Are you a Shorts creator? If so, here’s some advice you probably haven’t heard in a while:

Thumbnails aren’t just for long-form videos.

In 2024, your Shorts need attention-grabbing thumbnails to stand out on YouTube — not just a great title and description. A captivating graphic will persuade viewers to click on your content, and that could kickstart a viral moment on your channel. You might even get enough views to achieve 

 that we conducted recently on your community page, 33,000 voters made their choice clear on the subject. However, YouTube has not introduced any tool or feature to create custom thumbnails. In fact, in a recent update video from Creator Insider, the YouTube team revealed that they have no plans for custom thumbnails for the rest of 2024 either. 

But First, Why Make Thumbnails for YouTube Shorts?

Take one look at the YouTube Shorts player, and you’ll notice thumbnails don’t appear in that part of the app. Instead, viewers see a random frame from the video, which could be anything — an awkward hand gesture, a transition moment, or a non-essential character from the video. Without a custom thumbnail, there’s no guarantee YouTube will choose the best frame for your content.

And that makes sense, considering how YouTube designed the Shorts player. It was made for endless swiping and not necessarily the browsing features we see on the YouTube homepage. Most creators look at the Shorts player and say, “I don’t need thumbnails here.” 

Thumbnails Are Important Outside the Shorts Player

But while thumbnails don’t appear on the Shorts player, they 

 show up in other areas of the app and website, including:

​​The Shorts tab on your YouTube channel

Recommended videos on YouTube’s homepage

, don’t overlook the power of thumbnails. You’ll need them to get more clicks 

 on YouTube. As of writing, the feature that makes this possible is available to Android and 

The first option is to set a specific frame as your video’s thumbnail during the upload process. It’s not the 

 solution, especially if your video doesn’t have an engaging frame to catch viewers' attention. But it’s quick, efficient, and gets the job done.

Option 2: Create a Custom Thumbnail Frame

The second option is to create a thumbnail ahead of time using a tool like Canva or Photoshop, then 

add the graphic to your video as a new frame

. You’ll have to do this in an editing program, such as Adobe Premiere Pro or Final Cut Pro. But the extra step allows you to set the new frame as your video’s thumbnail when uploading to YouTube.

Here’s how to select a thumbnail for your Short:

1. Upload the Short as you normally would. When you reach the details screen, 

Pencil icon to change YouTube Shorts thumbnail

2. Use the frame selector to choose a scene for your thumbnail, then tap 

3. Fill out any other sections, then tap 

As stated earlier, YouTube hasn't made this arduous process any easier from their end yet. The rationale provided by YouTube is that 

the majority of views and watch time for Shorts come from the Shorts feed, where thumbnails are not displayed.

In our channel's experience, this information doesn't hold true. While a mere 13% of our views do come from the Shorts shelf, most of it is from YouTube Search, where thumbnails are prominently shown. Watch Rob talk about this discrepancy and many more in the video below covering this update.

Design Tips for YouTube Shorts Thumbnails 

If you're designing a custom thumbnail, here's how to make your Shorts stand out from the rest.



that describes your video accurately. For example, the thumbnail below reads, "hack for more views," which is just enough information to pique viewers' curiosity.

 in your thumbnail. The Short below is about YouTube monetization, and the first thing you see is physical money.

, use your thumbnail to show one step in the process. This signals to viewers that your video is helpful, like Short below!

What Is the YouTube Shorts Thumbnail Size?

Shorts are vertical videos with a 9:16 aspect ratio and a size of 1920x1080 pixels. If you want to make custom thumbnails for Shorts, they should match those dimensions (1920x1080 pixels).

Can You Change the Thumbnail for a YouTube Short?

As of writing, you can’t change the thumbnail for a Short once it’s posted. YouTube hasn’t explained why, but a brief notice says as much in the content editor of the YouTube Studio. So, be sure to select your thumbnail frame 

Notification saying you can't edit Shorts thumbnails

Now that you know everything about Shorts thumbnails, check out the 12 types of thumbnails viewers love to click on!

Do you make thumbnails for YouTube Shorts? Here's why you should create them, plus two ways to attach the graphics to your videos.

YouTube Shorts Thumbnails: How to Upload Them for More Views

As a short-form creator, you're probably wondering if you can monetize your YouTube Shorts like long-form creators monetize their videos. 

YouTube has several paths for monetizing short content, and this guide explains all of your options.

