was that if I brought, say, 1000 people to my channel via the nostalgia commentary, and ten percent of them had an interest in content creation, that would still bring in hundreds of new people who may be interested in the main content. But I was essentially creating content for two different audiences (even if they were the same age).
Occasionally, it worked—if I gained 10 subscribers and one stuck around, that was still one more than I would have had otherwise. However, that growth was negligible; in the long run, better growth comes when your short-form and long-form content are aligned. Clearly defining who your audience is and consistently speaking to them makes a huge difference.
An aside about TikTok: For the record, I don’t consume content on TikTok. It scares the crap out of me. My thought process was that I’ve already created these vertical videos for YouTube, so why not load them to a TikTok account and see what happens? When the Family Matters one took off, the constant notifications were overwhelming. I continued to load other videos there, but I would deliberately log in, upload the video, and log out for fear of accidentally reading any comments that might crush my soul.
The Family Matters one got 120,000 views over there. The Saved by the Bell ones: 10,000–20,000 views. I haven’t logged in for at least six or seven months, but last I checked, these videos were still generating a significant number of views, and I get occasional email notifications about new comments, follows, and reposts. If TikTok doesn’t imminently go away, I might explore continuing to create ‘80s and ‘90s content there, where it seems to perform well.
If you’re over 40 and active on TikTok, let me know in the comments—I’d love to know what your experience has been.
My YouTube Shorts still get lots of views. During the breaks I take from posting long-form videos, the Shorts are the only videos on my channel consistently getting engagement. But they continue to attract the wrong audience—people who won’t necessarily be interested in the content I’m more passionate about making.
Even though this approach hasn’t worked out for me in the long run, I’m glad I experimented. I had an idea, ran with it, and gained a handful of subscribers who stuck around for the long haul. It was fun to make those videos, and they resonated with people, judging by the views and engagement.
Creating YouTube Shorts brings more visibility to your channel because they get served to people all over the world who are randomly scrolling; they don’t choose to click on your videos like regular YouTube, they’re inserted into their feed as they’re scrolling. There’s endless potential there. But for Shorts to bring in a dedicated audience, you have to make sure that your short-form content aligns with your long-form content. Otherwise, you’ll have a revolving door of subscribers who come for one thing and leave once they realize that’s not what you actually do.
I’ve seen vloggers execute this strategy really well. They release their long-form content and then make a highlight version, turning it into a vertical 60-second trailer. My favorite vlogger, Mikee Rogers, does this brilliantly. He releases 20–30-minute vlogs and then condenses them into engaging 60-second teasers with voiceovers like, “Join me today as I do this, this, and this.” It draws people in and encourages them to watch the full-length content.
Experimenting with YouTube Shorts gave my channel exposure I wouldn’t have had otherwise. These videos still pull in views, especially during slower periods. But if you’re serious about long-term growth, aligning your Shorts with your main content is essential. Otherwise, you’re not building an audience; you’re just attracting passersby.
Growth only matters if it’s leading you in the right direction. Chasing views is tempting, but if it comes at the cost of making content you don’t actually care about, is it really worth it?
Too old.
No comment.