Why Your Shorts Aren't Getting Views Any More

Summary

In this Boost by vidIQ video, the hosts address why YouTube Shorts may stop getting views and how to fix it. They discuss the history of Shorts, the initial boost in views, and the current challenges due to increased competition. Key strategies include creating compelling hooks, starting with high-impact content, and maintaining a consistent niche. They also highlight the importance of analyzing metrics like view percentage and swipe rates. The video offers tips on scripting, storytelling, and optimizing Shorts for better engagement and visibility.

Takeaways

• 😀 YouTube Shorts have evolved since their introduction in 2012, with changes in how quickly views are counted and the process for gaining traction.
• 🔍 Initially, Shorts required additional steps like tagging with hashtags, but now views can be seen within an hour of posting.
• 🎯 The algorithm for YouTube Shorts involves a broad distribution to various audiences, which may not always align with the creator's target viewership.
• 📉 A significant issue is that if a Short is not engaging to the initial audience, it may fail, as viewers may swipe away instead of watching.
• 📈 Successful Shorts often have high average view percentages, such as 90% or more, and a high percentage of viewers choosing to watch rather than swipe away.
• 📊 Metrics alone do not guarantee success, but they can provide clues on what works well for engaging audiences.
• ⏰ The importance of a strong hook in Short content cannot be overstated, often needing to be established within the first second to capture attention.
• 📹 Creators should start their Shorts in the midst of the action to immediately engage viewers, rather than spending time on lengthy introductions.
• 🗂 Niche consistency is also important in Shorts, with a need to identify a theme or topic to attract and retain viewers' interest.
• 🔄 The potential for Evergreen content in Shorts exists, especially when answering common questions that can be discovered through YouTube search.
• 🔍 YouTube search is increasingly being used for quick answers, providing an opportunity for Shorts to gain views through search optimization.
• 🛑 It's normal for video views to plateau or stop growing entirely, as the algorithm may not find further audiences or engagement levels it deems successful.

Q & A

What is the main issue discussed in the video script regarding YouTube Shorts?

The main issue discussed is that some creators are experiencing a drop in views for their YouTube Shorts and are trying to understand why this is happening and how to fix it.

What was the initial experience like for creators when YouTube Shorts first came out?

When YouTube Shorts first came out, creators had to wait up to 3 days for views to come in and had to use hashtags and other methods to get their shorts to work. There was a lot of interest, and almost any content would get a lot of views.

How do YouTube Shorts work in terms of viewer engagement?

YouTube Shorts are initially shown to a broad audience without specific targeting. The algorithm then gauges engagement and if the content is engaging, it will be shown to more viewers. If not, it may stop receiving views.

What is the importance of the 'hook' in YouTube Shorts compared to long-form content?

The hook in YouTube Shorts is even more critical because creators have about 1 second to capture the viewer's attention, compared to the 15 seconds typically allowed in long-form content.

What are some tips for creating a successful hook in YouTube Shorts?

Tips include spending extra time crafting the hook, starting the action within the first 3 seconds, and beginning the short in a high moment to immediately engage the viewer.

Why is it important to niche down when creating YouTube Shorts?

Nicheing down helps to ensure that the content is relevant and interesting to a specific audience, increasing the chances of views and engagement, which are key to the success of YouTube Shorts.

How can creators ensure their YouTube Shorts have repeat ideas or concepts?

Creators can ensure repeat ideas by focusing on a single topic or theme within their shorts, allowing viewers to return for more content that aligns with their interests.

What is an example of an Evergreen short mentioned in the script?

An example of an Evergreen short is one that answers a question and gets most of its views from YouTube search, which is not typical for shorts but can be leveraged for more views.

Why might a YouTube Short stop receiving views after a certain number?

A YouTube Short might stop receiving views if the algorithm determines that the content is not engaging enough or cannot find more viewers interested in the content, based on the initial engagement levels.

What does the script suggest about the normalcy of a video's view count stopping?

