Mini-Media Magic: Which Social Site Captures the Crowd Faster? YouTubes or TikToks?

YouTube Shorts vs. TikTok: Which One Is Better?

Shanoon Cox

Aug 21, 2023• Proven solutions

YouTube Shorts is the latest feature designed to mimic TikTok’s creation, but can it go hand in hand with one of the biggest social media apps? Let’s discuss this scenario in detail in this article!

YouTube’s TikTok competitor, YouTube Shorts, is now rocking globally. Seeing the success of Instagram Reels and TikTok, it seems like YouTube didn’t want to lag behind the game. So in September last year, it decided to step into short-form content via YouTube Shorts, a social platform for quick 60-second videos hosted on the YouTube app.

According to the Shorts product lead Todd Sherman, the social media giant aims to unleash new grounds for creativity.

On the other hand, TikTok is a short-form, video-sharing app that assists users to share and make 15-second to 60-seconds videos on any topic.

TikTok contains a separate app for the Chinese market, Douyin, with 300 million-plus active monthly users. The new app’s logo is a merger of the Duyin and Musical.ly logos.

And, we’re going to discuss the comparison of both these giants, i.e., YouTube Shorts vs. TikTok, in terms of which app is better for making short videos.

Part 1: Is YouTube Shorts the New TikTok?

In general, we can’t say that YouTube Shorts is the new TikTok because YouTube Shorts is YouTube’s expansion and have its own identity than TikTok.

YouTube Shorts is playing hand in hand with TikTok as the short-form video platform, but the Shorts integration with the broader ecosystem of YouTube is its key selling point according to Google’s service.

Ironically, while YouTube is laying ways to emulate TikTok’s format, TikTok is experimenting with formats that are closer to YouTube’s traditional focus. This is why TikTok has tripled its maximum video length to three minutes for everyone and has been developing apps slowly on TV platforms like Fire TV and Android TV.

At a glance, YouTube Shorts looks pretty similar to TikTok. However, there are certain TikTok features that even the Shorts product manager Todd Sherman disagrees with is that of the YouTube Shorts. Sherman said the way TikTok works is quite an industry-wide standard than the point of view of any single app.

Even though YouTube is quite late to the short-form content game, it has a strong brand of YouTube behind it.

Thus, saying that “YouTube Shorts is the new TikTok” doesn’t even qualify in terms of the $100 million fund sanctioned for the creators of YouTube Shorts.

Part 2: YouTube Shorts vs. TikTok: What Are the Similarities and Differences?

In this section, we’ve defined the analysis of YouTube Shorts vs. TikTok in the form of both a comparison table and specific points of similarities and differences.

Basis of Comparison	YouTube Shorts	TikTok
Video Length/Duration	Up to 60 seconds	Up to 3 minutes
Aspect Ratio	9:16	9:16
Video Captions/Description	You can find the video title in the exact location as the TikTok caption, but the description is visible only after users click on the three dots.	Video captions are located at the bottom left.
Placement of Analytics	YouTube Studio	TikTok app itself
Dislike Button	Yes	No

Section 1. The Similarities Between YouTube Shorts and TikTok

• Both these platforms are for short-form video content.
• The TikTok and YouTube Shorts both assist creators in adding music from their audio libraries, and users can view all videos beneath the audio library.
• Both offer analytics, including video views, likes, comments, watch time, shares, impressions, and reach. You can view these analytics on a desktop or mobile device for both platforms.
• The Shorts and TikTok feed provide a full-screen immersive experience with the engagement menu shown on the right-hand panel.
• Their feeds scroll in the same manner. Plus, there is an endless number of videos lined up for users to discover and watch. Yet, there’s no auto-scroll on either, and users must scroll manually for the following video to come up.
• Both provide tools that assist creators in earning money from their content creation.
• Users can subscribe or follow creators directly from their videos in both feeds.
• Both offer creators the ability to alter their video content’s speed and help them to set timers with the filming process.
• YouTube Shorts TikTok give creators the ability to upload video content they’ve previously filmed.
• You can add closed captions and overlaying text to both of these platforms.
• They both assist creators in setting a video for the public, so anyone can view it or set it to private.

Section 2. The Differences Between YouTube Shorts and TikTok

• The monetization features of both these platforms are entirely different. Shorts offer their ‘Shorts fund,’ whereas TikTok provides Shoutouts and Digital Gifts.
• Shorts can only be 60-seconds long, whereas TikTok’s can be as long as three minutes (it could soon be stretched to five minutes duration as per their recent test).
• TikTok allows users to add video captions that are present in the bottom left area of TikTok. At the same time, users can add a video title in Shorts which is present in the exact location as a TikTok caption. And, a video description that is only viewable when users click the three dots above the link button and click ‘Description’ can be in YouTube Shorts.
• YouTube has a large music library which gives users an abundance of undiscovered and popular songs to select from, possibly more than the TikTok offerings list.
• TikTok has a vast library of filters, including greenscreen and AR effects, whereas Shorts only provides filters that edit the video’s tone, temperature, brightness, etc.
• Shorts’ ‘private’ video option allows creators to choose or see who watches your video. On the other hand, TikTok’s ‘private’ video option only allows the creator to view the video.
• You can view the TikTok analytics directly in the TikTok app. On the other hand, YouTube Shorts analytics can be visible in YouTube Studio.

Features TikTok has, but YouTube Shorts does not…

• A stitch and duet feature, where users can add other creators’ videos to their accounts.
• A Q&A feature to leave questions for creators to answer with a video. Creators can also reply to their comments.
• A discovery tab that assists users in viewing trending sounds, effects, and hashtags.

