The short-form videos have gained much popularity in recent years as online users are obsessed with them. Starting from TikTok videos to Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts, the wide acceptance and popularity of short-form content are making every creator focus on such short content. Such small content is perfect for gaining attention from the modern users who are fairly impatient and do not have much time to get through a whole video. A lot of creators on YouTube utilize shorts for promotion and advertisement, and now, even Shorts are getting competitive with all kinds of creators opting for the same strategy.
If you are a creator on YouTube as well and wondering How to get more Shorts views, here are simple tips and tricks to help you achieve your goal in 2026.
• Click-through rates (CTR)
Click-through rate refers to the rate or percentage that shows how many people clicked on your Shorts video after they came across it on YouTube. The CTR is measured by the total number of clicks divided by the number of impressions. Impression refers to the number of times YouTube has shown your video thumbnail to YouTube users. Improving CTR can help you gain more views, and that can be done through the thumbnails and titles of your videos. These are the first two elements that a viewer notices in a video and decides to watch it.
• Audience Retention
YouTube tends to push your short videos further when it has a higher audience retention rate. When your video has a higher retention rate, it is capable of ranking at the top of the YouTube algorithm, and then the video gets further suggested to viewers. The first 30 seconds of your video content are highly important for retaining audiences, as that is what provides the hook and keeps them engaged. When a viewer crosses the mark of 30 seconds, it will be considered a valid view. Make your video attractive so that audiences prefer to stay for a long time. ‘Watch till the end’ videos are the finest examples for this purpose.
• Pay Attention to Video Length
YouTube Shorts allow you to upload videos that are less than 60 seconds in length. There is no point in making longer videos for shorts, as it is called shorts, and your video definitely needs to be short. Make sure to provide the hook for the video in the first few seconds, which makes the viewers stop and watch it rather than skipping to the next one. You can also create the hook with audio cues or exclamatory factors that evoke some kinds of emotions among the viewers.
Also Read: Find Out the Truth Behind YouTube Shorts Growth and Its Results
• Leverage Trends
This digital age is highly influenced by trends, and you might have already noticed the fact that online users are very likely to resonate with these latest trends as they quickly become popularized, and that improves the chances of getting viral. You should conduct research on your niche industry to find out the niche trends that can be considered as fast-growing areas as well. You can utilize gaming moments, trending recipes, comedy compilations, podcast clips, and many other elements that make your shorts more appealing to the relevant audiences. Always check the market and find out what trends your competitors are using to gain more attention from the niche viewers. Don’t be limited to your industry only, but try to be more dynamic for a wider reach.
• Master Search
Since you are trying to create a buzz in 2026, you can include 2026 in the title and descriptions of the YouTube shorts to make it more relevant for this year. This will work like a keyword and help your short content appear on target, specific search queries. As a result, your shorts can also rank higher on the search engine result pages. 2026 will be more competitive for the creators on YouTube, and utilizing the year can provide a little head start.
• Leverage Shopping
As mentioned before, YouTube is not really a platform for just entertainment, but it is also helping brands and individuals to grow their businesses and sell their products. You can also leverage YouTube's integrated shopping features to tag products or sell your merchandise. These features are great for discovery and monetization, which means you can earn money and gain more views at the same time. Leveraging shopping can be a great way to reach out to a wider range of YouTuber viewers from dynamic industries.
• Repurposing Content
Repurposing old content or long-form videos is one of the greatest applications of YouTube Shorts. Modern-day creators turn their long-form videos into attractive shorts with the help of AI-powered editing tools. It can help to showcase the viral moments and tends to be more engaging for the viewers as they get to watch the meatiest parts or the hyped moments. You should add subtitles to your YouTube Shorts, as a lot of people watch the shorts while keeping the sound off. This is not just important for the specially-abled people but also for the commoners who watch Shorts in public places or on the go. A recent report suggests that more than 70% shorts viewers watch the content while keeping the sound off.
• Smart Posting
There is something called smart posting, where creators focus on the active digital times of their target audiences and post the content when they can actively watch it. Experts say that smart posting times should be around 9-10 AM or 10-11 PM, which helps to showcase your video at the right time. However, this can differ from one audience base to another.
Final Thoughts
The culture of short-form content is going to stay for a long time, and Shorts will be one of the main ingredients to reach out to people. You should create more long-form videos to get more shorts out of it and promote your channel effectively.