The script suggests that it is normal for a video's view count to stop at some point, as the algorithm may not find further engagement or additional viewers interested in the content.

What additional strategy can help improve the performance of YouTube Shorts?

One strategy is to create Evergreen content that targets search queries, as this can lead to more views over time as people search for answers on YouTube.

Outlines

00:00

📉 Decline in YouTube Shorts Views

This paragraph discusses the issue of YouTube Shorts creators experiencing a drop in views. It mentions that the platform's algorithm initially required creators to wait days for views to accumulate and involved tagging strategies. Nowadays, views can be seen within an hour. The script explains how the algorithm works by distributing the Shorts to a broad audience to gauge engagement, which can include viewers not typically interested in the content. It highlights the importance of high-quality content (CHS) in the current saturated Shorts market and suggests analyzing successful Shorts' metrics, such as view percentage and the viewed versus swiped away ratio, to understand what engages viewers.

05:01

🔍 Strategies for Boosting YouTube Shorts Success

The second paragraph focuses on strategies to improve the performance of YouTube Shorts. It emphasizes the necessity of a strong hook and storytelling within the short time frame of Shorts, suggesting that creators should start with high-action moments rather than lengthy introductions. The paragraph also touches on the importance of niche consistency and the potential for Evergreen content that answers common questions, which can drive views from YouTube search. It concludes by normalizing the fluctuation in view counts, explaining that it's common for videos to stop gaining views after reaching a certain number, and suggests that understanding these dynamics can help creators make necessary adjustments to their content strategy.

Keywords

💡YouTube Shorts

YouTube Shorts are short-form videos on the YouTube platform, typically under 60 seconds, designed for quick consumption and engagement. They are part of the video's theme as they are the central focus of the discussion on why some Shorts may have stopped getting views. The script mentions the evolution of Shorts, from requiring certain hashtags and long wait times for views to the current system where views can come in within an hour of posting.

💡Engagement

Engagement in the context of the video refers to how viewers interact with content, such as watching, liking, commenting, or sharing. It is crucial for the success of YouTube Shorts, as the script explains that Shorts are initially shown to a broad audience and those that engage positively can lead to further visibility. The script uses metrics like view percentage and viewed versus swiped away to illustrate the importance of engagement.

💡Hook

A hook in video content is a strategy used to capture the audience's attention at the beginning of a video. The script emphasizes the importance of a strong hook in Shorts, where creators have a very short time—about one second—to engage viewers and prevent them from swiping away. It suggests starting with high-action moments to create an immediate impact.

💡Storytelling

Storytelling in the video script refers to the method of conveying a narrative or message in an engaging way. The script discusses the difference in storytelling approach between long-form content and Shorts, noting that while long-form content builds up to a climax, Shorts should start with high-action or 'drama' to immediately engage the viewer.

💡Niche

A niche in content creation refers to a specific topic or category that an individual or channel specializes in. The script mentions that even within the short-form content of YouTube Shorts, creators should still focus on a niche to ensure consistency and attract a dedicated audience. It suggests that while different niches can be used for long-form and short-form content, Shorts should still cover at least one topic.

💡Evergreen Content

Evergreen content is material that remains relevant and valuable over time, not tied to a specific trend or time-sensitive event. The script discusses the potential for Evergreen Shorts that answer questions or provide information that continues to attract views from YouTube search, as opposed to content that may only be popular for a short period.

💡Metrics

Metrics in the context of the video are the quantitative measurements used to assess the performance of YouTube Shorts, such as view percentage, viewed versus swiped away, and average watch time. The script uses these metrics to illustrate what successful Shorts look like and to provide insights into why certain Shorts may not be performing well.

💡Relevancy

Relevancy in the script refers to the alignment of content with the interests of the audience. It is important for Shorts because if the content is not relevant to the viewer, they are less likely to engage, which can affect the video's performance. The script suggests that understanding and targeting the right audience is key to creating successful Shorts.

