Going Viral

    How do I get more views on YouTube Shorts?

    Get more people to watch your Shorts instead of swiping away: a practical checklist from YouTube's own advice, plus tools to make and post Shorts consistently.

    ZippyClip Team11 min read
    Creator checking a vertical short video on her phone as a laptop graph shows how to get more views on YouTube Shorts
    In this article

    To get more views on YouTube Shorts, get more people to watch instead of swiping away. YouTube shows each Short to viewers who might enjoy it, then widens or shrinks reach based on their response. Hook in the first second, keep it original, post on a schedule you can keep, and link each Short to a related long video.

    Key takeaways

    • YouTube Studio tracks "How many chose to view": the share of times viewers watched your Short versus swiped away. That's the number to improve.
    • Since October 1, 2026, YouTube has favoured original Shorts and cut reach for channels that mostly re-upload other creators' clips, according to reports of its announcement.
    • Shorts can be up to 3 minutes long. But a Short over 1 minute with a Content ID claim is blocked everywhere.
    • Deleting and re-uploading a flop, or piling on hashtags, can backfire.
    • Add a "Related video" link to each Short so viewers can jump to your longer content.

    How does YouTube decide who sees your Short?

    YouTube shows a new Short to a group of people who may enjoy it, and reach grows or tapers depending on how they react. That's how YouTube Shorts product lead Todd Sherman explained it in a 2023 Creator Insider interview, according to a transcript published by OutlierKit. His summary, in that transcript: "the audience is the algorithm."

    Because Shorts viewers mostly swipe through a feed, YouTube leans on engagement signals. Social Media Today's report of the interview lists watch time, rewatches, likes, shares and comments. YouTube doesn't publish the exact formula.

    YouTube Studio's Shorts analytics show the first step:

    • Shown in feed: how many times your Shorts appeared in the Shorts feed.
    • How many chose to view: the percentage of times viewers watched your Shorts versus swiped away.

    This is YouTube's own wording for the metric many guides call "viewed vs swiped away." YouTube publishes no "good" percentage, so compare each Short with your own recent ones.

    What should you do to get more views on YouTube Shorts?

    Work through this checklist, built mostly from YouTube's own help pages and blog.

    1. Hook in the first second. Show the payoff, problem or surprise straight away. Shorts creator Jenny Hoyos says on YouTube's blog (January 2025) that you have about one second. That's her experience, not an algorithm rule.
    2. Check the hook before you post. The Get feedback button on the details screen analyses your hook and pacing. Search Engine Journal reported it rolling out to US creators over 18 on mobile in September 2026, so you may not have it yet.
    3. Make it yours. Use your own footage, story or commentary.
    4. Keep it as long as the story needs. Up to 3 minutes, but mind the music rule over 60 seconds.
    5. Format it right. Vertical or square, up to 1080p, title up to 100 characters.
    6. Use a few relevant hashtags. Never pile them on.
    7. Link it to a long video with a Related video.
    8. Post on a schedule you can keep. YouTube's tips say "consistency is key."
    9. Use remixes. Remix other Shorts with Sound, Cut, Green Screen, Collab or "Use this template." Your own Shorts are open to remixing by default.
    10. Read the numbers, then post the next one.

    Want more help with step 1? See our guide to writing a hook that stops the scroll.

    How long should a YouTube Short be?

    A YouTube Short can be up to 3 minutes long, and it should be only as long as your idea needs. The 3-minute limit applies to Shorts uploaded on or after October 15, 2024. Videos in a wide ratio like 16:9 stay long-form.

    There's one big catch. If a Short is longer than 1 minute and has any active Content ID claim, YouTube blocks it globally. It can't be played, recommended or monetised. Your channel isn't penalised, and removing the claimed content or disputing the claim fixes it.

    To stay safe, use royalty-free music from the YouTube Audio Library (it doesn't get Content ID claims), or keep Shorts with popular tracks under a minute.

    How often should you post Shorts, and does the time of day matter?

    Post as often as you can keep up week after week. YouTube's official advice is to stick to a schedule you can maintain because consistency is key.

    Posting more isn't a magic switch. In the same interview, Sherman said (as Social Media Today reported) that volume doesn't directly raise or lower reach, but lots of low-quality clips can hurt.

    OutlierKit's third-party transcript also quotes Sherman saying there's no "five videos or 10 Shorts per day" threshold, and that upload time is "not something that we think about optimizing for." We couldn't verify those quotes against the video. YouTube hasn't published a best time to post.

    Should you delete and re-upload a Short that flopped?

    No. Deleting and re-uploading isn't a growth hack. Sherman warned, as Social Media Today reported, that YouTube's systems may treat it as spam.

    Leave the flop up, check its retention to see where viewers left, and put that lesson into your next Short.

    Do hashtags help Shorts get more views?

    Hashtags are optional, and too many can hurt. Asked whether hashtags are required, Sherman said no, according to Social Media Today. He added that they can help when tied to a real-world event or topic.

    YouTube's hashtag rules are strict:

    • You can add hashtags to a Short's title or description. Up to three of the most engaging show next to the title.
    • If a video has more than 60 hashtags, YouTube ignores all of them.
    • Over-tagging can get a video removed from search, and hashtags unrelated to the video can get it removed.

    Use a handful that describe what's actually in the video. For more, see how to write SEO titles and hashtags for short videos.

    Can you re-upload clips from other creators or other apps?

    Not if you want reach. On October 1, 2026, YouTube Creator Liaison Rene Ritchie announced on the Creator Insider channel that Shorts recommendations now favour original content. According to Search Engine Journal's summary, channels that mainly aggregate or re-upload other creators' clips without significant changes get less reach.

