Hey there, awesome creators! Are you scratching your head, wondering, Why are my YouTube Shorts not getting views? Or, have you sheepishly thought to yourself, Why did my YouTube Shorts stop getting views?
You're not alone, and those are great questions to ask. Now that YouTube Shorts monetization is a real thing, everyone wants to make money from short, snappy videos! YouTube has set new milestones for this journey, and you need to reach both before applying to the YouTube Partner Program (and earn ad revenue from Shorts):
There are other ways to get into the YPP, but the path above is tailored to Shorts creators.
Best of all, you don’t have to do any of this alone! We'll walk you through a 90-day plan to skyrocket your Shorts views and hit that dreamy 10 million mark. Let's dive in!
The first part of any “Shorts takeover” is to research until you go insanely viral. Hang out on TikTok, Reddit, or even YouTube Shorts themselves to understand which topics are trending and why. You can also use Google Trends and other free tools to identify what’s hot right now.
Action Step: Make a list of at least 20 trending topics you could create Shorts around. This is the first step in figuring out how to get 10 million views on your YouTube Shorts.
Now that you have some viral trends to lean on, the next step is turning them into viral YouTube ideas. This can be challenging at first, but we have a few suggestions! Start by pulling inspiration from this list of 9 videos that perform well as YouTube Shorts. After that, learn how to build unique ideas by remixing ones that already went viral.
Action Step: Aim for at least 30 ideas. The more unique they are, the less you'll have to wonder why your YouTube Shorts aren’t getting views.
The Shorts landscape is pretty competitive right now, so creating a viral video may take some time. Your best bet is to post numerous videos throughout a 90-day period. So, pick up your camera, get creative, and record those brilliant ideas you crafted in week one!
Action Step: Aim for at least 15 Shorts to start with. Batch-recording takes some effort (even for YouTube Shorts), but we know you can do it! Plus, we have a few tips to help you out.
Script your intros beforehand while pulling inspiration from these 18 hooks that make Shorts go viral. Remember, a compelling intro can be the difference between an explosive Short and one that gets swiped away.
Before publishing, ask yourself, How does this make me feel? If it evokes a strong emotion, you're on the right track. Emotional engagement can significantly boost your views on YouTube.
Use the Shorts audio library to find trending tracks that fit the mood of your video. Music can give your Shorts a noticeable boost (because of a popular song and artist) and help you stay relevant for a few months.
Do you want views from people watching your content on mute and those who crank the volume up high? If so, be sure to add YouTube captions to your Shorts! Make them bold, and place them somewhere near the bottom of the frame. This alone will make your content more accessible and viewable.
YouTube Shorts have a maximum length of 60 seconds, and surprisingly, you should aim to use most of that time! A recent study showed that Shorts around 50 seconds performed better than all others. So, make them a bit lengthy, but remember to cut out scenes that aren’t engaging or slow down the action.
It may seem like titles aren’t important for YouTube Shorts, but they make a huge difference when you put some effort into writing them. After all, video titles appear in a prominent area, and people do see them!
Action Step: Use an AI tool to write titles for all of your Shorts (and save time). If you need more help, here's an excellent guide for crafting emotional titles that get clicked!
Pro Tip: Hashtags aren't necessary for Shorts, but pay attention to those that keep popping up in your niche. That may indicate a trending topic, and on YouTube, we like those very much. Use them as needed!
Things are heating up now! It’s time to publish your first batch of Shorts so you can see which videos work and which ones don't.
Action Step: To get all 15 out quickly, upload a few Shorts each day for the next week.
Now that your Shorts have been published for a while, dive into your YouTube analytics. Make a list of the top 3 things that viewers seem to enjoy so you can double-down on those in your next batch of Shorts. Also, try to identify the topics, titles, introductions, and music tracks people resonated with the most, using YouTube Shorts views as your guiding light.
Action Step: For deeper analysis, pay attention to average view duration, or how long viewers spend watching the Short on average. Then, take a look at average percentage viewed, which is how much of the video viewers watched on average. The higher these numbers are, the easier it is go viral.
Ready to make some more Shorts? Now’s the time to use all of the performance data and insights you’ve gained to create even better videos. And while we’re on the subject, did any new trends pop up on YouTube? If so, make a few Shorts based on those as well, to get the maximum number of views in your next batch.
Action Step: Create another 15 Shorts. You’ll still need great introductions, stunning titles, YouTube captions, popular music, and emotional storylines.
Congratulations! By now, you should have a total of 30 Shorts posted, which is plenty of content to analyze. Open your analytics for each one, and (again) identify the top performers and why people loved them. Are the insights different from what you discovered previously? Are they exactly the same?
Action Step: Use your insights to establish a winning format for your Shorts. Build a creation template based on what worked in the past!
Now that you know what works, double-down even harder on the right topics, titles, and formats. Increase your output to create even more chances at going viral, but don’t overdo it! Most experts say the optimal growth range is about 3 Shorts per day.
Action Step: Using your creation template, keep posting until you reach 10 million YouTube Shorts views!
Getting 10 million views on YouTube Shorts in 90 days is no small feat, but it's definitely achievable. Follow this 90-day plan, stay consistent, and don't be afraid to experiment. You'll be well on your way to becoming a Shorts superstar.
Lydia Sweatt is a writer who loves balancing her article/blog time indoors with a healthy dose of nature. She bikes, hikes, and identifies edible plants along the way.