One of the best ways to monetize your Shorts is through the YouTube Partner Program (YPP). Upon joining, you have access to all of YouTube's money-making tools, like the ability to place ads on videos or monetize your audience directly through fan-funding.

There are two ways to enter the YPP (you only need to choose one!).

Upload 3 public videos in the last 90 days.

Get 3,000 public watch hours in the last 365 days or 3 million public Shorts views in the last 90 days.

 from long-form videos in the last 365 days or 

If you're a Shorts creator or someone who makes long and short videos, option 2 or 3 is your best bet for joining the YPP!

 will earn advertising revenue. So, do these four things to stay in the clear:

YouTube's Advertiser-Friendly Content Guidelines

Avoid using unedited clips from movies and TV shows that you don't have rights to.

Avoid uploading another creator's content without adding a new perspective or transforming the content.

Monetizing YouTube Shorts Through Ads: A Quick Rundown

 is a bit different from monetizing a regular YouTube video. Notably, all Shorts revenue is split between different parties, including the creators who make them and the music publishers who provide songs for those videos.

The four steps of YouTube Shorts monetization 

 all of the Shorts ad revenue on its platform.

 how much money goes to the creator pool, which depends on views and music usage across all Shorts. If creators use no music in their Shorts, they retain all of the revenue at this point. If they use music, the revenue is split between the creator pool and music publishers.

 the ad revenue to monetized Shorts creators. This is based on a creator's total share of Shorts views on the platform, whether that's 5%, 10%, 15%, etc.

Can You Monetize YouTube Shorts Without 1,000 Subscribers?

If you're just starting out on YouTube, getting 500 subscribers is a quick way to join the YPP and monetize your Shorts. You won't earn ad revenue, but you can monetize most of your content — Shorts included — through fan-funding tools.

For example, with just 500 subs, you can collect 

 revenue on your YouTube Shorts. These are "video tips" ranging from $2 to $50 that your fans can send to support individual videos.

 are an option as well, especially if you love streaming on YouTube.

When you host a vertical or horizontal live stream, viewers in the live chat can reward you with monetary donations ranging from $1 to $500. These can appear as Super Chats — colorful comments pinned to the top of the live chat — or as Super Stickers, which are fun, digital animations that appear on the screen.

Channel Memberships offer exclusive perks, such as members-only videos, badges, Community posts, emojis, and livestreams, to a creators' super fans. It's a great way to make money, but did you know that you can get your YouTube Shorts monetized through channel memberships? 

After all, Shorts count as videos too! You can make these exclusive to your members just like regular, horizontal content.

How Much Money Will You Earn from Shorts?

Are YouTube Shorts monetized in a sustainable way? Can they become a side hustle or help you quit your day job?

We'd have said it's hard to make decent money from Shorts only a year ago, barring times when you get a nice chunk of revenue. For example, we got 

 for a vidIQ Short that got 468,500 views.

The content performance dashboard showing we earned $16.61 from YouTube Shorts

With recent updates on advertisements, RPM on our Shorts has seen an impressive 150% increase. Currently, we are seeing an RPM of $0.10 on our Shorts., without any external changes like location of viewers, topic of videos, etc.

This hasn't happened overnight. YouTube has steadily increased Shorts revenue on the vidIQ channel throughout the year. It seems like advertisers have finally found the sweet spot for their products in the Shorts ecosystem as other creators have also talked about experiencing similar surges on their channel! Watch Rob discuss all of that in the video below!

It's easier than ever to become a monetized Shorts creator, but you'll need 

OK, so getting into the YPP to monetize your Shorts is a real challenge. You either have to go viral a lot or face the difficult task of earning 1,000 subscribers plus thousands of hours of watch time.

. There are other ways to make money from Shorts, and one of those golden opportunities is through

When a brand sponsors you, they’re paying you to advertise a product or service in one of your videos. That could be a new line of laptops, the latest leggings from Lululemon, or even a squeegee that removes pet hair from dirty carpet.

Here’s an example of a sponsored Short. In this video, actress Eliana Ghen advertises Vita, a mobile video editing app.

If you’re looking at this video and thinking, 

You don’t need millions of views and subscribers to 

 —just the right audience and a strong YouTube resume.

 said they plan to invest in short-form content more than they did in 2021.

Brands are excited to partner with short-form creators.

As for that last detail, don’t just take our word for it. 