💡Search

In the video, search refers to the function on YouTube where users look for specific content or answers to questions. The script mentions that some Shorts can attract views from YouTube search, especially if they provide quick answers or information, highlighting the importance of optimizing Shorts for searchability.

💡View Stagnation

View stagnation is when a video stops gaining views after a certain point. The script explains that this is a normal occurrence for all videos, including Shorts, as they may reach a group of people who do not engage with the content at a level that prompts YouTube to continue promoting it. It provides context on why some Shorts may not continue to grow in views.

Highlights

YouTube Shorts may have stopped getting views due to changes in the platform's algorithm or increased competition among creators.

VidIQ has been covering YouTube Shorts since 2012, providing insights into their evolution and best practices.

Initially, it took up to 3 days for views to come in on YouTube Shorts, but now views can be seen within an hour of posting.

YouTube Shorts are algorithmically pushed to a wide audience, which may include people not interested in the content.

High-quality content is crucial for Shorts to stand out in the crowded space of YouTube creators.

Successful Shorts have an average view percentage of over 90%, indicating high engagement.

Relevancy and the ratio of viewed versus swiped away are key metrics for Shorts' performance.

A high viewed-to-swiped away ratio suggests that the content is engaging and relevant to the audience.

Engagement and watching the entire short are critical for a video's success on YouTube.

Crafting a strong hook within the first second of a Short is essential to capture viewers' attention.

Shorts should start with high-action moments rather than lengthy introductions.

Consistency in niche and storytelling strategy is important for building a Shorts audience.

Evergreen content that answers questions can drive views from YouTube search.

Some videos may stop gaining views after a certain point due to the algorithm's inability to find more engaged viewers.

Understanding why Shorts may underperform and making changes can help improve their success.

There is no guarantee of success, but analyzing metrics and optimizing content can improve performance.

VidIQ offers resources for creating Evergreen content targeting search to increase views on YouTube Shorts.

