How to Get More Views on YouTube Shorts - Everything You Need to Know

Posted:
January 9, 2025
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Updated:
January 9, 2025
9
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Andrew Kozik
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Andrew Kozik
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Any creator wants to wake up one day to find out that their video has gained millions of views. And though there is still no fool-proof method of making that happen, there are a few tips and tricks that you can take advantage of to increase your chances of going viral. 

Without further ado, here’s how to promote YouTube Shorts the right way!

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The Mighty Algorithm

Did you know that the Shorts algorithm is quite different from the long-form version?

The main YouTube algorithm looks at things like: 

  • How long you watch videos for
  • How much you interact with them
  • How many people like and comment on them 
  • How often you click on them 
  • How long you stick around on the site 

It also thinks about your watch history to build up a picture of your interests over time. The algorithm also considers how new a video is, but gives a lot of weight to videos that have proven their value over time through consistent engagement.

When it comes to promoting YouTube Shorts, the algorithm is more focused on quickly assessing how engaged people are right away. Since Shorts are so, well, short, the algorithm doesn't really focus on watch time. Instead, it looks at how many people finish the whole thing and how quickly they engage with it. This means that content gets promoted faster, often within hours, and it's more about what's new. It's designed to surface fresh content quickly and doesn't require the same historical proof of performance that the main algorithm does.

The Shorts algorithm also appears to be more experimental. It shows users a wider selection of content to help them quickly identify their interests. 

Always Make Those First Seconds Count!

Your Short's opening moments are really important if you want it to be a success. Studies show that people make up their minds about whether they want to watch something or scroll past it within the first three seconds. It's not just a good idea to make a catchy opening that gets people's attention right away—it's essential.

There are lots of ways to create effective hooks. You can: 

  • Ask an intriguing question 
  • Show something unexpected 
  • Make a bold statement that gets people's attention, etc. 

The key is to create immediate interest while promising value in the content that follows.

Keep Your Viewers Engaged

Once you've got your audience hooked, your job is to hold onto their interest. Successful shorts usually have a simple storyline that keeps viewers tuned in the whole time. Start with a strong hook, quickly give context, show your main content, and end with a clear call to action.

Having something to look at is really important to keep people engaged. You could think about:

  • Adding quick changes between scenes 
  • Putting in text that's relevant and helps people to follow what's going on 
  • Using patterns that are different to grab people's attention, and so on

These bits of extra stuff should make your content better without getting in the way.

Everything You Need to Know About Boosting YouTube Shorts

Let’s Get Techy!

Furthermore, you should not forget about audio quality.

No matter if you're using voiceovers, music, or both, make sure your audio is clear and balanced. But even if you have spent hours perfecting that audio, it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t add captions. Ideally, you should always do that to make your content easier to watch for folks who can't hear and for those who watch on mobile without audio.

Content Optimization

Your Short's title and description are like a double-team. They work together to attract viewers and help the platform understand your content. Titles should be brief but informative, using relevant keywords naturally while creating curiosity. Give the most important information in your descriptions a front-row seat, and include relevant hashtags to improve discoverability.

Use these guidelines when coming up with your title and description: 

  1. Strategic Title Creation
  • Use relevant keywords
  • Create curiosity
  • Keep it concise yet descriptive
  • Include trending topics when relevant
  1. Description Optimization
  • Front-load important information
  • Include relevant hashtags
  • Add calls-to-action
  • Link to related content

Example of a Perfect Title and Description

Title: 

"15-Second Butter Board Hack That's Breaking TikTok (relevant emoji) #FoodHack"

Description: 

"This viral butterboard technique will change your party game forever! Pro tips:

  • Use room temp butter
  • Fresh herbs are key
  • Perfect for 4-6 people

Follow for more game-changing food hacks! Save this for your next gathering.

#foodtiktok #butterboard #easyrecipes #foodhacks #cooking #shorts”

YouTube Short Promotion: Creating Content That People Want to Watch

Thoughtfully created themed content and series can really help build anticipation and encourage viewers to tune in again and again. When your channel offers a clear and engaging content plan, subscribers are much more likely to sign up and stick around. Consider creating recurring segments or themed days to establish a consistent, loyal viewership.