“At the end of the day, most brands don’t want to partner with you and feel like the only thing you’re good at is long-form video,” Moore says. “They want to feel that you may have some flexibility to create different types of content.”

Read this post to avoid the common mistakes YouTubers make while pitching brands

There are a few mountains to climb when monetizing short-form content, but don't worry! 

 Our blog has many tips and tricks to help you get 500 subscribers, 1,000 subscribers, 4,000 watch hours, and even 10 million Shorts views. Just click the hyperlinks throughout this post to get a winning plan for YouTube success!

Now that you know how to monetize YouTube Shorts, let's take things up a notch and show you how to increase your views!

A smartphone displaying "Shorts Feed Ads" on its screen

Are you ready to finally monetize your YouTube Shorts? Here's how to make money with short, vertical videos in 2024.

YouTube Shorts Monetization: How to Profit from Short Videos

Have you been feeling like your Shorts have suddenly stopped getting views? You're certainly not alone here! Most creators have seen their Shorts behave very differently from other forms of content, and it's almost baffling!

while others barely see the light of day? Keep reading, and we'll explain how the YouTube Shorts algorithm works!

Forget traditional metrics like impressions and click-through rates; in the world of Shorts, 

. Compared to the traditional route of using impressions to test your content, the YouTube Shorts algorithm is more straightforward. So, if some of your Shorts look like the graph below, and you’re convinced that YouTube is out to limit your Shorts reach, we have good news! There is a reason why.

First, the Shorts algorithm operates in two distinct phases: 

 Initially, your Short is exposed to a small, targeted, “seed audience”. If this group engages well with your content, your Short gets promoted to a broader audience. That initial audience is crucial, because if they're not engaged, your views may become stagnant.

, Todd Sherman, the product lead for YouTube Shorts, explains why this is the case. Unlike long-form videos, Shorts views mostly seem to come from the feed itself, and the element of a conscious choice on the part of the viewer is missing. So, the algorithm tests the Shorts for hundreds of thousands of views to determine its value. We can see the effect of this under the “

Swipe-away analytics are a new feature that can help you understand how viewers are interacting with your Shorts: Are they sticking around, or are they swiping away before the video ends? Here’s how to check it out:

the youtube analytics menu option and the content tab

3. On the right, you can see how many chose to view your Shorts and how many swiped away from them.

Viewed versus swiped away data for youtube Shorts

What would you learn after studying 35 billion Shorts views on YouTube? Well, 

 has the answer! And our YouTube experts got some brilliant insights in a recent interview with him. In fact, they learned enough to help you 

Nate found out that Shorts that are either 13 or 60 seconds long tend to perform best. Additionally, there are specific categories, such as original showcases and sensory experiences like ASMR videos, that consistently attract more views.

He also observed that channels that have published at least 200 Shorts tend to see a consistent increase in views over time. So, before you get disheartened with your Shorts views, be sure to upload a lot of them! Also, the first three seconds of your Short are crucial for capturing viewer interest. Make them count!

How to Get 10 Million YouTube Shorts Views: A 90-Day Plan

Equipped with this knowledge, we must take care of certain factors when it comes to YouTube Shorts.

Timing and consistency are key when it comes to Shorts. Knowing when your audience is most active and aligning your publishing schedule accordingly can significantly impact your Shorts' performance.

Fortunately, it's easy to find out the best time to post your Shorts. From the YouTube Studio, click Analytics and then the 

 Scroll down to the “When your viewers are on YouTube” tab, and you'll see the best time to post on YouTube for your specific viewers!

Would you believe it, thumbnails still matter! And for Shorts, it’s the most visible asset of your video. When your Shorts appear in regular YouTube feeds, 

a compelling thumbnail can be your secret weapon for attracting more clicks.

Viewer satisfaction remains a top priority, even in Shorts. A compelling hook within the first three seconds can make or break your content. Every Short should make a clear promise at the beginning and deliver on it by the end. Failing to do so can result in a less-than-satisfying experience for the viewer.

Consistency and experimentation go hand in hand. Don't be afraid to try different types of content to see what resonates with your audience. This might help you solidify the proper seed audience for your content!

Getting more YouTube views is always a hot topic, and we're guessing that's why so many of you want to understand the Shorts algorithm! 

 Sure, the big numbers look good, but how do you translate that into more valuable, monetizable views?

