Whether you’re a full-time content creator, an amateur looking to use content as a way of building a side hustle, or simply a consumer who wants to try their hands at making viral short-form videos, chances are you’ve considered using YouTube Shorts at some point.
While making videos seems easy enough, especially with the wealth of AI tools available today, making content that stands a high chance of going viral and generating any form of revenue can be challenging. If you’re finding yourself wondering what kind of content you can post to YouTube Shorts, this guide will help.
We list 10 interesting and engaging YouTube Shorts content ideas for you to take inspiration from. We’ll also take you through some examples of creators who have successfully made such formats of content for you to take inspiration from. Let’s dive right into it.
Understanding YouTube Short
With the rise of short-form content, YouTube launched YouTube Shorts as a way for creators to connect with their audience in a bite-sized format. But what are YouTube Shorts and why should you care about including them in your content strategy?
What are YouTube Shorts
YouTube Shorts are short videos, 60 seconds or less, where creators can share snackable content with their audience. Like TikTok and Instagram Reels, they’re meant to be quick. Shorts are vertical and can be created by anyone with a YouTube account. These are a new way to boost engagement and visibility on the platform by showcasing easily consumable content.
Shorts are a great way for creators to get in front of new viewers as YouTube promotes them on the homepage so even smaller creators can get noticed.
Why Create Shorts for Your YouTube Channel
YouTube Shorts are more than just short videos; they’re a powerful way to grow your channel. Shorts allow creators to reach a bigger audience because of their high shareability and placement on the platform. Since they’re shorter, viewers will watch the whole video which can increase engagement metrics like watch time.
The short format also increases the chances of going viral. If a video resonates with the audience, it can be shared across multiple platforms and get you more subscribers and revenue. Plus Shorts are a great way to test content ideas and get quick feedback on what works and what doesn’t.
Top 10 YouTube Shorts Content Ideas for 2024
In this section, we dive right into ten engaging YouTube Shorts content ideas that you can consider.
1. Sharing Quick Tips
One of the key benefits of being a content creator today is that no topic is out of bounds.
However, this statement does come with certain limitations because if you want to stand a chance of earning via YouTube’s Partnership Program (YPP), you must ensure that your content is free of found or inappropriate language, dangerous acts, and adult content.
Whether you’re a homemaker or a content creator, a sportsperson, or a digital marketing professional, sharing quick tips that can make people’s personal and professional lives easier can make for valuable content.
The key benefit of sharing such content is that it can build your reputation as a subject-matter expert in your viewers’ eyes. So, the next time someone needs a tip on how to optimize their LinkedIn About section, for example, you could very well be the first person they think of.
Check out this example of the digital creator Umar Naqshbandi who’s based in Malaysia. As a photographer, a huge chunk of his YouTube Shorts involves sharing tips on how to achieve certain effects or apps that one can use to streamline image editing.
2. Discuss Your Favorite Apps and Products
Say, for example, you’re a professional photographer who uses a set of apps as a part of your photography tech stack. This could include a mix of well-known apps like Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop, but also other apps that your audiences may never have heard of.
Sharing these apps with your audiences can be a great way of engaging them, as it offers an immense amount of value and can also drive engagement. If your viewers find your videos helpful, they will like, comment, and even share your content with others who have similar interests.
You can do the same thing with a product, as shown by the Canadian tech content creator Canoopsy.
3. Post Shorts About a Day in Your Life
If you’re already a well-established creator or even someone in the process of getting there, chances are your audiences would love a peek into your daily routine.
Videos that show viewers what a day in your life looks like can be a great way to build a personal connection between them and yourself while also offering much-needed inspiration. This makes them one of the best YouTube Shorts content ideas you can implement.
For example, if you’re someone who creates fitness content, a video showing how you plan your routine around waking up early and prioritizing going to the gym can be a great idea for a YouTube Short.
4. Record What Happens Behind the Scenes
Behind-the-scenes videos are a great way to show your audiences the fun behind the scenes of your business or your life as a creator. Once again, videos like these are great tools to help build engagement, as your audiences get to see what happens behind the perfection they see in your videos on other occasions.