Features YouTube Shorts has, but TikTok does not…

• A scheduling tool that assists creators in scheduling the timing of their Shorts going live.
• The option to select whether their videos are for kids or not. Or if they’d like to restrict their videos to viewers under 18.
• You can edit even after publishing.
• The option to “unlist” your Shorts, which means anyone can view it with a link to that video.

Part 3: YouTube Shorts vs. TikTok: Which One Is Better for Short Video Promotion

One of the differences that may determine the success of YouTube Shorts is that it is not a traditional social media app. While TikTok entices users to create, watch, and even share videos with friends within the app, the YouTube Shorts format is pretty different from TikTok.

Since YouTube doesn’t have this simple method of direct messaging and isn’t wholly dependent on creating, sharing, and watching Shorts, it looks that it may have a hard time keeping up with TikTok’s success.

Another drawback of YouTube Shorts in comparing YouTube Shorts vs. TikTok is that Shorts isn’t available through a dedicated app like TikTok. Thus, even though it keeps up the promise of creating, watching, and sharing both long and short-form content, it may turn away those who prefer focused access to quick content. Regardless, with YouTube Shorts now starting to become available to more users, the battle in the viral video market with TikTok is sure to heat up.

Before giving you our opinion on which is the better platform for short video promotion, go through the following conversation first.

Ramona Pringle is an associate professor and a tech expert at Toronto’s Ryerson University. She said in an interview that because YouTube already has figured out video content, the transformation to add short-form video will be natural.

She also mentioned that YouTube Shorts is the platform best placed with the competition from TikTok than all other platforms. However, YouTube doesn’t need to be TikTok as it has its strategies and broad audience base.

Like Pringle, Matt Navarra, a social media consultant based in the U.K., said in an interview that Shorts is a logical evolution and extension of YouTube, which has further given rise to TikTok. But unlike TikTok, Shorts has a few features that it can take benefit from. Among these features is the extensive audio library content, the greater scope for users to remix and create duets and stuff from scratch. Undoubtedly, you can’t deny the experience of YouTube in terms of access to partnerships with the music industry and licensing.

Thus, keeping all these factors in mind, we’d like to conclude that both the YouTube Shorts and TikTok are great and considerable platforms for short video promotion. Still, we’d like to place YouTube Shorts in the upper place due to its global availability. Whereas TikTok is already banned in certain countries.

It also depends upon the audience base of the country as to which platform is in use the most. Suppose it’s TikTok that people primarily use in a particular country or location where the brand wants to advertise itself. In that case, going with TikTok for short video promotion is better and vice versa.

To get more information, click the following video!

TikTok or YouTube? Creators at VidCon 2023 Reveal Their Platform of Choice

Conclusion

So, this is our detailed overview of YouTube Shorts vs. TikTok.

Since YouTube wants its new platform to progress and stand a chance in front of TikTok, they will make Shorts a priority, and thus much more likely to promote it to a broad audience.

As we step further into the year, it is yet to consider which short-form video platform will be popular among the creators, marketers, and consumers.

Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox

Aug 21, 2023• Proven solutions

YouTube Shorts is the latest feature designed to mimic TikTok’s creation, but can it go hand in hand with one of the biggest social media apps? Let’s discuss this scenario in detail in this article!

YouTube’s TikTok competitor, YouTube Shorts, is now rocking globally. Seeing the success of Instagram Reels and TikTok, it seems like YouTube didn’t want to lag behind the game. So in September last year, it decided to step into short-form content via YouTube Shorts, a social platform for quick 60-second videos hosted on the YouTube app.

According to the Shorts product lead Todd Sherman, the social media giant aims to unleash new grounds for creativity.

On the other hand, TikTok is a short-form, video-sharing app that assists users to share and make 15-second to 60-seconds videos on any topic.

TikTok contains a separate app for the Chinese market, Douyin, with 300 million-plus active monthly users. The new app’s logo is a merger of the Duyin and Musical.ly logos.

And, we’re going to discuss the comparison of both these giants, i.e., YouTube Shorts vs. TikTok, in terms of which app is better for making short videos.

Part 1: Is YouTube Shorts the New TikTok?

In general, we can’t say that YouTube Shorts is the new TikTok because YouTube Shorts is YouTube’s expansion and have its own identity than TikTok.

YouTube Shorts is playing hand in hand with TikTok as the short-form video platform, but the Shorts integration with the broader ecosystem of YouTube is its key selling point according to Google’s service.

Ironically, while YouTube is laying ways to emulate TikTok’s format, TikTok is experimenting with formats that are closer to YouTube’s traditional focus. This is why TikTok has tripled its maximum video length to three minutes for everyone and has been developing apps slowly on TV platforms like Fire TV and Android TV.

At a glance, YouTube Shorts looks pretty similar to TikTok. However, there are certain TikTok features that even the Shorts product manager Todd Sherman disagrees with is that of the YouTube Shorts. Sherman said the way TikTok works is quite an industry-wide standard than the point of view of any single app.

Even though YouTube is quite late to the short-form content game, it has a strong brand of YouTube behind it.

Thus, saying that “YouTube Shorts is the new TikTok” doesn’t even qualify in terms of the $100 million fund sanctioned for the creators of YouTube Shorts.

Part 2: YouTube Shorts vs. TikTok: What Are the Similarities and Differences?

In this section, we’ve defined the analysis of YouTube Shorts vs. TikTok in the form of both a comparison table and specific points of similarities and differences.