    Per those reports, these don't count as original: voiceovers that just describe what's on screen, minor technical edits, or template-based bulk changes. Remixes are fine when they add real value, like your own commentary, analysis or storytelling. To share another creator's video, YouTube suggests your channel's Posts tab instead.

    Channels that switch to original content will have their reach re-evaluated. The announcement didn't address creators cutting Shorts from their own long videos.

    How do you turn Shorts viewers into long-form viewers?

    Add a Related video to every Short. It puts a clickable link below your channel handle in the Shorts player. The link can point to a video, Short or live stream on your own channel, as long as it's public or unlisted. You need advanced feature access to use it.

    To add it on desktop, open YouTube Studio, click Content, select the Short, choose Related video, pick a video from your channel and save.

    YouTube's July 14, 2026 blog guide adds three tips: link a quick tip to the full tutorial, ask viewers to tap the link in the last 5 seconds, and start the long video on the promised topic with no slow intro.

    YouTube hasn't shared figures on how much this lifts long-form views. If you have long videos already, our guide on turning long videos into short clips covers the workflow.

    Which tools help you make and post more Shorts?

    The right tool depends on where you're starting: no video, long videos to cut down, or clips to edit by hand. ZippyClip is made by the team behind this blog. Prices below are as of October 2026 and can change.

    ToolBest forKey featuresPrice / free optionWatch-outs
    ZippyClip (our pick)Businesses and creators who want Shorts made and posted for themVideo concepts from your website with a hook and story; cuts long videos into shorts; word-level captions; vertical reframing; auto-posts to YouTube with AI-written SEO titles; scheduling every X hoursFree to start (watermark, 50 API tokens), scheduling included; Pro removes the watermarkDesktop app for Windows and macOS; TikTok publishing is Pro
    OpusClipCutting existing long videos into ShortsAI highlight picks with a 0–99 Virality Score; auto reframe; captions in 20+ languages; auto-posting from StarterFree (60 credits/month); Starter $15/month; Pro $29/month or $174/yearNeeds long footage; 1 credit = 1 minute of video; Starter can't schedule
    CapCutHands-on trend-style editingTemplates, auto captions, sound effects on phone, desktop and webFree; Pro $19.99/monthYou do the editing; free limits not published; no scheduling found
    SubmagicFast animated captions on talking-head clipsKeyword-highlighted captions, auto B-roll, silence removalStarter $19/month ($12/month yearly); Pro $39/monthNo free plan listed; monthly video and length caps

    1. ZippyClip — our pick for getting more Shorts out the door

    ZippyClip is our pick because it handles several steps of the checklist above in one place: ideas, editing, captions and consistent posting. It's an AI marketer: a desktop app for Windows and macOS that starts from your business URL, not a camera.

    • Hook-first ideas about your business. The AI reads your website or product page and turns your products, services and customer problems into video concepts. Each has a hook, a story, and AI-generated visuals and dialogue, built around your business rather than someone else's clips.
    • Long videos into Shorts. Drop in a podcast or webinar and viral moment detection finds the moments with the highest viral potential, then cuts them into separate shorts, captioned and resized. Publishing a long video can also cut a short under 3 minutes from it and post that too.
    • Captions and vertical framing. Word-level captions styled your way, plus smart 9:16 reframing that tracks the subject.
    • Consistency on autopilot. It auto-posts to YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and X (TikTok on Pro), and you can schedule posts every X hours. The AI writes SEO titles, descriptions, hashtags and tags for every clip.

    ZippyClip is free to start, with a watermark and 50 API tokens; Pro removes the watermark. It won't guarantee views; no tool can. It takes the making and posting off your plate so you can stay consistent.

    The alternatives

    • OpusClip fits if you already have lots of long videos. Its free plan is watermarked, clips expire after 3 days, and it can't post. Pro adds a scheduler.
    • CapCut suits people who enjoy editing by hand, with a usable free tier. You still do the creative work.
    • Submagic is built for eye-catching captions and B-roll. There's a free trial but no free plan, and some pricing-page numbers contradict each other, so double-check before buying.

    How do you know if your Shorts are getting better?

    Check the same numbers after every Short. How many chose to view tells you if the opening works. Engaged views count people who kept watching past the opening seconds. That matters because, since August 24, 2026, a plain view counts from the first frame. Retention shows where people leave. There's no official benchmark, so compare each Short with your own last few.

    Sources

    Frequently asked questions

    YouTube first shows a Short to a small group of viewers and widens or shrinks its reach based on how they respond. If most people swipe away, reach tapers, so check "How many chose to view" in YouTube Studio and work on a stronger first second.

    YouTube doesn't publish a "good" percentage for its "How many chose to view" metric. Compare each Short with your own recent Shorts and aim to beat your usual number.

    Yes. Shorts uploaded on or after October 15, 2024 can be up to 3 minutes long. But a Short longer than 1 minute with an active Content ID claim is blocked globally, so use YouTube Audio Library music or keep Shorts with popular tracks under a minute.

    No. YouTube's Shorts product lead warned that YouTube's systems may treat deleting and re-uploading as spam, as Social Media Today reported. Leave it up, check where viewers left, and apply the lesson to your next Short.

    ZippyClip is our pick if you want Shorts made and posted for you: it creates video concepts from your website, cuts long videos into captioned shorts, and auto-posts on a schedule, free to start with a watermark. OpusClip fits if you already have lots of long videos to clip, and CapCut suits hands-on editing.
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