Hey there! Want to know how to get more views on YouTube Shorts? You’re in the right place!
YouTube Shorts is growing like crazy. Millions of people watch these short videos every single day. But here’s the thing – getting YouTube shorts views isn’t always easy. Sometimes you post a video and… crickets. Nobody watches it.
Don’t worry! I’m going to share 11 simple tricks that actually work to increase YouTube shorts views. These strategies are super easy to follow, and the best part? Most of them are completely free!
Ready to get more YouTube shorts views? Let’s jump in!
Why YouTube Shorts Views Matter
Before we start, let me tell you why YouTube shorts views are so important. When more people watch your Shorts, YouTube’s algorithm (that’s the smart computer system that decides what videos to show) starts showing your content to even MORE people. It’s like a snowball rolling down a hill – it just keeps getting bigger!
More views mean:
- More subscribers for your channel
- More chances to go viral
- More people discovering your content
- Better opportunities to make money later
Now let’s learn how to make this happen!
Understanding How YouTube Shorts Works
Think of YouTube Shorts like a magic show. The YouTube algorithm is the magician deciding which videos get to perform on the big stage. To get picked, you need to understand what the magician likes!
YouTube Shorts algorithm loves videos that:
- Keep people watching until the end
- Get lots of likes and comments
- Make people want to watch more videos
The first few hours after you post are super important. It’s like the first day at a new school – first impressions matter a lot!
Strategy #1: Hook Viewers in the First 2 Seconds
Imagine you’re scrolling through YouTube Shorts. Swipe, swipe, swipe. You stop only when something catches your eye, right?
That’s why the first 2 seconds of your video are SUPER important. You need to grab attention immediately!
Here’s what works:
- Start with a shocking statement: “I can’t believe this actually worked!”
- Ask an interesting question: “Want to know a secret?”
- Show something unexpected or surprising
- Use text on screen that makes people curious
What NOT to do:
- Don’t start with long intros
- Don’t waste time saying “Hey guys, welcome back”
- Don’t start with boring stuff
Action steps: Watch your favorite Shorts and notice how they start. Copy what works, but make it your own style!
Strategy #2: Optimize Your Video Title & Description
Want to get views on YouTube shorts? Your title is like a sign outside a store. If it’s boring, nobody comes in!
Creating great titles: Use words that make people curious. Instead of “My Morning Routine,” try “This Morning Habit Changed My Life!” See the difference?
Include keywords naturally. If you’re making a cooking video, use words like “easy recipe” or “quick meal” because that’s what people search for.
Description tips: Always put #Shorts in your description. This tells YouTube, “Hey, this is a Short!” It’s super important.
Add 3-5 relevant hashtags like #cooking #recipe #foodie. But don’t go crazy – too many hashtags look spammy.
Write 1-2 sentences about your video. Use keywords like “youtube shorts views” naturally. For example: “Learn how to increase YouTube shorts views with this simple trick!”
Action steps: Before posting, write 3 different title options. Pick the one that sounds most exciting!
Strategy #3: Create Scroll-Stopping Thumbnails
“Wait, do Shorts even have thumbnails?” Yes! And they’re important for promoting YouTube shorts.
When people see your Shorts on the YouTube homepage or in search results, they see a thumbnail. Make it good!
Thumbnail tips:
- Use bright, bold colors that pop
- Add big, easy-to-read text
- Show faces with expressions (surprised, excited, happy)
- Make sure it looks good on a phone screen
Free tools to use:
- Canva (super easy, even kids can use it!)
- YouTube’s built-in thumbnail picker
- Your phone’s photo editor
Action steps: Take several screenshots while filming. Pick the most interesting moment as your thumbnail.
Strategy #4: Master the Art of Retention
Retention is a fancy word that means “keeping people watching.” YouTube LOVES videos that people watch all the way through.
Think about it like telling a joke. If you take too long to get to the punchline, people walk away. Keep your Shorts snappy and interesting from start to finish!
How to keep people watching:
- Cut out boring parts (even 1 second of nothing happening is too long!)
- Use quick cuts and transitions
- Add text on screen to keep things interesting
- End with a surprise or satisfying conclusion
The “loop” technique: This is a cool trick! Make your video end in a way that connects back to the beginning. People will watch it again and again. For example, if you start with “Wait for it…” make sure the ending delivers something worth waiting for!
Action steps: Watch your video before posting. If any part feels slow, cut it out. Be ruthless!
Strategy #5: Post at Optimal Times
Timing is everything! If you post when your audience is sleeping, fewer people will see your video right away. And remember, the first few hours are crucial to get YouTube shorts views.
Finding your best time: Check your YouTube Analytics (it’s free!). Go to Analytics, then Audience, and look at “When your viewers are on YouTube.” Post during those times!