Basis of Comparison	YouTube Shorts	TikTok
Video Length/Duration	Up to 60 seconds	Up to 3 minutes
Aspect Ratio	9:16	9:16
Video Captions/Description	You can find the video title in the exact location as the TikTok caption, but the description is visible only after users click on the three dots.	Video captions are located at the bottom left.
Placement of Analytics	YouTube Studio	TikTok app itself
Dislike Button	Yes	No

Section 1. The Similarities Between YouTube Shorts and TikTok

• Both these platforms are for short-form video content.
• The TikTok and YouTube Shorts both assist creators in adding music from their audio libraries, and users can view all videos beneath the audio library.
• Both offer analytics, including video views, likes, comments, watch time, shares, impressions, and reach. You can view these analytics on a desktop or mobile device for both platforms.
• The Shorts and TikTok feed provide a full-screen immersive experience with the engagement menu shown on the right-hand panel.
• Their feeds scroll in the same manner. Plus, there is an endless number of videos lined up for users to discover and watch. Yet, there’s no auto-scroll on either, and users must scroll manually for the following video to come up.
• Both provide tools that assist creators in earning money from their content creation.
• Users can subscribe or follow creators directly from their videos in both feeds.
• Both offer creators the ability to alter their video content’s speed and help them to set timers with the filming process.
• YouTube Shorts TikTok give creators the ability to upload video content they’ve previously filmed.
• You can add closed captions and overlaying text to both of these platforms.
• They both assist creators in setting a video for the public, so anyone can view it or set it to private.

Section 2. The Differences Between YouTube Shorts and TikTok

• The monetization features of both these platforms are entirely different. Shorts offer their ‘Shorts fund,’ whereas TikTok provides Shoutouts and Digital Gifts.
• Shorts can only be 60-seconds long, whereas TikTok’s can be as long as three minutes (it could soon be stretched to five minutes duration as per their recent test).
• TikTok allows users to add video captions that are present in the bottom left area of TikTok. At the same time, users can add a video title in Shorts which is present in the exact location as a TikTok caption. And, a video description that is only viewable when users click the three dots above the link button and click ‘Description’ can be in YouTube Shorts.
• YouTube has a large music library which gives users an abundance of undiscovered and popular songs to select from, possibly more than the TikTok offerings list.
• TikTok has a vast library of filters, including greenscreen and AR effects, whereas Shorts only provides filters that edit the video’s tone, temperature, brightness, etc.
• Shorts’ ‘private’ video option allows creators to choose or see who watches your video. On the other hand, TikTok’s ‘private’ video option only allows the creator to view the video.
• You can view the TikTok analytics directly in the TikTok app. On the other hand, YouTube Shorts analytics can be visible in YouTube Studio.

Features TikTok has, but YouTube Shorts does not…

• A stitch and duet feature, where users can add other creators’ videos to their accounts.
• A Q&A feature to leave questions for creators to answer with a video. Creators can also reply to their comments.
• A discovery tab that assists users in viewing trending sounds, effects, and hashtags.

Features YouTube Shorts has, but TikTok does not…

• A scheduling tool that assists creators in scheduling the timing of their Shorts going live.
• The option to select whether their videos are for kids or not. Or if they’d like to restrict their videos to viewers under 18.
• You can edit even after publishing.
• The option to “unlist” your Shorts, which means anyone can view it with a link to that video.

Part 3: YouTube Shorts vs. TikTok: Which One Is Better for Short Video Promotion

One of the differences that may determine the success of YouTube Shorts is that it is not a traditional social media app. While TikTok entices users to create, watch, and even share videos with friends within the app, the YouTube Shorts format is pretty different from TikTok.

Since YouTube doesn’t have this simple method of direct messaging and isn’t wholly dependent on creating, sharing, and watching Shorts, it looks that it may have a hard time keeping up with TikTok’s success.

Another drawback of YouTube Shorts in comparing YouTube Shorts vs. TikTok is that Shorts isn’t available through a dedicated app like TikTok. Thus, even though it keeps up the promise of creating, watching, and sharing both long and short-form content, it may turn away those who prefer focused access to quick content. Regardless, with YouTube Shorts now starting to become available to more users, the battle in the viral video market with TikTok is sure to heat up.

Before giving you our opinion on which is the better platform for short video promotion, go through the following conversation first.

Ramona Pringle is an associate professor and a tech expert at Toronto’s Ryerson University. She said in an interview that because YouTube already has figured out video content, the transformation to add short-form video will be natural.

She also mentioned that YouTube Shorts is the platform best placed with the competition from TikTok than all other platforms. However, YouTube doesn’t need to be TikTok as it has its strategies and broad audience base.

Like Pringle, Matt Navarra, a social media consultant based in the U.K., said in an interview that Shorts is a logical evolution and extension of YouTube, which has further given rise to TikTok. But unlike TikTok, Shorts has a few features that it can take benefit from. Among these features is the extensive audio library content, the greater scope for users to remix and create duets and stuff from scratch. Undoubtedly, you can’t deny the experience of YouTube in terms of access to partnerships with the music industry and licensing.

Thus, keeping all these factors in mind, we’d like to conclude that both the YouTube Shorts and TikTok are great and considerable platforms for short video promotion. Still, we’d like to place YouTube Shorts in the upper place due to its global availability. Whereas TikTok is already banned in certain countries.

It also depends upon the audience base of the country as to which platform is in use the most. Suppose it’s TikTok that people primarily use in a particular country or location where the brand wants to advertise itself. In that case, going with TikTok for short video promotion is better and vice versa.

To get more information, click the following video!

TikTok or YouTube? Creators at VidCon 2023 Reveal Their Platform of Choice

Conclusion

So, this is our detailed overview of YouTube Shorts vs. TikTok.

Since YouTube wants its new platform to progress and stand a chance in front of TikTok, they will make Shorts a priority, and thus much more likely to promote it to a broad audience.

As we step further into the year, it is yet to consider which short-form video platform will be popular among the creators, marketers, and consumers.

Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox

Aug 21, 2023• Proven solutions

YouTube Shorts is the latest feature designed to mimic TikTok’s creation, but can it go hand in hand with one of the biggest social media apps? Let’s discuss this scenario in detail in this article!