As a business, this can be a great example, as a lot of consumers tend to view businesses as being faceless. As a result, if you can help your audiences see how you work or perform certain tasks while making engaging content out of it, you’re more likely to appeal to them and garner increased engagement.
Transform your text into faceless videos effortlessly with Predis.ai’s AI Faceless Video Maker-engage your audience without being on camera. Generate faceless videos with voiceover, background music and stock assets for your videos.
5. Post Travel Videos
Travel content creation is an extremely popular niche the world over. In fact, according to statistics, 38% of Americans already use social media to blog about their travel experiences.
For the vast majority of people, high-quality travel videos can offer a mini-escape from their mundane daily lives, allowing them to dream and feel inspired.
Whether you travel solo, with your partner, or on a motorcycle, posting engaging content about your journey can be a fantastic way to build engagement and increase your following on YouTube. One of the best-known examples of a travel content creator who has now built a strong following is Freddie Dobbs.
His content primarily revolves around the world of motorcycles, from reviewing them to recording travel videos with his partner.
6. Before and After Videos
We’ve all been seeing before and after videos for years on social media, and they continue to be a hit to date. Be it the transformation of someone’s skin after a specialized treatment or that of an old house repurposed with swanky new interiors; the list is endless.
You can make before and after videos no matter which niche you create your content in, from photography, videography, home decor, and architecture to skincare, fashion, and so much more.
These videos can also be a great option for businesses. If you own a hair care company, for example, you can create a video that showcases a model’s hair before and after using your product.
Take the example of Erin Killeen, a content creator in the fitness space. She creates a host of videos about her workouts, from tips and tricks to several videos about transformations.
7. Create Mini Vlogs
Long-form vlogs can be great fun to watch and, when created well, can truly engage your audience for the entire duration. However, with short-form content dominating the content space, we’d suggest dipping your toes in the world of mini vlogs.
These can be a great way of creating engaging stories, be it about travel, your experience with a specific product, or a host of other ideas. If you’re someone who already creates long-form vlogs for YouTube, you can also record your content in portrait mode to create a mini version for it.
8. Bust Myths in Your Industry
With short-form content being consumed at such a large scale, it’s no surprise that a lot of people tend to rely on it for the information they get about a particular subject. However, the downside with this approach, rather than relying on respected publications, is that the information you get can often be misrepresented and, sometimes, even false.
From fake news to posting myths about an industry, you can consider creating content that clarifies information and busts these myths. A fantastic example of a creator who creates such content is Doctor Youn, a nationally recognized and board-certified plastic surgeon in the United States. Some of his content revolves around busting myths related to food and health, as you can see from the image.
9. Answering Questions From Your Followers
Nothing shows your respect for your audience than your willingness to engage with them and answer their questions. While you can respond to their comments, you can also turn these responses to your audiences’ questions into YouTube Shorts.
You can do this in several ways. For example, you can ask your audiences to put down their questions in the comments of your long-form videos. You can then pick out one question at a time and answer these questions in individual shorts.
Another idea is to recycle the same content you create for other short-form content platforms like Instagram, where you answer questions from your viewers.
10. Condense News and Current Events Into Shorter Snippets
With people’s lives becoming increasingly busy, a lot of people struggle to keep up with what’s happening in the world around them. With news bulletins and reports being time-consuming to consume, it can help to condense these reports or news events into shorter, minute-long videos.
Such content can help offer your audiences a great deal of value while ensuring they keep coming back to you for updates day after day. Guardian News, for example, is a fantastic platform that uses YouTube Shorts to give its audiences updates on what’s happening around the world.
Stand Out on YouTube Shorts with AI Content 🌟
Using YouTube Analytics for Shorts
Knowing your audience is key to making your YouTube Shorts work. YouTube Analytics gives you insight into how your Shorts are performing and how your audience is interacting with them.
