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Shorts for artists

Bringing artists and their music closer to more fans than ever before.

Why Shorts?

Getting active on Shorts creates unique opportunities to promote your music and build your fanbase.

Audience growth icon image

Audience growth

Fans all over the world are discovering new music on Shorts. Get in the mix on Shorts and attract new fans.

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Fan engagement

Shorts has tools that help you connect more deeply with your fanbase. Interact with your existing fans while bringing new ones in on the action.

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Music promotion

You can use bite-sized content on Shorts to enhance your music release strategy and drive fans to your official release videos.

3x

In January 2024, Shorts tripled the average artist's audience of unique viewers. This means that Shorts featuring an artist's music tripled the average artist's total reach.

60%

In January 2024, artists active on Shorts saw more than 60% of their new subscribers coming directly from their Shorts 60% posts. 'Artists active on Shorts' are defined as artists posting Shorts weekly on average.

When should I use Shorts?

Goal Promoting a release Promoting a tour Audience growth
Timing Release cycle (Pre-release, release day, post-release) Duration of the tour Always on
How Tease the song and then make Shorts to inspire fan creation Post performance highlights Show behind the scenes Highlight your catalogue Engage with fan content
Goal
Promoting a release
Timing
Release cycle (Pre-release, release day, post-release)
How
Tease the song and then make Shorts to inspire fan creation
Goal
Promoting a tour
Timing
Duration of the tour
How
Post performance highlights Show behind the scenes
Goal
Audience growth
Timing
Always on
How
Highlight your catalogue Engage with fan content
How often should I post Shorts?

Try posting weekly and then readjust your posting schedule based on your Shorts' performance.

Measure your Shorts performance

We recommend looking at the following metrics within YouTube Analytics for Artists to start with:

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Creations

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Subscribers from Shorts

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Song views from Shorts

Don't get bogged down in the numbers, but keep an eye on any types of Shorts that fans connect with most. YouTube recommends content based on an individual's personal interests, video performance and external factors like trends.

How to make Shorts

Start Shorts mobile image

Start

Tap the Create (+) button from within the YouTube app.

Create Shorts mobile image

Create

You can move between content formats. Select Shorts, record, add sound and use editing tools.

Edit Shorts mobile image

Edit

Edit your Short by adjusting clips in the video timeline, adding a voiceover and more.

Personalise Shorts mobile image

Personalise

Select a thumbnail, add a caption and hashtags and adjust settings.

The Shorts creation tool

YouTube app image
YouTube app
  • A

    Audio picker: Select a song

  • B

    Song recommendation: Appears after you've watched a Short with remixable music

  • C

    Editing tools

  • D

    Library: Use your own video clips

  • E

    Record button

  • F

    Drafts

Related videos image
Related videos
You can link to long-form videos in your Shorts.

Consider linking your official music video to Shorts featuring your track. A video link will appear under your handle on the Short.

    HOW

    YouTube Studio > Content > Shorts > Edit > Related video

      Shorts tools

      FLIP icon

      FLIP

      Alternate between front and back cameras

      Timer icon image

      TIMER

      Add a countdown (3s, 10s, 20s) before recording and select how long the recording will last

      Speed icon image

      SPEED

      Speed up or slow down a recording (0.3x, 0.5x, 1x, 2x or 3x)

      Effects icon image

      EFFECTS

      Choose a filter to modify an appearance, lens or background

      Green Screen icon image

      GREEN SCREEN

      Select a photo or video from your camera roll to be the background of your Shorts

      Filters icon image

      FILTERS

      Customise the colour filter of your camera

      Retouch icon image

      RETOUCH

      Add a beauty filter to enhance your Short

      Lighting icon image

      LIGHTING

      Add a filter to enhance your Short's lighting

      Flash icon image

      FLASH

      Turn your camera flash on and off

      Pro tip icon
      PRO TIP

      To add music to your Shorts, always use the official song from the audio picker in the Shorts creation tool.

      Fans can access the song library page from your Shorts, which links to all other Shorts using your song and your official music video. If your clip already has music, find the song in the audio picker and sync to your Short.

      Add music to your Shorts image

      The song library page

      After tapping on the song chip from your Short, fans will be taken to the song's audio pivot page.