General good times to post:
- Early morning (7-9 AM) when people check their phones
- Lunch time (12-2 PM) when people take breaks
- Evening (7-10 PM) when people relax after school or work
- Weekends tend to get more views overall
Consistency matters more: It’s better to post regularly (like every Tuesday and Thursday) than to obsess over the “perfect” time. YouTube rewards channels that post consistently.
Action steps: Try posting at different times for a week. See which time gets you the most views, then stick with that time!
Strategy #6: Leverage Trending Sounds & Music
Music is HUGE on YouTube Shorts. Using trending sounds is one of the fastest ways to increase YouTube shorts views.
When you use a popular song or sound, your Short can appear when people browse that audio. It’s free promotion!
How to find trending sounds:
- Look at the top Shorts in your niche
- Check what songs appear repeatedly
- Use YouTube’s audio library
- Pay attention to TikTok trends (they often move to YouTube)
Important copyright stuff: Always use music from YouTube’s audio library or sounds that allow reuse. Don’t just grab any song from Spotify – that can get your video taken down!
Action steps: Before filming, spend 10 minutes scrolling through popular Shorts. Notice which songs you hear multiple times? Those are trending!
Strategy #7: Embed Your Shorts on External Platforms
Here’s a strategy many people forget – embedding! This means putting your YouTube Short on other websites or platforms.
Why embedding helps: When people watch your embedded Short, those views count! Plus, YouTube sees that your content is being shared elsewhere, which signals that it’s good content worth promoting.
Where to embed your Shorts:
- Your own blog or website (if you have one)
- Facebook posts or groups
- Twitter/X threads
- Reddit communities (follow their rules!)
- Online forums related to your topic
- Your email newsletter
How to embed: It’s super easy! Click “Share” under your Short, then click “Embed.” Copy the code and paste it where you want it to appear. If you’re posting on social media, just paste the regular link.
Bonus tip: Write blog posts about topics related to your Shorts, then embed the relevant Short in that post. This gives people two ways to enjoy your content – reading and watching!
Action steps: After posting a Short, share it in at least 3 places outside YouTube. Join Facebook groups or online communities in your niche and share your Shorts there (respectfully – don’t spam!).
Strategy #8: Engage with Your Audience Fast
Imagine you’re at a party. If someone talks to you and you ignore them, that’s rude, right? Same thing on YouTube!
When people comment on your Shorts, respond quickly – especially in the first hour. This does two amazing things:
Why fast engagement matters: First, it creates more activity on your video. YouTube sees all this action and thinks, “Wow, people really like this video!” and shows it to more people.
Second, it builds a community. When you reply to comments, people feel valued. They’ll come back to watch more of your Shorts and become real fans!
How to get more comments:
- Ask questions in your video: “What do you think? Comment below!”
- Create slightly controversial content (nothing mean, just opinions people have thoughts about)
- Reply to comments with questions to keep the conversation going
- Heart your favorite comments to show appreciation
Action steps: Set a reminder on your phone. For the first hour after posting, check your video every 10-15 minutes and respond to comments. Make it fun!
Strategy #9: Use Strong Call-to-Actions (CTAs)
A Call-to-Action (CTA) is when you tell viewers what to do next. Don’t be shy about asking!
Effective CTAs for Shorts:
- “Double-tap if you agree!” (asking for likes)
- “Follow for part 2!” (getting subscribers)
- “Comment your favorite below!” (boosting engagement)
- “Watch this next!” while pointing to another video
The “watch next” strategy: This is powerful for promoting YouTube shorts. At the end of your Short, mention another one of your videos. You can say “If you liked this, you’ll LOVE my video about…” This keeps people on your channel watching more, which YouTube absolutely loves!
Keep it natural: Don’t sound like a robot. Be yourself! Instead of formally saying “Please subscribe to my channel,” try “Yo, hit that follow button if you want more content like this!”
Action steps: Pick ONE CTA per video. Don’t ask people to do five things – they’ll do nothing. Keep it simple and clear.
Strategy #10: Analyze and Replicate Your Best Performers
This is where you become a detective! Look at which of your Shorts got the most views, then figure out why.
Using YouTube Analytics: Go to YouTube Studio, click Analytics, then click the Shorts tab. You can see all your stats here!
What to look for:
- Which Shorts got the most views?
- What was different about those videos?
- What time did you post them?
- What was the topic?
- How long were they?
- What music did you use?
Identify patterns: Maybe you notice all your most popular Shorts are about a specific topic, or they all use humor, or they’re all under 30 seconds. That’s valuable information!
A/B testing: This means trying different things to see what works best. Post two similar Shorts but change one thing – maybe the title, thumbnail, or opening line. See which performs better!
Action steps: Once a week, spend 15 minutes looking at your analytics. Make a note of what’s working, then make more content like that!
