YouTube Shorts are a numbers game. Any time you upload, you want to rack up as many views as possible. And with a mind-boggling 70 billion daily views on the platform, there’s every chance you can grab a piece of the action and get more views on YouTube Shorts.
Huge YouTubers like Alan Chikin Chow and Daniel LaBelle have cracked the YouTube Shorts code and regularly get millions of views. We’ve dug into the secrets of their success to provide you with the blueprint to reach bigger audiences.
So if you want to give your clips the best chance to explode, read our 14 simple tips on how to get more views on YouTube Shorts.
- Why are views on YouTube Shorts important?
- What counts as a view on YouTube Shorts?
- 14 tips for getting more views on YouTube Shorts
- Why are your YouTube Shorts not getting views?
Why are views on YouTube Shorts important?
Getting more views on YouTube Shorts is a key part of growing your channel and earning money from your content. Each view is essentially a person making a choice to watch your content. So the more views you get, the bigger your audience is. And once you’re monetizing your channel, you’ll get paid more for these extra views.
Want to get paid for your YouTube Shorts? If you’ve hit 1,000 subscribers and 10 million Shorts views in the last 90 days, you can apply to join the YouTube Partner Program.
What counts as a view on YouTube Shorts?
YouTube doesn’t share what counts as a view on YouTube Shorts, because they don’t want people to cheat the system. What we do know is Shorts only counts a view when someone deliberately watches a video.
This means the way a viewer finds your video will affect how long they need to watch for it to count as a view. So if someone discovers your content while flicking through their feed, they’ll need to watch for longer than if they’d deliberately clicked on your Short. In a nutshell, you want to aim for as much watch time as possible with every single view.
14 tips to get more YouTube Shorts views for free
There might not be a recipe for cooking up a viral video on YouTube Shorts, but there’s plenty you can do to improve your chances. The key to reaching a larger audience is focusing on snappy, engaging content viewers enjoy watching. The more views and engagement you get, the more the Shorts algorithm will see people love your videos.
Not sure where to start? We’ve looked at how some of the biggest Shorts creators have exploded on the platform and distilled what we found into these simple tips. Apply them to every single upload and you’ll get more views on YouTube Shorts.
The YouTube Shorts algorithm is the number one reason videos either go viral or stall on a handful of views. Check out our guide to the YouTube Shorts algorithm to find out how it works.
1. Ride the latest trending topics
Trending content can catapult you into people’s feeds. Stay up-to-date with what’s current and create videos that nod to popular themes, challenges, or viral moments. The algorithm is more likely to push content that relates to a rising trend, meaning you could find yourself exposed to tons of new viewers.
Alan Chikin Chow consistently has his finger on the pulse of pop culture and regularly includes the latest viral challenges in his uploads. It’s no wonder his clips constantly appear on the YouTube Trending page.
2. Hook your audience right from the get-go
The opening seconds of your video are by far the most important. Start your video with a strong, attention-grabbing hook that gives viewers a reason to keep watching.
How Ridiculous know how to get straight into the action. Their face-off between a bowling ball cannon and 20 trampolines sets the scene in seconds and you can’t help wanting to watch the outcome! This is why the first few seconds of your video are so critical. Make sure to jump into the meat of your content as soon as possible and stop viewers from scrolling past.
3. Aim for all killer, no filler
The second a viewer loses interest in your video, they’ll scroll away. Be brutal with your editing and take out any part that isn’t completely gripping.
The best way to keep someone hooked is to build to a crescendo. Capture their attention and make a promise for what they can expect. Then use the rest of your clip to drum up anticipation before delivering the pay-off at the end. Plan your content like this and you’ll find people sticking around for longer.
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4. Be direct and ask people to interact
Getting a ton of likes, comments and shares can land you more views - but how? Video engagement is one of the biggest signs the YouTube Shorts algorithm looks for when recommending content. Don’t be afraid to ask your audience to hit the like button or drop a comment if they like what they see.
Mrwhosetheboss made an appeal for his viewers to hit subscribe so he could try to overtake Apple on YouTube. A simple, direct message like this on every upload should see your videos get more engagement. And the algorithm will share your content to more people as a result.
5. Collaborate and open up new audiences
Finding new audiences is a fast-track to getting more views. One of the easiest ways to reach new viewers is to collaborate with another creator. After all, with two YouTubers on board, you get twice the promotion of a normal video.
Zach King convinced Gordon Ramsay to feature in his burger-inspired magic trick. Off the back of a single piece of content, they appeared on each other’s feeds and got tons of new subscribers as a result. See if you can reach out to someone in your particular niche and film a mutually beneficial video together.
6. Loop content to take viewers back to the start
This tip is a bit sneaky, but could double your views overnight. Edit the end of your video to loop with the start of your clip and make the most of the infinite loop on Shorts. If it’s tricky for viewers to know when your content ends, they’ll watch and watch, driving your views up as a result.
Check out Nick DiGiovanni showing his audience how to make a pan pizza. You might not even notice the video is looped, meaning Nick has racked up an extra view. Now think about the possibility of that happening every time someone watches your video and the view count would soon add up.
7. Signpost your content with relevant hashtags
Did you know featuring hashtags can significantly boost your views? The YouTube Shorts algorithm uses hashtags to group together pieces of content. So if your video contains a hashtag and starts popping off, the algorithm can show it to people who enjoyed similar clips.
Lifestyle creator Katie Feeney tagged her flight video with #travel and opened up a whole new audience, getting 26 million views as a result. The key here is that #travel was relevant to her video, even though it wasn’t her typical type of content. So research the most relevant hashtags to include in your video’s title and description and open up new audiences.