YouTube’s TikTok competitor, YouTube Shorts, is now rocking globally. Seeing the success of Instagram Reels and TikTok, it seems like YouTube didn’t want to lag behind the game. So in September last year, it decided to step into short-form content via YouTube Shorts, a social platform for quick 60-second videos hosted on the YouTube app.

According to the Shorts product lead Todd Sherman, the social media giant aims to unleash new grounds for creativity.

On the other hand, TikTok is a short-form, video-sharing app that assists users to share and make 15-second to 60-seconds videos on any topic.

TikTok contains a separate app for the Chinese market, Douyin, with 300 million-plus active monthly users. The new app’s logo is a merger of the Duyin and Musical.ly logos.

And, we’re going to discuss the comparison of both these giants, i.e., YouTube Shorts vs. TikTok, in terms of which app is better for making short videos.

Part 1: Is YouTube Shorts the New TikTok?

In general, we can’t say that YouTube Shorts is the new TikTok because YouTube Shorts is YouTube’s expansion and have its own identity than TikTok.

YouTube Shorts is playing hand in hand with TikTok as the short-form video platform, but the Shorts integration with the broader ecosystem of YouTube is its key selling point according to Google’s service.

Ironically, while YouTube is laying ways to emulate TikTok’s format, TikTok is experimenting with formats that are closer to YouTube’s traditional focus. This is why TikTok has tripled its maximum video length to three minutes for everyone and has been developing apps slowly on TV platforms like Fire TV and Android TV.

At a glance, YouTube Shorts looks pretty similar to TikTok. However, there are certain TikTok features that even the Shorts product manager Todd Sherman disagrees with is that of the YouTube Shorts. Sherman said the way TikTok works is quite an industry-wide standard than the point of view of any single app.

Even though YouTube is quite late to the short-form content game, it has a strong brand of YouTube behind it.

Thus, saying that “YouTube Shorts is the new TikTok” doesn’t even qualify in terms of the $100 million fund sanctioned for the creators of YouTube Shorts.

Part 2: YouTube Shorts vs. TikTok: What Are the Similarities and Differences?

In this section, we’ve defined the analysis of YouTube Shorts vs. TikTok in the form of both a comparison table and specific points of similarities and differences.

Basis of Comparison	YouTube Shorts	TikTok
Video Length/Duration	Up to 60 seconds	Up to 3 minutes
Aspect Ratio	9:16	9:16
Video Captions/Description	You can find the video title in the exact location as the TikTok caption, but the description is visible only after users click on the three dots.	Video captions are located at the bottom left.
Placement of Analytics	YouTube Studio	TikTok app itself
Dislike Button	Yes	No

Section 1. The Similarities Between YouTube Shorts and TikTok

• Both these platforms are for short-form video content.
• The TikTok and YouTube Shorts both assist creators in adding music from their audio libraries, and users can view all videos beneath the audio library.
• Both offer analytics, including video views, likes, comments, watch time, shares, impressions, and reach. You can view these analytics on a desktop or mobile device for both platforms.
• The Shorts and TikTok feed provide a full-screen immersive experience with the engagement menu shown on the right-hand panel.
• Their feeds scroll in the same manner. Plus, there is an endless number of videos lined up for users to discover and watch. Yet, there’s no auto-scroll on either, and users must scroll manually for the following video to come up.
• Both provide tools that assist creators in earning money from their content creation.
• Users can subscribe or follow creators directly from their videos in both feeds.
• Both offer creators the ability to alter their video content’s speed and help them to set timers with the filming process.
• YouTube Shorts TikTok give creators the ability to upload video content they’ve previously filmed.
• You can add closed captions and overlaying text to both of these platforms.
• They both assist creators in setting a video for the public, so anyone can view it or set it to private.

Section 2. The Differences Between YouTube Shorts and TikTok

• The monetization features of both these platforms are entirely different. Shorts offer their ‘Shorts fund,’ whereas TikTok provides Shoutouts and Digital Gifts.
• Shorts can only be 60-seconds long, whereas TikTok’s can be as long as three minutes (it could soon be stretched to five minutes duration as per their recent test).
• TikTok allows users to add video captions that are present in the bottom left area of TikTok. At the same time, users can add a video title in Shorts which is present in the exact location as a TikTok caption. And, a video description that is only viewable when users click the three dots above the link button and click ‘Description’ can be in YouTube Shorts.
• YouTube has a large music library which gives users an abundance of undiscovered and popular songs to select from, possibly more than the TikTok offerings list.
• TikTok has a vast library of filters, including greenscreen and AR effects, whereas Shorts only provides filters that edit the video’s tone, temperature, brightness, etc.
• Shorts’ ‘private’ video option allows creators to choose or see who watches your video. On the other hand, TikTok’s ‘private’ video option only allows the creator to view the video.
• You can view the TikTok analytics directly in the TikTok app. On the other hand, YouTube Shorts analytics can be visible in YouTube Studio.

Features TikTok has, but YouTube Shorts does not…

• A stitch and duet feature, where users can add other creators’ videos to their accounts.
• A Q&A feature to leave questions for creators to answer with a video. Creators can also reply to their comments.
• A discovery tab that assists users in viewing trending sounds, effects, and hashtags.

Features YouTube Shorts has, but TikTok does not…

• A scheduling tool that assists creators in scheduling the timing of their Shorts going live.
• The option to select whether their videos are for kids or not. Or if they’d like to restrict their videos to viewers under 18.
• You can edit even after publishing.
• The option to “unlist” your Shorts, which means anyone can view it with a link to that video.