Strategy #11: Create a Content Series or Theme
People love series! Think about your favorite TV shows – you watch episode after episode, right? You can do the same with Shorts!
Why series work: When you create connected content, people watch multiple videos in a row. This increases your overall watch time, which helps you get more views on YouTube shorts.
Series ideas:
- “Day 1, Day 2, Day 3” challenges
- “Part 1, Part 2, Part 3” storytelling
- Weekly themes like “Monday Motivation” or “Friday Fails”
- “Episode” style content about a specific topic
Establishing a recognizable brand: Use the same style, colors, intro, or music across your videos. When people see your Short, they should immediately know it’s yours! This builds loyalty.
Cross-promoting between Shorts: In each video, mention the previous or next video in the series. This creates a chain that keeps people watching!
Action steps: Plan your next 5-7 Shorts as a series. Film them all at once if possible, then post them regularly. This saves time and keeps your content consistent!
Bonus Tips to Increase YouTube Shorts Views
Here are some extra tricks that can help you get YouTube shorts views:
a.) Repurpose content from other platforms:
If you have TikTok or Instagram Reels that performed well, post them on YouTube Shorts too! Just remove any watermarks first. Good content is good content, no matter where it lives.
b.) Collaborate with other creators:
Team up with friends or other YouTubers in your niche. You’ll both get exposed to each other’s audiences. It’s a win-win! You can do duets, shoutouts, or joint challenges.
c.) Use YouTube’s native editing tools:
Edit your Shorts directly in the YouTube app when possible. YouTube might give a tiny boost to videos created with their tools. Plus, their editor is actually pretty good!
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Learn from these mistakes so you don’t have to make them yourself:
- Ignoring video quality: You don’t need expensive equipment, but your video should be clear and the audio should be easy to hear. Shaky, dark, or muffled videos turn people off. Most phone cameras are great – just make sure you have good lighting!
- Being too salesy or promotional: Nobody likes feeling like they’re watching an ad. If every Short is “Buy my product!” people will scroll past. Focus on providing value, entertainment, or information first.
- Not understanding your target audience: Make content for specific people, not everyone. If you try to please everyone, you’ll please no one. Pick your niche and stick with it.
- Giving up too early: This is the biggest mistake! Most successful creators posted dozens (or hundreds) of videos before one went viral. It takes time to figure out what works and to build an audience. Keep posting, keep learning, keep improving.
- Copying others exactly: It’s fine to be inspired by other creators, but don’t copy them word-for-word. YouTube (and viewers) can tell. Put your own spin on ideas. Be yourself – that’s what makes you unique!
Conclusion: Your Path to More YouTube Shorts Views
Wow, we covered a lot! Let’s quickly recap the 11 strategies to get more views on YouTube shorts
Remember, you don’t have to do all of these at once! Start with 2-3 strategies that feel easiest to you. Master those, then add more.
The secret to increase YouTube shorts views isn’t really a secret at all – it’s consistency, patience, and always trying to make your next Short better than your last one.
YouTube shorts views increase free when you focus on creating content people actually want to watch. Don’t obsess over view counts every minute. Instead, focus on making great content and having fun with it!
You’ve got this! Now go create something awesome and start getting those views!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. How long should YouTube Shorts be?
YouTube Shorts can be up to 60 seconds long. However, shorter is often better! Most successful Shorts are between 15-30 seconds. The sweet spot is long enough to deliver value but short enough that people watch until the end. Remember, watch time percentage matters more than total length!
Q2. How many Shorts should I post per day?
Quality beats quantity every time! If you’re just starting, aim for 1-2 quality Shorts per day. Some successful creators post 3-5 times daily, but only if they can maintain good quality. It’s better to post one great Short than five mediocre ones. Find a pace you can maintain consistently.
Q3. Can I monetize YouTube Shorts?
Yes! YouTube has a Shorts monetization program. However, you need to meet certain requirements first (like 1,000 subscribers and 10 million Shorts views in 90 days). Even before you can monetize directly, Shorts can help grow your channel, which opens other money-making opportunities like sponsorships or selling products.
Q4. How long does it take to go viral on Shorts?
There’s no guaranteed timeline for virality. Some Shorts blow up within hours, others take days or weeks to gain traction. The YouTube algorithm sometimes picks up older Shorts and pushes them to more viewers. Focus on consistency rather than chasing virality. Keep posting quality content, and your chances of going viral increase over time!
Q5. Do hashtags really help increase YouTube Shorts views?
Yes, but use them wisely! Always include #Shorts (that’s the most important one). Add 3-5 relevant hashtags that describe your content. Hashtags help YouTube understand what your Short is about and can help people discover your content through hashtag searches. But don’t overdo it – too many hashtags look spammy and can hurt your performance.