Why you should NOT start YouTube Shorts (beware)

Summary

This video script debunks the myth that a YouTube Shorts channel can earn up to $41,000 per month, revealing that such claims are misleading. The creator shares their experience, explaining that even if monetized, a channel would likely earn only $480 per month based on typical YouTube Shorts revenue. The video exposes the harsh reality of YouTube Shorts, showing that the algorithm favors short attention spans, which can hurt long-form content creators. It also highlights the disconnect between the popularity of Shorts and long-form engagement, urging creators to choose between the two formats to avoid self-sabotage. The script serves as a cautionary tale for aspiring YouTubers, advocating for informed decision-making in content creation strategy.

Takeaways

• 🎯 The video script claims that a YouTube Shorts channel is said to make up to $41,000 a month, but this is misleading and not accurate.
• 📉 The channel mentioned is not even monetized, and even if it were, it would only make about $480 per month based on typical earnings from YouTube Shorts.
• 📈 The creator of the video owns a monetized YouTube Shorts channel and earns about 8 cents per 1,000 views, which is a common rate among other creators.
• 💡 The video aims to expose the 'Dark Truth About YouTube Shorts' and share personal experiences to help others avoid wasting time, money, and effort.
• 🚀 The creator started a new YouTube channel intending to capitalize on the growing popularity of YouTube Shorts and long-form content.
• 📹 The initial long-form video received very few views, while the Shorts gained more traction, leading to a focus on Shorts to reach monetization thresholds.
• 🔄 The creator planned to switch back to long-form content after monetization, but faced a drastic drop in views, largely due to the short attention span of Shorts subscribers.
• 📊 A key issue was identified as 'average view duration' (AVD), which was very low for long-form content among subscribers coming from Shorts.
• 🤖 The YouTube algorithm favors videos that retain viewers' attention, and if subscribers from Shorts do not watch long-form content, the algorithm deems it less valuable.
• 📈 Some successful Shorts creators have billions of views but struggle with engagement on their long-form content, while others like Mr. Beast have chosen to focus on one format.
• 🚫 Many channels promoting YouTube Shorts do not use them themselves and may not disclose the potential risks to their audience.
• 💡 The video suggests that creators should choose between focusing on YouTube Shorts or long-form content to avoid self-sabotage and maintain audience engagement.

Q & A

What is the claim made by the video about a YouTube Shorts channel's earnings?

The video claims that a particular YouTube Shorts channel is making up to $41,000 a month, but this is disputed as misleading.

Why does the video creator believe the $41,000 monthly earnings claim is misleading?

The video creator believes the claim is misleading because even if the channel was monetized, it would only be making about $480 per month, based on the average earnings per 1,000 views for YouTube Shorts.

What is the average earnings rate for YouTube Shorts mentioned by the video creator?

The video creator states that they and other YouTube Shorts creators they've spoken to make about 8 cents per every 1,000 views.

What was the video creator's initial strategy for their new YouTube channel?

The initial strategy was to upload long-form content a couple of times a week and post Shorts every day, with the belief that it would help grow the channel and attract an audience interested in the same topics.

How did the video creator's first long-form video perform?

The first long-form video received only 19 views in the first week, which was disappointing compared to the Shorts that received thousands of views.

What was the video creator's realization after one of their long-form videos and a Shorts video went viral?

The creator realized that it's easier to reach the monetization threshold with Shorts than with long-form content and considered focusing on Shorts to get monetized quickly.

What are the key elements that the video creator identified as contributing to the virality of YouTube Shorts?

The key elements identified were captions, jump cuts, animations, background music, and sound effects.

Why did the video creator's long-form content struggle to gain views after they switched to focusing on Shorts?

The struggle was due to the audience that subscribed from Shorts having shorter attention spans and not engaging with the long-form content, leading to poor average view duration and algorithmic deprioritization.

What is the impact of a low average view duration (AVD) on a YouTube video's visibility?

A low AVD can negatively impact a video's visibility as the YouTube algorithm may interpret it as not being engaging, resulting in less promotion to a larger audience.

What advice does the video creator give regarding mixing YouTube Shorts and long-form content?

The advice is to choose between building a YouTube Shorts channel or a long-form content channel and stick with it, as mixing both can lead to self-sabotage and audience mismatch issues.

What is the video creator's stance on YouTube Shorts as a platform for new creators?

The creator acknowledges that YouTube Shorts can be profitable and beneficial for some niches or as a way to stay in front of an existing audience, but warns against mixing Shorts with long-form content for new channels.