      The Song Library Page image
      • A

        YouTube Music: Listen to the song in YouTube Music

      • B

        Official music video: Tap to watch your official music video or
        other release content

      • C

        Official Artist Channel

      • D

        Preview: Listen to the song clip

      • E

        Save song: Save to a 'Sounds on Shorts' playlist

      • F

        Top Shorts creations

      • G

        Creation button: Fans can make their own Short with the song

      YouTube Create image

      YouTube Create is currently available on Android. Stay tuned for more updates.

      YouTube Create

      Are you experienced in editing short-form videos?
      Do you need more advanced tools to bring your vision to life?

      The YouTube Create app lets you edit Shorts and videos straight from
      your phone and directly upload content to YouTube, all free of charge.

      YOUTUBE CREATE TOOLS:

      • Audio cleanup
      • Beat detection
      • Cut out
      • Effects
      • Filters
      • Font library
      • Sticker library
      • Transitions
      • Voiceover

        How to engage with fans on Shorts

        How to remix videos and Shorts

        Remix allows users to sample audio and visual content in their own Shorts. Remix your own official music video or remix fan content to continue building deeper relationships and inspiring fans to create.

        1. Find a Short or video on your mobile device.

        On a Short

        On Shorts icon image

        On a video

        On video icon image
        1. Select a remix tool from the following and create a new Short. Click the links below to learn how to use each feature.
        Collab icon

        COLLAB

        React or respond to a fan side by side with their Short

        Cut icon

        CUT

        Record a response to come straight after your fan's Short

        Green Screen icon

        GREEN SCREEN

        Record a Short with a fan video as your background

        Audio icon

        USE THIS AUDIO

        Use the audio or song from another Short or video

        How to reply to a comment with a Short

        Shorts watch page image

        Go to the watch page of your Short or video.

        Shorts go to comments image

        Go to your comments, find a comment that you want to reply to and tap the reply icon.

        Shorts tap the camera icon image

        Tap the camera icon and record a Short to respond to the fan comment.

        Pro tip icon
        PRO TIP

        You can also remix audio from a Short via the Shorts audio chip or the official Sound Page.

        Shorts audio chip image

        Shorts tips

        Focus on quality, not quantity

        Channel size or number of uploads do not influence how your Shorts perform. Make the best Shorts for your music, your wellbeing and your fans.

        Stay patient while you test and learn

        It may take a bit of time for your content to reach the right fans, so don't get frustrated if you don't see immediate success. Keep testing new ideas to find your niche.

        Upload Shorts consistently

        Consistency is key on Shorts, so keepyour content front and centre for fans. There is no minimum posting cadence required for your videos to have a chance to perform well.

        Make many different Shorts for your song

        The more a fan hears your song in Shorts, the more likely they are to listen to it in other formats.

        Display text or lyrics on screen

        Use text as another way to draw fans in and encourage them to continue watching, even fans who might be watching with low or no volume.

        Pro tip icon
        PRO TIPS

        TITLES AND DESCRIPTIONS
        Titles and descriptions are some of the many signals that the algorithm uses to recommend videos, so keep them relevant to your Short. Include two or three relevant hashtags – you don't need to include #shorts.

        THUMBNAILS
        Don't stress too much about the perfect thumbnail as Shorts are shown directly in the Shorts Feed. Consider highlighting a clear clip as the thumbnail, like an important moment from your Short or the end result.

        Shorts inspiration

        Let's take a look at some artists from all around the world who are killing it on Shorts. See what's been working well for artists promoting their music on Shorts and use that inspiration to come up with your own content ideas.

        Bring fans to the show

        Carin León gives fans everywhere a front-row seat to experience his show on Shorts.

        Relate to fans

        Lauren Spencer Smith let her fans know that her song is relatable to anyone who's been in love.

        Tell a story

        Idgitaf shared personal memories in her music video and invited fans to share their own.

        Share the success

        Peso Pluma shares the moments when he reaches milestones to celebrate with fans.

        Want more resources for artists?

        LATEST BEST PRACTICES PLAYBOOKS AND ARTIST SUCCESS STORIES ON OUR WEBSITE

        Pre-release strategy

        Release day strategy

        Post-release strategy

        Post-release strategy

        How to build your OAC

        Growing your audience for artists

        Analytics for Artists