Well, rest assured: the YouTube Shorts algorithm is 

 when it comes to attracting more long-form views. A new update on YouTube has addressed this very issue, and it’s a great first step! 

A new feature allows YouTube creators to include a persistent link in their Shorts,

 directing viewers to long-form content. This feature aims to bridge the gap between Shorts and traditional YouTube videos. Watch the video below to learn more!

Unlock the secrets of the YouTube Shorts algorithm! Learn why views matter, the ideal length for Shorts, and how to keep your audience hooked in this comprehensive guide.

How Does the YouTube Shorts Algorithm Work?

 is, you've taken the longest break from YouTube in recorded history. Because seriously — this Shorts creator has been pulling in millions of views since 2022.

Jenny is in the finance niche, so she loves to film extreme budgeting challenges: making $1 meals, giving $5 gifts, and other cool stunts. Her viewers love it, and all the praise has lifted her channel to 1.69 million subscribers and 954 million views. But her most impressive feat is getting over 10 million views per YouTube Short.

gaining 10 million Shorts views in 90 days

 is one way to enter the YouTube Partner Program. And once you're in, you can monetize your Shorts with YouTube ad revenue.

If that's your main goal as a creator, keep scrolling or check out the video below. We interviewed Jenny to learn how she goes viral with short-form content dozens of times each month!

1. Find a Unique Niche (Blue Ocean Strategy)

Finding the right target audience for your content is more complicated than most creators know. You have to go deeper than deep, avoiding the crowded niches if you want a real shot at standing out. Or in Jenny's own words, you need to look for a blue ocean — not a red one.

Red ocean = Bloody waters. Creators don't survive because hundreds of "sharks" go after the same video topics and angles.

Blue ocean = Smooth sailing. You have room to explore many video topics and stand out within your niche.

So, how do you avoid a red ocean and find those crystal, blue waters? It's all about finding a 

"At first, I was actually copying Graham Stephan.... That's a red ocean because everyone's trying to be him. But then I looked at the money/finance industry and realized nobody's doing it for kids," Jenny says.

A hook is a three-second introduction that reels people in and compels them to keep watching. According to Jenny, the best hooks are concise, visually compelling, and tell the gist of the story within seconds. This gets people to stop scrolling and increases the odds of earning millions of views.

"It needs to be so good that you can be watching the video on mute and still know what it's about," Jenny says.

For example, pay attention to the first three seconds of the video below, where Jenny recreates a chicken sandwich (at Chik-fil-A) for $1.

The first words you hear are "$1 chicken sandwich." She wastes no time getting to the point, and she shows 

 Give a sneak peek of what happens at the end of your video.

Some phrases grab attention much better than others. Experiment with intros like "Did you know about this...?" or “I never do THIS, and here’s why…”

 Starting a video with someone laughing or crying makes viewers curious about what led up to those moments.

Storytelling has taken over on YouTube. The days of giving information without having unique characters, scenes, and conflicts are long gone! Today, YouTube videos are more like 

That may sound intimidating, but it doesn't have to be. According to Jenny, you just need three key elements, which involve:

You can bring this to life by using the words "but" and "so," Jenny says.

 I followed him for a few miles. He led me to a dark tunnel, 

 I saw a bunch of abandoned puppies at the rim of the opening.

Each "but" stops the viewer from scrolling away as conflict rises.

Setting a good pace for any story is crucial, and Shorts are no exception to the rule. But the real challenge is figuring out 

 to pace a short video. After all, you only have 60 seconds to make your point.

Make your initial hook brief (fast-paced).

Make the middle a bit slower (medium-paced).

Make the peak of your story memorable and sharp (fast-paced).

Make the resolution a bit slower (medium-paced).

A graphic showing the peak end rule using a simple line graph of peaks and valleys

"There are multiple theories to back this up. One that I want to get into is the Peak-End Theory. It's this theory that people only remember their favorite part of a movie and the ending," Jenny says."

Take your viewers on a rollercoaster of fast and medium-paced scenes. That way, important moments have more room to stand out.

5. Entice Returning Viewers with 'Content Buckets'

Did you know that viral Shorts aren't created in a vacuum? Successful creators have a strategy for each video 

 the collection of videos surrounding that one masterpiece. That's why Jenny prefers to create "content buckets", or themes that viewers can easily recognize.