Part 3: YouTube Shorts vs. TikTok: Which One Is Better for Short Video Promotion

One of the differences that may determine the success of YouTube Shorts is that it is not a traditional social media app. While TikTok entices users to create, watch, and even share videos with friends within the app, the YouTube Shorts format is pretty different from TikTok.

Since YouTube doesn’t have this simple method of direct messaging and isn’t wholly dependent on creating, sharing, and watching Shorts, it looks that it may have a hard time keeping up with TikTok’s success.

Another drawback of YouTube Shorts in comparing YouTube Shorts vs. TikTok is that Shorts isn’t available through a dedicated app like TikTok. Thus, even though it keeps up the promise of creating, watching, and sharing both long and short-form content, it may turn away those who prefer focused access to quick content. Regardless, with YouTube Shorts now starting to become available to more users, the battle in the viral video market with TikTok is sure to heat up.

Before giving you our opinion on which is the better platform for short video promotion, go through the following conversation first.

Ramona Pringle is an associate professor and a tech expert at Toronto’s Ryerson University. She said in an interview that because YouTube already has figured out video content, the transformation to add short-form video will be natural.

She also mentioned that YouTube Shorts is the platform best placed with the competition from TikTok than all other platforms. However, YouTube doesn’t need to be TikTok as it has its strategies and broad audience base.

Like Pringle, Matt Navarra, a social media consultant based in the U.K., said in an interview that Shorts is a logical evolution and extension of YouTube, which has further given rise to TikTok. But unlike TikTok, Shorts has a few features that it can take benefit from. Among these features is the extensive audio library content, the greater scope for users to remix and create duets and stuff from scratch. Undoubtedly, you can’t deny the experience of YouTube in terms of access to partnerships with the music industry and licensing.

Thus, keeping all these factors in mind, we’d like to conclude that both the YouTube Shorts and TikTok are great and considerable platforms for short video promotion. Still, we’d like to place YouTube Shorts in the upper place due to its global availability. Whereas TikTok is already banned in certain countries.

It also depends upon the audience base of the country as to which platform is in use the most. Suppose it’s TikTok that people primarily use in a particular country or location where the brand wants to advertise itself. In that case, going with TikTok for short video promotion is better and vice versa.

To get more information, click the following video!

TikTok or YouTube? Creators at VidCon 2023 Reveal Their Platform of Choice

Conclusion

So, this is our detailed overview of YouTube Shorts vs. TikTok.

Since YouTube wants its new platform to progress and stand a chance in front of TikTok, they will make Shorts a priority, and thus much more likely to promote it to a broad audience.

As we step further into the year, it is yet to consider which short-form video platform will be popular among the creators, marketers, and consumers.

Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox

Aug 21, 2023• Proven solutions

YouTube Shorts is the latest feature designed to mimic TikTok’s creation, but can it go hand in hand with one of the biggest social media apps? Let’s discuss this scenario in detail in this article!

YouTube’s TikTok competitor, YouTube Shorts, is now rocking globally. Seeing the success of Instagram Reels and TikTok, it seems like YouTube didn’t want to lag behind the game. So in September last year, it decided to step into short-form content via YouTube Shorts, a social platform for quick 60-second videos hosted on the YouTube app.

According to the Shorts product lead Todd Sherman, the social media giant aims to unleash new grounds for creativity.

On the other hand, TikTok is a short-form, video-sharing app that assists users to share and make 15-second to 60-seconds videos on any topic.

TikTok contains a separate app for the Chinese market, Douyin, with 300 million-plus active monthly users. The new app’s logo is a merger of the Duyin and Musical.ly logos.

And, we’re going to discuss the comparison of both these giants, i.e., YouTube Shorts vs. TikTok, in terms of which app is better for making short videos.

Part 1: Is YouTube Shorts the New TikTok?

In general, we can’t say that YouTube Shorts is the new TikTok because YouTube Shorts is YouTube’s expansion and have its own identity than TikTok.

YouTube Shorts is playing hand in hand with TikTok as the short-form video platform, but the Shorts integration with the broader ecosystem of YouTube is its key selling point according to Google’s service.

Ironically, while YouTube is laying ways to emulate TikTok’s format, TikTok is experimenting with formats that are closer to YouTube’s traditional focus. This is why TikTok has tripled its maximum video length to three minutes for everyone and has been developing apps slowly on TV platforms like Fire TV and Android TV.

At a glance, YouTube Shorts looks pretty similar to TikTok. However, there are certain TikTok features that even the Shorts product manager Todd Sherman disagrees with is that of the YouTube Shorts. Sherman said the way TikTok works is quite an industry-wide standard than the point of view of any single app.

Even though YouTube is quite late to the short-form content game, it has a strong brand of YouTube behind it.

Thus, saying that “YouTube Shorts is the new TikTok” doesn’t even qualify in terms of the $100 million fund sanctioned for the creators of YouTube Shorts.

Part 2: YouTube Shorts vs. TikTok: What Are the Similarities and Differences?

In this section, we’ve defined the analysis of YouTube Shorts vs. TikTok in the form of both a comparison table and specific points of similarities and differences.

