Vertical videos have become an inseparable part of social media, and advertisers are naturally targeting this new placement. YouTube Ads already offer a variety of placements, targeting options, and optimizations—and YouTube Shorts is now a targetable placement as well.

Discover YouTube Shorts ad options and explore how to integrate them into a marketing strategy.

Key Takeaways From YouTube Shorts Ads Features

YouTube Shorts Ads Offer High Reach

Unsurprisingly, YouTube has extensive reach across internet users. The Shorts section within the app is heavily promoted, resulting in 70 billion daily views.(Source: YouTube Advertising's X Post)

“Short” Creatives Are Recommended for YouTube Shorts

YouTube recommends ads under 60 seconds to match the nature of Shorts placements.

Shorts Are Highly Compatible With Mobile

As vertical videos, Shorts are primarily served on mobile devices.

Direct Collaboration Possible Through the Dashboard

With Partnership Ads, easy collaboration opportunities and more native-feeling promotional videos are now possible!

(Note: This feature is still in testing and available only in certain locations.)

Tips for YouTube Shorts Ads and Creatives

Think of YouTube Shorts as Part of a Broader Video Marketing Strategy

Marketers and brand owners often worry that short content won’t fully deliver their message or showcase all product features. However, YouTube Shorts can be combined with longer videos and different video ad formats for a more comprehensive strategy.

You Only Have a Few Seconds to Capture Attention

Users scroll quickly through vertical video placements, often skipping anything uninteresting. In an hour, they may watch dozens of short videos, making snap decisions about whether to continue watching. This means only a few seconds are available to convince viewers to engage with the content.

Shorts Can Be a Great Option for Traffic Campaigns

Advertisers can benefit from the practicality of YouTube Shorts ads—quickly delivering their message and directing users to relevant landing pages. The Shorts placement can be a strong choice for driving traffic.

YouTube Shorts Trends Change Quickly

Trends, including popular music, evolve rapidly on YouTube Shorts. Catching trends early and making quick decisions is key to maximizing reach.

YouTube Shorts Collaborations

As mentioned earlier, YouTube Shorts offers direct collaboration opportunities, but these are limited to certain countries. If unavailable, manual collaborations can be considered.

User-generated content (UGC) can also be leveraged. Running contests or challenges that encourage followers to create videos can add variety. However, legal considerations—such as copyright and obtaining consent for online promotions—must be addressed before using UGC in advertising. Not all content needs to be brand-produced; collaborations and UGC can diversify content.

Optimizing Creatives and Calls to Action for Mobile

Since YouTube Shorts primarily reaches mobile users, content should be designed accordingly. This includes:

• Avoiding videos with small, hard-to-read details

• Ensuring calls to action (CTAs) don’t require complex steps better suited for desktop users

Standard Digital Marketing Best Practices Apply to YouTube Shorts Ads

As with other ad formats, providing enough creative variations allows marketing platforms to optimize performance by testing different versions. Key elements to test include:

• Digitally produced vs. real-life footage vs. hybrid approaches

Creating Ads for Different Viewing Situations

People use various mobile devices and operating systems, and their viewing experience differs based on context. Many watch YouTube Shorts while on the go, traveling, or in situations where they can’t turn on sound. To maximize effectiveness:

• Add subtitles for silent viewing

• Display CTAs visually on the creative (in case the CTA button is missed)

• Reinforce the CTA with voice narration

Use Timers or Countdowns to Increase Watch Time

Even though Shorts are already short-form content, viewers still want to consume content as quickly as possible. Using countdown effects or fast-paced narration to indicate how many seconds remain can encourage more users to watch until the end.

Sources & Further Reading

YouTube Advertising's X Post
YouTube Shorts Ads Guide
YouTube Creators / Shorts

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