If you’re hoping to get big on YouTube, short-form content could be the answer. This lets you put together great videos in no time at all. By following the right steps, you can even get viral Shorts that put your page on the map. In this blog post, we’ll show you how to get big on YT Shorts.
Key Components of Viral Shorts
Looking at Shorts that have gone viral, there are a few common threads between them. This will provide a good blueprint for how to stand out among the crowd. Here are seven details that your YouTube Shorts should focus on:
- An exciting title: Sometimes, people simply read a Short’s title before deciding to watch or move on. Make sure your title is snappy yet sparks curiosity.
- SEO-ready description: Add keywords to your Short’s description. This will help the YT algorithm categorize it and show it to the right audience.
- An instant hook: Once you press the record button, get straight into the video. If you can’t capture their attention within seconds, they’ll scroll away.
- Rapid-fire editing: Don’t leave any pauses in the final video unless they’re for dramatic or comedic effect. This leaves no time for them to get bored.
- Subtitles: Some YT users scroll through Shorts when they can’t listen to them. Subtitles will make sure your videos are accessible at all times.
- Clear forward momentum: Your Shorts should have a clear story arc that your viewers can easily follow. This might inspire them to share it online.
- Production quality: Shorts are easy to make, but they shouldn’t be low-effort. Keeping a focus on visuals and sound quality makes a clear difference.
How To Go Viral on YouTube Shorts
The key to a viral video, however, is deeper than a series of tips. Above all else, you must share great content that people want to watch. They’ll then share these videos with their friends. A big part of this is avoiding polarizing or complex topics.
The Shorts feature is, naturally, for short-form content. This means you can only fit so much into a single video. YouTube is increasing the time limit for Shorts to three minutes. However, it’s still good to keep your videos as snappy as possible. Otherwise, a lot of people will just scroll away.
Anything that can wow viewers in a short package could go viral. Consistency is also vital here, as no channel goes viral after a single video. You might consider buying views to help with this. However, avoid bot services — only real accounts will offer genuine growth.
The Most-Viewed Shorts on YouTube in 2024
To see just how varied Shorts are, it’s worth checking the ones that have the most views. These videos are proof that a YouTube channel can go viral with very different types of content.
Here are the five biggest viral YouTube Shorts:
- Real life transforming Cinderella dress! (Justin Flom): This video shows a woman changing her dress twice in a matter of seconds.
- If Cleaning Was a Timed Sport. Part 2 (Daniel LaBelle): This video depicts a man racing around the house to clean it.
- Ladybug Squishy DIY with Nano Tape (Joy_Bamm): This video shows the process of making a squishy Ladybug toy.
- If you can’t imitate, just stay home! (Monica Toy): This video is a Brazilian cartoon of two chibi-like children characters.
- Power Tools Racing Is INTENSE!! (How Ridiculous): This video shows two men using power tools to pop balloons against the clock.
These Shorts videos mix fashion, comedy, DIY, children’s entertainment, and spectacle.
How Going Viral Helps Your Channel
Everyone wants to go viral for a reason. Your goal isn’t to stop once you get a certain number of views. Instead, it’s to carry that momentum forward. Here’s how a viral video or two could boost your YouTube presence:
- Better algorithm rankings: If you go viral, YouTube takes notice instantly. It will know your videos have broad appeal and push them to more users.
- More subscribers: More views naturally means more people who want to keep up with your content. This means a big boost to your subscriber count.
- Direct feedback: When more people view your content, you’ll have a better idea of what people want. This inspires better ideas for your future vids.
- More views on long-form videos: People who look at your channel will see your other videos. A viral Short helps every side of your content thrive.
- Sponsorships: If you go viral several times, potential sponsors will see your reach. This is a good way to secure long-lasting brand deals.
- YouTube Partner Program: With enough Shorts views, you’re eligible to be a YouTube Partner. This means you can earn ad revenue on your Shorts.
- Social Proof: People who get a lot of views look more impressive. You can use this to carry yourself as an expert on all social media platforms.
How Often Should You Post Shorts?
When trying to get a viral video, you don’t want to post too often. This might come at the cost of quality. Others might be able to tell that you’re just throwing everything at the wall. If nothing sticks, YouTube might lower you in their rankings.
You should post at least three times a week. Your maximum should be roughly two to three times a day, but only if you have the capacity. Don’t force yourself to upload if you don’t have any ideas.