Story Structure

As we have already mentioned, every successful Short follows a basic structure (we’ve included a simple example):

HOOK (0-3 seconds):

  • A quick close-up of sizzling, melting mozzarella being pulled apart dramatically
  • Text overlay: "The secret to STRETCHY mozzarella they don't tell you"
  • Fast-paced upbeat music starts

CONTEXT (3-10 seconds):

  • Cut to the chef/creator speaking directly to the camera
  • "I've tested 7 methods and discovered why your homemade pizza never stretches like a restaurant's"
  • Quick montage of failed attempts (burned cheese, rubbery texture)

MAIN CONTENT (10-45 seconds):

  • Show prep process:some text
    • "First, crucial step: Let cheese reach exactly room temp (show thermometer)"
    • "The game-changer: 30 seconds in salted water at 180°F (show thermometer again)"
    • Demonstrate correct pulling technique with side-by-side comparison
    • Show perfect stretch test
  • Include text overlays for key temperatures and times
  • Keep the energy high with quick cuts and dynamic angles
  • Background music builds during successful stretches

CALL-TO-ACTION (45-60 seconds):

  • Show the final money shot of the perfect pizza pull
  • Creator returns: "Follow for more pro chef secrets they don't teach you"
  • Text overlay: "Save this for your next pizza night"
  • Final screen with:some text
    • "Follow for Part 2: The Perfect Crust"
    • Small logo/handle in the corner
    • Engaging question: "What food secret should I reveal next?"

Can You Boost YouTube Shorts?

Make Sure All Your Social Media Accounts Are Working Together

If you want to reach more people with your Shorts, you'll need to get the word out beyond YouTube. Sharing your content on different social media platforms can help you reach more people and get noticed. Instagram Stories, Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook groups, and LinkedIn are all worth checking out, depending on your content and target audience.

Community Engagement

We all know that creators need to be responding to comments, using a call-to-action at the end of the video, and so on.

But here are a few less obvious tips:

  • Pin your most engaging question in the comment section
  • Use branded hashtags
  • Reference your previous Shorts
  • End the video with a mild controversy or A/B choices (“Team crunchy or team smooth?”)
  • Create duet-style opportunities

How to Get More Views on YouTube Shorts: Time to Look at Your Analytics

Keeping an eye on these metrics regularly helps you spot what content is working well and where there's room for improvement.

  • Watch time
  • Audience retention
  • Traffic sources
  • Engagement rate
  • Subscription velocity

Promote YouTube Shorts: Ready to Take the Next Step?

Collaborate with Cool Creators

Working with other creators can boost your reach a lot. When you're picking partners to work with, look for creators whose content and values match yours for the most authentic collaborations.

Take advantage of: 

  • Cross-channel promotions
  • Duets and responses
  • Joint projects
  • Community challenges
  • Shared series

Keep an Eye on What’s Trending

Keeping up with what's new with the platforms you use is really important for staying in the game. Watch what's trending and what popular formats are doing, but always adapt them to fit your style and voice. Just copying trends without adding your own value doesn't usually help you keep growing over time.

Tip: TikTok is generally the platform that sources trends, so you might want to monitor trending content there as well. 

Make Sure You Stick to a Schedule

If you want your channel to keep growing, it's really important to make sure you're posting consistently high-quality content on a regular basis. One thing you should do is create a content calendar that lets you plan ahead but still allows you to jump on trending topics when you see them. Another thing is that you've got to make sure you're maintaining the highest possible standards for both the content itself and the technical quality, even as your posting frequency goes up.

Here are a few content-planning tools that can come in handy:

How to Get Your Shorts Seen on YouTube: Streamline Your Content Creation

Creating high-quality clips consistently to make sure the algorithm is promoting YouTube Shorts posted by you can be time-consuming and challenging. This is where BigMotion comes in – an all-in-one AI-powered platform designed specifically for creating engaging faceless videos.

Together with the platform, you can:

  • Generate unique video content in minutes
  • Access high-quality AI voiceovers powered by ElevenLabs
  • Create automatic captions and background music
  • Produce content series efficiently
  • Maintain consistent posting schedules

Try BigMotion's free plan today to experience how AI can transform your content creation workflow!

How to Increase Views on YouTube Shorts: Strive for Long-Term Success

If you want to build sustainable growth, you've got to think long-term. Put some time and effort into: 

  • Developing your unique brand voice 
  • Diversifying your content 
  • Adapting to changes on different platforms and to different audience preferences 

Let’s be honest - you can't just hope for a few viral hits. The real goal is to build a sustainable presence that will keep on growing over time.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often should I post Shorts?

If you can, stick to one to three shorts a day. However, many creators have found that 5 Shorts per week is the schedule that works well for them as long as you manage to keep up with the schedule.

Do hashtags help Shorts get more views?

Hashtags can help increase visibility. To make things a bit easier, use this formula: a shorts-specific tag + a niche-specific tag + a trending tag + a few engagement-focused tags + a time-based tag (if applicable).

Can I use trending sounds in my Shorts?

The strategy for boosting YouTube Shorts is also about using trending sounds. Just make sure they're relevant to your content. Also, try to focus on royalty-free sounds to avoid getting in trouble.

What's the best time to post Shorts?

The peak times during weekdays are typically 11 AM - 2 PM and 6 PM - 9 PM. On weekends: 9 AM - 1 PM and 4 PM - 7 PM.

But you might want to try posting at different times and check your analytics to see when your audience is most active.