Transcripts

have your shorts stopped getting views

today we're going to break down why that

may be and how you can fix that here on

the Boost by vid IQ all right Jen shorts

shorts shorts what everyone wants to

have is short success but some people

lately have been complaining that their

shorts have stopped working stopped

working stopped getting traffic have

just gotten zero views there's a lot of

things that feel like are going wrong

with shorts right now on the newtubers

Reddit I noticed a lot of people are

complaining about how their shorts just

aren't getting views anymore like they

used to get views and then they stopped

so I guess the question is has something

changed at YouTube but before we get

into that let's talk a little bit about

what shorts are and how they came to be

vid IQ has actually been on The Cutting

Edge of shorts because we've been doing

shorts and covering shorts since 20120 I

mean it's been a long time we've known

about these things I think it's safe to

say we have some experience and what

we're talking about and when they first

were released you used to have to wait

up to 3 days before views would come in

on your YouTube shorts and used to have

to hashtag them and do all these extra

things to get them to work but now you

can get views within an hour of posting

your YouTube short the way YouTube

shorts work is once you upload your

short and it doesn't have any

information about who your audience is

it just shotguns that video to as many

people as possible and gives them an

opportunity to engage kind of like your

normal videos but in the case of shorts

it just tries a lot of different people

all at the same time and some of those

people might not be your regular viewers

or even the audience that you're going

after yeah and this is kind of the

problem because if that short gets

thrown out to a bunch of of people who

really aren't interested in your topic

it's going to fail people aren't going

to watch it they're going to swipe

through it it's going to die on a vine

when shorts first came out there weren't

that many creators and there was a lot

of interest you could put just about

anything you wanted to out there and it

was going to get a lot of views but

nowadays pretty much everyone's doing

YouTube shorts so unfortunately your CHS

have to be really really good but what

does that mean Travis let's pull up some

metrics from some really successful

shorts and see what we're looking at

what we're dealing with we got one right

here that has 1.3 million views and as

you can see here it has an average view

percentage of 90% but that's not the

only thing you need to look at you also

need to look at relevancy and one other

metric that you can pull up in your

analytics which is the viewed versus

swiped away and on this particular page

we can see that 84% decided to view it

versus the 15% that swiped away but of

course this is just one video let's take

a look at another video to see if it's

the same and this one we're seeing

almost the same percentage of watch

through with

93% so let's see what our swipe away is

for this one and here we can see it's

74% viewed versus 25% swiped away now

does that mean if you hit these numbers

that you are guaranteed success no but

success does tend to leave Clues it's

also worth noting that if your metrics

are looking better than this it doesn't

mean that you're guaranteed success

either there's lots more that goes into

it which of course we're going to go

through so a lot of success for YouTube

shorts comes in the fact that people are

engaged and are watching as much if not

the entire short which means your hook

and your storytelling better be on point

Jen what are some tips for this some

tips for this are going to be similar to

how you would script a hook for long

form content except just like short form

content in general we're dealing with

shorter everything and that means a

shorter amount of time to get that hook

out there typically with long form

content when we're talking about around

that 15sec Mark to have your hook and

intro be wrapped up to set those

expectations in shorts you have like 1

second and that 1 second is determining

if someone is swiping away or if you've

hooked them in so so important to have

those hooks spend extra time crafting

them even if you're spending less time

on the content in general put that time

into these hugs and it's really

important to understand that you have

less time to get into the action than

you do in regular content don't do a

whole introduction in the short that

takes 15 seconds you should be in the

middle of the action within 3 seconds of

that short starting if you're not you

may not be getting the numbers that

you're looking for I think a really

great way to think about this is in long

form content typically will build up to

kind of the peak of the content and

really where the climax of that story is

happening versus short you almost want

to start in that drama so say I'm going

to go skydiving in a long form content I

might have some of the storytelling

include me going to sign up or getting

on the plane or I'm nervous whereas if I

was making a short about it I'm going to

be jumping out of that plane as the

short starts starting in that high high

moment and then kind of working your way

down is more of a storytelling strategy

for short form content and also don't

just do random shorts and expect them

all to perform the same much like you do

for long form content you still kind of

need a niche and to Niche down somewhat

at the very least if you want success on

each short that you upload it doesn't

mean that you have to do the same niche

as you do on your long form content

we've seen different channels use

different types of niches across long

form and short form however within short

form itself it should still cover at

least one topic so people can come back

and watch more and more you definitely

want to identify a similar strategy that

you would take with any other cont

content and that's having the

opportunity for repeat ideas to have it

within the same type of concept so if

I'm walking around New York City trying

every dollar slice of pizza I can find

that's a great way to set yourself up to

have that continue in different

restaurants with the same idea that

people can have that shared interest in

for multiple pieces of content we've

also found that you can have Evergreen

shorts if you answer a question in your

shorts this video has over 1 million

views and most of the views are coming

from YouTube search that's something you

don't typically see on shorts but you

can take advantage of if you want more

views on your YouTube shorts wait Travis

we talked about this in our search video

about how people are turning towards

short form content to get an answer

quicker when searching for something on

YouTube you're absolutely right we

talked about how YouTube search actually

works we'll leave a link in the

description below for that one cuz that

is going to answer a lot of your

questions so some people are asking why

their videos stop after like 300 or so

views and that's kind of what we talked

about earlier basically your content has

been shared to a group of people who

have not engaged with it at a level that

YouTube thinks is successful or cannot

find other viewers for your content that

number could be 3001 day it could be 200

the next it could be 10,000 but it

happens to every single video it goes

out gets some views and then eventually

stops so you're saying it's totally

normal for content to stop is that fair

to say it's always normal some videos

are going to stop dead in their tracks

and never get another view again and

then some randomly 2 years later are

going to take off so now you have a

better understanding as to why some of

your short maybe underperforming and

some things that you can do to start

making some changes but if you want to

work on that Evergreen content targeting

search we have this awesome video right

here that's got everything you need to

know