Basis of Comparison	YouTube Shorts	TikTok
Video Length/Duration	Up to 60 seconds	Up to 3 minutes
Aspect Ratio	9:16	9:16
Video Captions/Description	You can find the video title in the exact location as the TikTok caption, but the description is visible only after users click on the three dots.	Video captions are located at the bottom left.
Placement of Analytics	YouTube Studio	TikTok app itself
Dislike Button	Yes	No

Section 1. The Similarities Between YouTube Shorts and TikTok

• Both these platforms are for short-form video content.
• The TikTok and YouTube Shorts both assist creators in adding music from their audio libraries, and users can view all videos beneath the audio library.
• Both offer analytics, including video views, likes, comments, watch time, shares, impressions, and reach. You can view these analytics on a desktop or mobile device for both platforms.
• The Shorts and TikTok feed provide a full-screen immersive experience with the engagement menu shown on the right-hand panel.
• Their feeds scroll in the same manner. Plus, there is an endless number of videos lined up for users to discover and watch. Yet, there’s no auto-scroll on either, and users must scroll manually for the following video to come up.
• Both provide tools that assist creators in earning money from their content creation.
• Users can subscribe or follow creators directly from their videos in both feeds.
• Both offer creators the ability to alter their video content’s speed and help them to set timers with the filming process.
• YouTube Shorts TikTok give creators the ability to upload video content they’ve previously filmed.
• You can add closed captions and overlaying text to both of these platforms.
• They both assist creators in setting a video for the public, so anyone can view it or set it to private.

Section 2. The Differences Between YouTube Shorts and TikTok

• The monetization features of both these platforms are entirely different. Shorts offer their ‘Shorts fund,’ whereas TikTok provides Shoutouts and Digital Gifts.
• Shorts can only be 60-seconds long, whereas TikTok’s can be as long as three minutes (it could soon be stretched to five minutes duration as per their recent test).
• TikTok allows users to add video captions that are present in the bottom left area of TikTok. At the same time, users can add a video title in Shorts which is present in the exact location as a TikTok caption. And, a video description that is only viewable when users click the three dots above the link button and click ‘Description’ can be in YouTube Shorts.
• YouTube has a large music library which gives users an abundance of undiscovered and popular songs to select from, possibly more than the TikTok offerings list.
• TikTok has a vast library of filters, including greenscreen and AR effects, whereas Shorts only provides filters that edit the video’s tone, temperature, brightness, etc.
• Shorts’ ‘private’ video option allows creators to choose or see who watches your video. On the other hand, TikTok’s ‘private’ video option only allows the creator to view the video.
• You can view the TikTok analytics directly in the TikTok app. On the other hand, YouTube Shorts analytics can be visible in YouTube Studio.

Features TikTok has, but YouTube Shorts does not…

• A stitch and duet feature, where users can add other creators’ videos to their accounts.
• A Q&A feature to leave questions for creators to answer with a video. Creators can also reply to their comments.
• A discovery tab that assists users in viewing trending sounds, effects, and hashtags.

Features YouTube Shorts has, but TikTok does not…

• A scheduling tool that assists creators in scheduling the timing of their Shorts going live.
• The option to select whether their videos are for kids or not. Or if they’d like to restrict their videos to viewers under 18.
• You can edit even after publishing.
• The option to “unlist” your Shorts, which means anyone can view it with a link to that video.

Part 3: YouTube Shorts vs. TikTok: Which One Is Better for Short Video Promotion

One of the differences that may determine the success of YouTube Shorts is that it is not a traditional social media app. While TikTok entices users to create, watch, and even share videos with friends within the app, the YouTube Shorts format is pretty different from TikTok.

Since YouTube doesn’t have this simple method of direct messaging and isn’t wholly dependent on creating, sharing, and watching Shorts, it looks that it may have a hard time keeping up with TikTok’s success.

Another drawback of YouTube Shorts in comparing YouTube Shorts vs. TikTok is that Shorts isn’t available through a dedicated app like TikTok. Thus, even though it keeps up the promise of creating, watching, and sharing both long and short-form content, it may turn away those who prefer focused access to quick content. Regardless, with YouTube Shorts now starting to become available to more users, the battle in the viral video market with TikTok is sure to heat up.

Before giving you our opinion on which is the better platform for short video promotion, go through the following conversation first.

Ramona Pringle is an associate professor and a tech expert at Toronto’s Ryerson University. She said in an interview that because YouTube already has figured out video content, the transformation to add short-form video will be natural.

She also mentioned that YouTube Shorts is the platform best placed with the competition from TikTok than all other platforms. However, YouTube doesn’t need to be TikTok as it has its strategies and broad audience base.

Like Pringle, Matt Navarra, a social media consultant based in the U.K., said in an interview that Shorts is a logical evolution and extension of YouTube, which has further given rise to TikTok. But unlike TikTok, Shorts has a few features that it can take benefit from. Among these features is the extensive audio library content, the greater scope for users to remix and create duets and stuff from scratch. Undoubtedly, you can’t deny the experience of YouTube in terms of access to partnerships with the music industry and licensing.

Thus, keeping all these factors in mind, we’d like to conclude that both the YouTube Shorts and TikTok are great and considerable platforms for short video promotion. Still, we’d like to place YouTube Shorts in the upper place due to its global availability. Whereas TikTok is already banned in certain countries.

It also depends upon the audience base of the country as to which platform is in use the most. Suppose it’s TikTok that people primarily use in a particular country or location where the brand wants to advertise itself. In that case, going with TikTok for short video promotion is better and vice versa.

To get more information, click the following video!

TikTok or YouTube? Creators at VidCon 2023 Reveal Their Platform of Choice

Conclusion

So, this is our detailed overview of YouTube Shorts vs. TikTok.

Since YouTube wants its new platform to progress and stand a chance in front of TikTok, they will make Shorts a priority, and thus much more likely to promote it to a broad audience.

As we step further into the year, it is yet to consider which short-form video platform will be popular among the creators, marketers, and consumers.

Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Shanoon Cox

From Zero to Hero: Amplifying YouTube Influence via FameBit Partnerships

How to Find YouTube Sponsorships by Using FameBit

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

FameBit is one of the leading influencer marketing platforms.

Creators use FameBit to earn money by creating branded content. Businesses use FameBit to find the perfect video creators – or ‘digital influencers’ – to help with their marketing campaigns.

Until your channel is huge it is difficult to make a significant amount of money through ad revenue on YouTube. Creating branded content is one way in which YouTubers with small or mid-sized channels can generate income.

