YouTube Shorts Strategy: How to Get Millions of Views

YouTube Shorts are the fastest-growing content format on the platform. Creators who master Shorts are seeing explosive subscriber growth—sometimes thousands per day.

Here's the complete strategy.

Why Shorts Matter

• Massive reach: Shorts get pushed to non-subscribers aggressively
• Low barrier: Production is fast and cheap
• Subscriber growth: Shorts viewers convert to long-form viewers
• Monetization: Shorts Fund and ad revenue sharing

The Perfect Short Formula

Length: 30-45 seconds

Too short lacks depth. Too long loses attention. The sweet spot is 30-45 seconds.

Hook: First 1 second

You have ONE second to stop the scroll. Use:

• Bold text on screen
• Unexpected visuals
• Strong opening line
• Visual movement

Loop: Make it rewatchable

The algorithm rewards completion rate AND rewatch rate. Shorts that loop seamlessly perform best.

CTA: Tell them what to do

End with a clear next step: follow, comment, watch long-form.

Finding Short Ideas from Long-Form

Your existing videos are goldmines for Shorts content.

Use VidFeel's emotion analysis to find:

• Emotional peaks: High-excitement moments
• Quotable sections: Standalone valuable snippets
• Surprising reveals: Twist moments
• Reaction-worthy clips: Content that gets responses

A 10-minute video might contain 3-5 potential Shorts.

Shorts Optimization Checklist

• [ ] Vertical format (9:16)
• [ ] Text on screen (many watch muted)
• [ ] Fast-paced editing
• [ ] Strong opening frame
• [ ] 30-45 second length
• [ ] Relevant hashtags (#shorts, niche tags)
• [ ] Engaging title (under 40 characters)
• [ ] Post during peak hours

Shorts Posting Strategy

Frequency

Minimum 3-5 Shorts per week. Top creators post daily.

Timing

Post when your audience is online. Check YouTube Studio analytics.

Consistency

The algorithm rewards consistent creators. Daily posts > sporadic bursts.

Turning Shorts Viewers into Subscribers

Shorts get views. But views don't pay bills—subscribers and watch time do.

Strategy 1: Content bridges

Create Shorts that tease long-form content. "Full video on my channel."

Strategy 2: Series content

Create recurring Short series that viewers want to follow.

Strategy 3: Value stacking

Each Short should deliver complete value AND promise more.

Measuring Shorts Performance

Track these metrics:

• Views per Short
• Subscribers gained per Short
• Completion rate
• Long-form traffic from Shorts

Use VidFeel to analyze which moments from your long-form content make the best Shorts.

Your next viral Short might already exist in your published videos.