Track Viewer’s Behaviour and Engagement
YouTube Analytics lets you see how viewers are behaving, how long they’re watching your Shorts, and where they’re dropping off. This data will help you refine your content. For example, if viewers are dropping off at the 30-second mark, you can adjust your future content to make it more engaging during that time frame.
Use this data to test different content types and formats. Try different lengths, topics, and calls to action and then use analytics to see which one works best with your audience.
Monitor Demographics and Reach
Your audience’s demographics, age, gender, and location can give you insight into how to tailor your content. You may find that certain age groups like certain types of content. For example, younger viewers might like fast-paced, energetic Shorts while older audiences might prefer more informative or slower-paced content.
Where are your views coming from–domestic or international? This will help you adjust your posting times or use subtitles in different languages.
Content Repurposing and Upcycling
Creating new content consistently can be tough. Repurposing and upcycling your existing content for YouTube Shorts is a way to save time and keep the content flowing. Here’s how you can make the most of your old content and get more out of it.
Turn Old Content into YouTube Shorts
Go back to the content you’ve already created there’s a good chance some of it can be reimagined as YouTube Shorts. Look at long-form videos or blog posts that performed well and extract the key moments or insights to create Shorts.
For example, if you have a 10-minute tutorial video, you can break it down into short, bite-sized clips of the main tips or steps. This refreshes old content and introduces it to new viewers who may have missed it the first time.
Repurposing saves you time, keeps your channel active, and gets you more value out of the content you’ve already put in.
Upcycle Content from Other Platforms
If you’ve already created content on Instagram or TikTok, you don’t have to start from scratch for YouTube Shorts. Take your best-performing posts and adapt them for the YouTube audience. This is called upcycling-taking something old and making it new again.
The secret to upcycling is to adapt the content for the YouTube format and audience. While the core message can stay the same, you may need to adjust the pace, tone, or CTAs. Repurposing content from other platforms helps you reach more people and keep your brand consistent across all your social media channels.
Optimization and Planning
Creating great content is just the beginning. To really get the most out of YouTube Shorts you need a strategy. From scheduling your content to optimizing for virality, planning is key to your channel growth.
Schedule and Organize Your YouTube Shorts
Consistency is key to building an audience. To keep your viewers engaged, plan your YouTube Shorts in advance with a content calendar. This helps you organize your ideas, schedule uploads and make sure your content is aligned with upcoming trends or events.
By setting a posting schedule you create an expectation with your audience, keep them engaged and excited for your next video. Consistent posting also helps with YouTube’s algorithm as regular activity gets your content more visibility. Use tools like Google Calendar or project management software to stay organized and on track with your uploads.
How to Make Your YouTube Shorts Go Viral
To increase the chances of your YouTube Shorts going viral, create content that’s engaging and optimized for the YouTube platform. Start with attention-grabbing titles and thumbnails that make people want to click. A good thumbnail can be the difference between a video being ignored or going viral.
Don’t forget to SEO-optimize your Shorts with keywords in the title, description and hashtags. This will get your videos in search results and recommendations. Also, keep an eye on YouTube trends and incorporate them into your Shorts to stay relevant.
And ask them to like, comment or share. The more engagement your Shorts get the higher they’ll rank and more views and virality.
Wrapping Up YouTube Shorts Ideas
Creating content for YouTube Shorts and other short-form content platforms can be challenging, both for beginners and seasoned creators. The former take some time to figure out what kind of content they’d like to create and what their audiences would resonate with, while the latter may reach a point of mental saturation where they struggle to think of fresh ideas.
This guide has listed ten different YouTube Shorts content ideas, along with some key examples you can use for inspiration. If creating such content seems like a daunting task, you can make use of the power of AI to streamline your content creation.
Predis.ai, for example, is a tool that allows you to auto-generate videos and captions and even convert blogs to posts for your social media channels. What’s more, Predis.ai can also help you with a range of content ideas with just a few simple inputs, ensuring you never suffer from the creator’s block. If you want to learn how Predis.ai can help, create a free account and start exploring Predis right away!
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