Finding sponsorships and negotiating with brands can be tricky. So can integrating products and brand messages in your videos without making your audience feel like you have ‘sold out’. This guide will help.

You must have at least 5,000 subscribers to join FameBit.

How Much Money Can You Make

How much money you can make on FameBit will depend on the deals you can negotiate with brands, and those deals will depend on how many subscribers you have and how many views you usually receive .

When calculating your fee, FameBit suggests thinking of it in terms of ‘cost per view’ (CPV). Most creators on FameBit charge between $0.05 and $0.10 per view. If you charge $0.05 per view and you get an average of 10,000 views per video then you would charge a brand $500 for your services.

How much you should charge per view depends on your genre and the nature of your audience. If you often mention products you like in videos and your subscribers have come to trust your recommendations, then it makes sense for you to charge more per view than a creator whose audience will be less receptive to product placement.

For example, if you do makeup tutorials then viewers will be used to hearing about your favorites. This makes your 10 000 views more valuable than 10 000 views on a ranting vlog channel whose subscribers are not tuning in to hear about products.

How to Make Money With FameBit

Finding Sponsorships

Brands post details about their upcoming campaigns, and the types of creators they are interested in working with, on FameBit.

While you are browsing through the available campaigns, think of the types of brands you would be excited to work with as well as which ones make sense for your channel.

If you host a lifestyle vlog about staying healthy, for example, and there is an opportunity to work with a brand that sells a type of healthy snack then it is your responsibility to look into the company and the product before you sign on to work with them. Is the snack healthy, and do you enjoy it?

Ideally, you will want to find brands that share your values and which are selling products you feel good about recommending to your subscribers.

Once you find a few campaigns you are interested in creating videos for, it’s time to write your proposals and negotiate with your potential sponsors.

Negotiating with Sponsors

When you want to be part of a campaign a brand has posted, you send them a proposal.

Be creative and detailed in the proposals you write. The best brands will value you for our ideas and creativity, and this will give you an edge over creators who put less effort into their pitches. You also want to be detailed because you do not want to risk having a disagreement with the brand based on them misunderstanding what you were going to do.

Sometimes brands will have very specific things they want you to do or say in the video you make for them. It is your job to find ways of doing and saying these things that still feel natural within the context of your videos. On YouTube, even when you are representing a brand, you need to be authentically you.

If you feel like the things a brand wants from you will make your video come across as a tacky commercial and offend your loyal subscribers, and you cannot see a creative way around this, bring it up before you agree to work with them. Explain what you think should happen instead. If they are not willing to compromise, do not agree to work with them. Find a more reasonable brand to partner with.

If you offend your subscribers and they stop watching you then your channel will become less valuable to other potential sponsors. In the long run, there is no upside to agreeing to do a video that makes no sense for your channel.

Remember that even brands that like your ideas and get excited about your proposals will not be able to work with you if you do not meet their requirements in terms of subscribers and average views. There are a lot of campaigns on FameBit which are open to small or mid-sized channels, but there will always be minimum requirements. It makes no sense for a brand to pay you to make a video nobody will see, even if it is an amazing video. Sad, but true.

How to Avoid Alienating Your Audience

Some of your subscribers will resent any branded content you create and there is no way around that. These subscribers will be in the minority – most people understand that accepting sponsorship from brands helps their favorite YouTubers continue making great videos – but it is unavoidable that there will be a few.

Most of your subscribers will not be bothered by the idea of you partnering with a brand, so long as you go about it in the right way.

Firstly; be honest about your sponsorship. Do not pretend to be giving an objective opinion on a product when the company who makes it is paying you. Your viewers will know and they will be offended.

Secondly; incorporate the brand’s message or product into your videos in ways that feel natural. Do not stray too far from your usual video style. Ultimately every video you make, even branded content, is for your viewers. Make the kind of video they expect from you and mention the product or service you have agreed to in a place where it makes sense/is on topic.

You want the branding in your videos to be subtle, but you never want to hide that it is there.

So long as you are honest and the more commercial elements of your video are not distracting, the vast majority of your subscribers – the ones you have built a real relationship with – will not mind.

Custom Videos with Awesome Video Editor

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

FameBit is one of the leading influencer marketing platforms.

Creators use FameBit to earn money by creating branded content. Businesses use FameBit to find the perfect video creators – or ‘digital influencers’ – to help with their marketing campaigns.

Until your channel is huge it is difficult to make a significant amount of money through ad revenue on YouTube. Creating branded content is one way in which YouTubers with small or mid-sized channels can generate income.

Finding sponsorships and negotiating with brands can be tricky. So can integrating products and brand messages in your videos without making your audience feel like you have ‘sold out’. This guide will help.

You must have at least 5,000 subscribers to join FameBit.

How Much Money Can You Make

How much money you can make on FameBit will depend on the deals you can negotiate with brands, and those deals will depend on how many subscribers you have and how many views you usually receive .

When calculating your fee, FameBit suggests thinking of it in terms of ‘cost per view’ (CPV). Most creators on FameBit charge between $0.05 and $0.10 per view. If you charge $0.05 per view and you get an average of 10,000 views per video then you would charge a brand $500 for your services.

How much you should charge per view depends on your genre and the nature of your audience. If you often mention products you like in videos and your subscribers have come to trust your recommendations, then it makes sense for you to charge more per view than a creator whose audience will be less receptive to product placement.

For example, if you do makeup tutorials then viewers will be used to hearing about your favorites. This makes your 10 000 views more valuable than 10 000 views on a ranting vlog channel whose subscribers are not tuning in to hear about products.

How to Make Money With FameBit

Finding Sponsorships

Brands post details about their upcoming campaigns, and the types of creators they are interested in working with, on FameBit.

