Over the past few years, short-form videos are in and longer content is out. Due in large part to the growth of TikTok, social media users have grown accustomed to videos that are sixty seconds or less. In July of 2021, YouTube launched their own version of this with YouTube Shorts. So, how does this addition to their platform affect how users engage with YouTube? And, if American audiences do lose TikTok in the future, how will YouTube be set up to gain market share over competitors such as Instagram Reels?

How Does YouTube Stack Up?

As of this writing, YouTube has the second largest audience, with an estimated 2.3 billion users every month. TikTok, on the other hand, brings in nearly 1.6 billion monthly users. YouTube has a large audience made with a wider range of demographics. About half of TikTok users are under the age of thirty, while YouTube caters to a wider age range. On top of this, about 70% of YouTube activity occurs on a mobile device. This shows that YouTube has a vast audience that is already engaging on phones, where short-form, shareable content is most prevalent. 

What About TikTok?

As this feature on YouTube continues to gain in popularity, content creators will need to learn how to adapt. Aside from some standout influencers, TikTok users generally don’t create long-lasting fanbases in the same way as YouTubers. If more of your audience is on YouTube, you have a built-in advantage, since audience members won’t have to go far from Shorts to your main channel. While some YouTubers have integrated TikTok, Instagram, or other platforms into their overall brand, having Shorts around can improve their engagement rates. They could take clips from their newest video and turn it into a Short that promotes their long-form content. Additionally, smaller ideas that don’t get turned into full-length videos can be turned into Shorts instead. In doing this, you can reach parts of your audience that are looking for longer content (because is it even possible to eat lunch without YouTube?) while also reaching an audience group that is looking for fun-sized content.

And, don’t think I have forgotten the elephant in the room: TikTok may or may not be banned in the US at some point in the future. I can’t comment on how likely this is to take place, but what I can comment on is that a large space in the market will be up for the taking. If this ban goes into effect, Instagram and YouTube will both take the largest pieces of the pie. So, if you are in the middle of creating a social media strategy, you will need to weigh your options. TikTok seems to be the “it” social media platform right now, but YouTube has greater potential reach and is not facing a potential US ban. 

Of course, there is no right or wrong choice for this — and why would you need to choose only one in the first place? However, if you are looking to expand your reach and haven’t already checked out YouTube Shorts, now may be the perfect opportunity. Have you used this platform? What did you think, and how do you think it will evolve in the coming years?

Author: Ben Rosenstiel

Ben joined the NISM team as a Social Media Strategist intern in June of 2024. He graduated from Northern Kentucky University with a Bachelor of Arts in Electronic Media & Broadcasting in 2022 and with a Master of Business Administration in 2023. Ben enjoys making content as a Social Media Associate for the Kenton County Public Library. In his free time, he enjoys playing live music in the Cincinnati area, writing music with his band, and spending time with his amazing girlfriend either reading or watching TV (usually Vampire Diaries).