8. Unlock bigger audiences with keywords
Telling YouTube what your video is about helps massively when it comes to boosting your views. Without relevant keywords in your title and description, YouTube’s algorithm won’t know who to recommend it to!
Remedy this by researching relevant keywords that sum up your video. Use the most popular keyword in your title and pepper the rest throughout your description. The algorithm will group your content with similar videos and recommend it to viewers who enjoy content in your niche.
9. Hook scrollers with eye-catching thumbnails
Don’t fall into the trap of thinking thumbnails are redundant on YouTube Shorts. While most people discover Shorts by scrolling through the feed, your videos will appear with a thumbnail in places like your profile and search results. You don’t want to miss out on precious views because your thumbnail lets you down.
Sydney Morgan gives her makeup and beauty tutorials colorful thumbnails that demand to be clicked on. The bold colors and comedy facial expressions intrigue potential viewers, which soon translates into extra clicks.
10. Self-promote your videos across social media
If you have a large audience on other social media platforms, remember to tell them about your latest upload. After all, spreading the word can help you rack up precious early views. Don’t be afraid to be your channel’s biggest champion.
By posting teasers of your content, you’ll entice people to click through to YouTube Shorts to watch the full clip. Just remember, you’ll want to customize snippets for each platform. And it goes without saying you’ll want to save the best bits for the main video on Shorts.
11. Save uploads for when your audience is online
Posting when your audience is online will help boost your view count early. Build up views quickly and you’re more likely to catch the algorithm’s attention. It’s constantly searching for highly engaging videos it can push to wider audiences. Meaning that if you time your upload right, your audience could help your Shorts explode.
Not sure how to find out when your viewers are most active? The Audience tab in YouTube analytics shows all the times your audience is most likely to watch your content. Pick one of the busiest and make that your go-to upload time.
12. Aim for high quality videos with every upload
The better your videos are, the more people will return to your channel. It’s easy enough to say, but maintaining high production standards across every video can be challenging. Just know your viewers will appreciate high-quality footage with clear audio.
You know when Daniel LaBelle uploads you’re guaranteed fast-paced action with his home-based comedy skits. In the eyes of his viewers, he’s a reliable creator who’s going to deliver the goods with every upload. Which is why they make a habit of returning to watch his other videos.
13. Turn a good idea into a binge worthy series
Repeatable content ideas are worth their weight in gold on YouTube Shorts. By finding a way to keep people coming back to your channel, you practically guarantee extra views. One of the most effective ways to get viewers returning to watch more content is by creating a series.
Make something as addictive as a Netflix series and people will be invested in watching the next episode. Like Rebecca Rogers, with her popular Real Things Said in Classrooms series. It’s built so that if someone discovers a video they like, they can dive straight into her channel for more of the same.
14. Improve your content with every single upload
Each upload is an opportunity to learn how to get more views. Check out your YouTube Analytics to see which videos are flying and which have missed the mark. To help, we’ve put together a guide for making the most of your YouTube analytics so you can learn more about important stats and how to use them.
Keep an eye on audience retention and watch time for your Shorts to see when people are dropping out of your videos. See what you would change with every upload to try and improve each time. The best creators find themselves in this constant cycle of self-improvement.
Why are my YouTube Shorts not getting views?
The reason your Shorts aren’t getting the views you were expecting is simple, the Shorts algorithm isn’t pushing your video to potential viewers. Getting on the right side of the algorithm makes a big difference. Before each upload, ask yourself the following questions to see if your videos are working hard enough to make the algorithm happy.
1. Do your videos grab people's attention right from the start? 🎣
Your intro is arguably the most important part of your video. If someone scrolls past your video in the first few seconds, the algorithm takes notice and will be less likely to recommend it to other people. You want your intro to give viewers a reason to stick around, so make it punchy and hint at what’s to come.
2. Does your content keep people interested? 👀
You want viewers to watch right the way through every single upload. Do that and you’ll have every chance of your videos being shared far and wide by the algorithm. Check your analytics to learn which moments cause people to scroll away. And keep your edits snappy throughout.
3. Are viewers interacting with your Shorts? ❤️
Likes, comments and shares encourage the algorithm to push your content onto more feeds. So if you’re not getting those interactions, you’re likely missing out on extra views too. Remember, it never hurts to ask people to hit the like button. See if you can do more to get viewers to engage with your videos.
4. Do you post when your audience is online? 🕒
Early views are the most important. They show the algorithm your video is worth watching. If you upload at a time when none of your audience is online, you won’t get many views right away. Dig into your analytics and see when people are more likely to be active. By posting at these times, your videos have the best chance of racking up those vital quick views.
5. Have you included the best relevant hashtags and descriptions? ✍️
Tell the YouTube Shorts algorithm what your videos are about. It’ll then know which audiences to serve your content to. Because without relevant keywords and hashtags, the algorithm is basically guessing what your content contains.
This might mean it shares your video with people who aren’t particularly interested, seriously harming your average view duration. So find the most relevant keywords, and make sure to label every upload.
Follow our tips and watch your YouTube Shorts views explode
There’s nothing stopping you from joining the likes of Mrwhosetheboss and Katie Feeney in racking up millions of views for your uploads. Follow our tips and give your videos the best chance of being seen by more people.
Maximizing your YouTube Shorts view count involves punchy editing and creating content that keeps people engaged for as long as possible. And by knowing how to make the Shorts algorithm happy, you’ll better understand how to craft videos it’s likely to serve in people’s feeds.
Once you’re regularly hitting big numbers, you’ll find yourself in a position where you can start making cash from your Shorts. To find out how to maximize your earnings, head to our guide on YouTube Shorts monetization.