"Buckets are repeatable formats, and I try to build mine around very similar titles. For example, my bucket would be '$1 fast food item versus restaurant'.... All the videos are [metadata-linked using that title]. YouTube will say, "Oh, the viewer liked when she made '$1 pizza.' They're going to like it when she makes a $1 sandwich or $1 burger too," Jenny explains.

Creating content buckets (based on what worked in the past) is the fastest way to get returning viewers and increase your Shorts views.

YouTube Shorts Monetization: It's Easy When You're Going Viral

Compared to long-form content, YouTube Shorts don't bring in as much ad revenue. Going viral helps in that department, but many creators make as low as $100 for a Short with millions of views. It's a common problem that pushes Shorts creators into making long-form videos.

But what if you have no desire for that? What if you love making Shorts and nothing else on YouTube? 

"If you have products, courses, and sponsorships, that's where the money is made. I know a couple of creators who literally make a million dollars per sponsored Short," Jenny says.

Of course, going viral is the best way to get lucrative sponsorships or sell the right number of products to support yourself.

So, if you haven't already, learn how to boost the YouTube Shorts views on your channel!

Jenny Hoyos pointing to the words 10 million views formula

Are you still working your way toward 10 million YouTube Shorts views? Learn how Jenny Hoyos, a viral creator, reaches this milestone with each video!

How Jenny Hoyos Gets 10M Views Per YouTube Short

Creating your videos in the correct format is vital, especially if you want to make an impact with YouTube Shorts. While the basic rules are straightforward — keep the video under 60 seconds and make it vertical —  there's more to the equation.

 vertical? Which aspect ratio will YouTube accept?

Getting the Right Size for YouTube Shorts

The ideal YouTube Shorts resolution is 1080x1920 pixels and the aspect ratio is 9:16. This is the standard for most modern smartphones in portrait mode, making it the go-to choice for creators.

: 1920 pixels by 1080 pixels (standard length-by-width ratio for vertical content)

The 9:16 aspect ratio aligns perfectly with the portrait mode feature inside most smartphones. It offers a full-screen viewing experience without any black bars, making it ideal for mobile-first audiences.

Viewers are used to seeing the vertical aspect ratio on platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and other short-form videos. Creating in this format ensures a seamless and engaging experience.

YouTube itself recommends the 9:16 aspect ratio for Shorts. This format is optimized for the Shorts shelf and the algorithm that  promotes short-form content.

There's a tiny caveat to YouTube's rule that Shorts need to be vertical videos. Apparently, 

Shorts don't have to be vertical as long as they're 

That means you can create Shorts with a 1:1 aspect ratio and dimensions of 1080x1080 pixels. Those videos will look like perfect squares — so, technically not vertical at all — but YouTube will categorize them as Shorts.

Check out the square format versus the vertical format below. When a Short is square (left), you'll see black bars above and below the video frame. That extra bit of artificial "length" is what helps the video qualify (probably) as a Short. Vertical videos (right) fill the entire mobile screen.

 channel years ago. And we know square videos can become YouTube Shorts because:

Our test video (a square) made it to the Shorts shelf, which 

A large percentage of video views came from the Shorts traffic source.

Here's the test video we used to confirm the results:

Even still, there are advantages and disadvantages to making square Shorts.

 The video will have an unsightly black bar at the top and bottom of the frame.

 Square videos leave the bottom of the screen empty, and viewers can easily see your channel name, the video's title, and the subscribe button.

YouTube Shorts: Can They Be ‘Wider’ or 'Narrower' Than Perfect Squares?

For our next test, we attempted to make a Short wider than a square. So, we uploaded a video that was just 10 pixels wider than it was tall, and as we expected, the video didn't appear in our featured Shorts section. That's an area YouTube auto-populates, so the results are clear: Our video was 

That means the widest Short you can make is a square video.

 If the video is wider than it is tall, it won't be considered a Short.

Here’s another rule to follow: Don’t make a video skinnier than what you’d shoot on a smartphone. We created a video with a resolution of 360x1920 pixels, and while people 

 view it on YouTube, it didn’t make it to the Shorts shelf.

To see all of our Shorts testing — and view what might be the skinniest video on Earth — check out the explainer below:

Pros and Cons of Wider Aspect Ratios (e.g., 16:9)

Traditional YouTube content creators are familiar with wide content.

Wide content is better for displaying landscapes or group scenes.

What's the perfect aspect ratio for a YouTube Short? They need to be vertical in size, but what does that really mean? Keep reading to find out.

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