YouTube Shorts is a format for short vertical videos up to 60 seconds long, designed for quick content consumption. It was officially launched in September 2020 in India and became available worldwide in March 2021.
Shorts work similarly to TikTok and Instagram Reels: users can quickly scroll through videos, like, comment, and share them. Various tools are available for creating Shorts, including music, text effects, speed adjustments, and the ability to remix audio from other videos.
YouTube actively promotes Shorts because the format helps creators gain views and subscribers quickly while competing with TikTok. Since 2023, YouTube has also monetized Shorts, allowing creators to earn revenue from ads shown between videos.