It’s even worth turning your long-form content into Shorts. This acts as a teaser for your longer video. It also lets you share the best moment(s) with people who simply prefer Shorts.
Finding YouTube Shorts Viral Tags
The tags you use on your Shorts can really affect who they reach. Each one tells YouTube who your target audience is. It shows the site how it can categorize your video and who’s most likely to enjoy it. To avoid cluttering your Short’s title, keep most of the tags to the description.
You need three to five relevant hashtags on every Short. This should be a mix of broad (short-tail) terms and specific (long-tail) ones. There are a number of hashtag generator tools that could help you here. Simply add your video’s main keyword, and they’ll automatically generate hashtags.
Adding tags to your video also makes them show up when people search those tags. If joining a trend or challenge, it’s good to use its exact hashtag. Your video on it will then appear alongside everyone else’s.
Monetizing a Popular YouTube Short
As mentioned above, YouTube Partners can monetize their videos, including Shorts. However, a user has to fulfill a few key requirements first. Specifically, you’ll need:
- At least 1,000 subscribers
- 10 million Shorts views in the past 90 days
- Alternatively, 4,000 public watch hours in the past year
Shorts views don’t count toward the 4,000 public watch hours. If you primarily focus on Shorts, it might be better to aim for 10 million views. One or two viral video shorts might be enough to cover this overnight.
Once you become a Partner, you’ll earn $0.01-0.06 for every 1,000 views. This might not seem like a lot in comparison to longer YT videos. However, this will add up over time if you have several Shorts with a lot of daily views. Using licensed music will also lower the ad revenue you get.
Does Your Posting Time Make a Difference?
YouTube keeps Shorts in the “feed” for more than just a few hours. You could post a Short in the morning and find that it’s finally getting traction over 12 hours later. However, your Short’s initial burst of engagement will really help it thrive.
This means you must share the Short when your fans are active. Their views and likes will push it to more people. Here’s how to check when your usual viewers are online:
- Click your profile picture in the top right.
- Tap YouTube Studio.
- In the Studio, click Analytics on the left.
- Tap Audience.
- Scroll to When Your Viewers Are on YouTube.
- Post your next Short at the appropriate time.
What Makes a Short Go Viral on YouTube?
Authenticity and relatability go hand-in-hand on YouTube. If you create real content others relate to, they’re more likely to engage with your Shorts. They might even share the videos. Vlog-style videos where you describe familiar situations can become very popular very quickly.
Adding to this, the video must be watchable. This means most people who start watching the vid end up finishing it. This is why you’ll have to prioritize snappy, rapid-fire editing. It’s also worth making the video as short as it can comfortably be to maximize watch time.
For many content creators, luck is also a factor. The YouTube algorithm is famously fickle. Even if you follow all the right steps, there’s no guarantee that it will spotlight your video.
Joining Shorts Trends on YouTube
While you shouldn’t mindlessly chase trends, trendjacking lets you embrace what’s popular. You can then use this to inform every piece of content you share. YouTube has several features that help you embrace trending Shorts. This goes beyond simply checking the Trending tab.
For example, YouTube is slowly introducing a new Templates feature. By simply tapping Remix on a popular Short, YouTube generates a similar video using your footage. You can then edit it to give it your own spin.
YouTube’s own stats can also help you find new Short ideas. Here’s how:
- Click your profile picture in the top right.
- Tap YouTube Studio.
- Click Analytics on the left-hand side.
- Tap the Research tab.
- Scroll to Content Gaps for Shorts.
This shows topics that people are searching for. You can then make videos for viewers’ specific queries and tastes.
Let Your Shorts Go Viral With the Help of GoRead.io
If you want viral Shorts on YouTube, you can always buy real viewers. This is much more helpful than buying bots; these won’t really help your page. GoRead.io can give your Shorts the boosts they need to thrive.
Our team will make sure your Shorts find their audience. Try GoRead.io today, and you’ll get real engagement that pushes your content to the front page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most popular YouTube Short?
With 51 million likes, this is MrBeast’s “Would You Fly to Paris for a Baguette?” The video shows YouTuber MrBeast paying someone to go to France to get him a baguette.
What is considered viral on YouTube Shorts?
If a short-form vertical video gets around five million views in a week, it’s a viral success. For long videos, one million is usually enough to count as viral.
Does YouTube pay for viral Shorts?
Yes, YouTube lets users monetize their Shorts. They pool the money all YT Shorts earn together each month. They then allocate proportionate payments to you based on how many views your Shorts got.