Video is one of the most effective content formats for digital marketing. Around 81% of marketers used them. Last year, there was an influx in the popularity of short-form videos. Started by TikTok in 2016, Instagram Reels, Snapchat Spotlight, and YouTube Shorts are starting to make waves. Being a video-sharing platform, YouTube users are now getting concerned about how Shorts affect YouTube analytics. Here’s a brief explanation about it from YouTube’s Creator Insider.
Shorts are literally, short-form videos that last 60-second or less. When it comes to channel analytics, some metrics remain the same for Shorts, while others change. Like regular videos, the view counts on Shorts videos are counted, so, they may decrease the average view duration of a specific YouTube channel. However, YouTube highlights that this may not affect YouTube analytics. Viewers who swipe up on Shorts videos commonly subscribe to the Creator’s channel. So, its Click-Through-Rate (CTR) increases. When it comes to RPM, YouTube does not include Shorts videos in the metrics. It’s because they are non-monetized content. So, they won’t have any effect on the revenue divided by views metric.
YouTube also notes that for now, Shorts’ performance is disabled. This is to give way for more appropriate settings in comparing this relatively new format in YouTube. But users can view their Shorts view count in the reach tab of a traffic source card or through the advanced analytics section.
Implications for Marketers:
YouTube Shorts can be a powerful marketing content. Marketers should keep watch for YouTube’s action in monetizing it. They should focus on leveling up their skills to creating short video clips that highlight a brand. As such, they can boost awareness and conversion in different social media platforms.