While you are browsing through the available campaigns, think of the types of brands you would be excited to work with as well as which ones make sense for your channel.

If you host a lifestyle vlog about staying healthy, for example, and there is an opportunity to work with a brand that sells a type of healthy snack then it is your responsibility to look into the company and the product before you sign on to work with them. Is the snack healthy, and do you enjoy it?

Ideally, you will want to find brands that share your values and which are selling products you feel good about recommending to your subscribers.

Once you find a few campaigns you are interested in creating videos for, it’s time to write your proposals and negotiate with your potential sponsors.

Negotiating with Sponsors

When you want to be part of a campaign a brand has posted, you send them a proposal.

Be creative and detailed in the proposals you write. The best brands will value you for our ideas and creativity, and this will give you an edge over creators who put less effort into their pitches. You also want to be detailed because you do not want to risk having a disagreement with the brand based on them misunderstanding what you were going to do.

Sometimes brands will have very specific things they want you to do or say in the video you make for them. It is your job to find ways of doing and saying these things that still feel natural within the context of your videos. On YouTube, even when you are representing a brand, you need to be authentically you.

If you feel like the things a brand wants from you will make your video come across as a tacky commercial and offend your loyal subscribers, and you cannot see a creative way around this, bring it up before you agree to work with them. Explain what you think should happen instead. If they are not willing to compromise, do not agree to work with them. Find a more reasonable brand to partner with.

If you offend your subscribers and they stop watching you then your channel will become less valuable to other potential sponsors. In the long run, there is no upside to agreeing to do a video that makes no sense for your channel.

Remember that even brands that like your ideas and get excited about your proposals will not be able to work with you if you do not meet their requirements in terms of subscribers and average views. There are a lot of campaigns on FameBit which are open to small or mid-sized channels, but there will always be minimum requirements. It makes no sense for a brand to pay you to make a video nobody will see, even if it is an amazing video. Sad, but true.

How to Avoid Alienating Your Audience

Some of your subscribers will resent any branded content you create and there is no way around that. These subscribers will be in the minority – most people understand that accepting sponsorship from brands helps their favorite YouTubers continue making great videos – but it is unavoidable that there will be a few.

Most of your subscribers will not be bothered by the idea of you partnering with a brand, so long as you go about it in the right way.

Firstly; be honest about your sponsorship. Do not pretend to be giving an objective opinion on a product when the company who makes it is paying you. Your viewers will know and they will be offended.

Secondly; incorporate the brand’s message or product into your videos in ways that feel natural. Do not stray too far from your usual video style. Ultimately every video you make, even branded content, is for your viewers. Make the kind of video they expect from you and mention the product or service you have agreed to in a place where it makes sense/is on topic.

You want the branding in your videos to be subtle, but you never want to hide that it is there.

So long as you are honest and the more commercial elements of your video are not distracting, the vast majority of your subscribers – the ones you have built a real relationship with – will not mind.

Custom Videos with Awesome Video Editor

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

FameBit is one of the leading influencer marketing platforms.

Creators use FameBit to earn money by creating branded content. Businesses use FameBit to find the perfect video creators – or ‘digital influencers’ – to help with their marketing campaigns.

Until your channel is huge it is difficult to make a significant amount of money through ad revenue on YouTube. Creating branded content is one way in which YouTubers with small or mid-sized channels can generate income.

Finding sponsorships and negotiating with brands can be tricky. So can integrating products and brand messages in your videos without making your audience feel like you have ‘sold out’. This guide will help.

You must have at least 5,000 subscribers to join FameBit.

How Much Money Can You Make

How much money you can make on FameBit will depend on the deals you can negotiate with brands, and those deals will depend on how many subscribers you have and how many views you usually receive .

When calculating your fee, FameBit suggests thinking of it in terms of ‘cost per view’ (CPV). Most creators on FameBit charge between $0.05 and $0.10 per view. If you charge $0.05 per view and you get an average of 10,000 views per video then you would charge a brand $500 for your services.

How much you should charge per view depends on your genre and the nature of your audience. If you often mention products you like in videos and your subscribers have come to trust your recommendations, then it makes sense for you to charge more per view than a creator whose audience will be less receptive to product placement.

For example, if you do makeup tutorials then viewers will be used to hearing about your favorites. This makes your 10 000 views more valuable than 10 000 views on a ranting vlog channel whose subscribers are not tuning in to hear about products.

How to Make Money With FameBit

Finding Sponsorships

Brands post details about their upcoming campaigns, and the types of creators they are interested in working with, on FameBit.

While you are browsing through the available campaigns, think of the types of brands you would be excited to work with as well as which ones make sense for your channel.

If you host a lifestyle vlog about staying healthy, for example, and there is an opportunity to work with a brand that sells a type of healthy snack then it is your responsibility to look into the company and the product before you sign on to work with them. Is the snack healthy, and do you enjoy it?

Ideally, you will want to find brands that share your values and which are selling products you feel good about recommending to your subscribers.

Once you find a few campaigns you are interested in creating videos for, it’s time to write your proposals and negotiate with your potential sponsors.

Negotiating with Sponsors

When you want to be part of a campaign a brand has posted, you send them a proposal.

Be creative and detailed in the proposals you write. The best brands will value you for our ideas and creativity, and this will give you an edge over creators who put less effort into their pitches. You also want to be detailed because you do not want to risk having a disagreement with the brand based on them misunderstanding what you were going to do.

Sometimes brands will have very specific things they want you to do or say in the video you make for them. It is your job to find ways of doing and saying these things that still feel natural within the context of your videos. On YouTube, even when you are representing a brand, you need to be authentically you.

If you feel like the things a brand wants from you will make your video come across as a tacky commercial and offend your loyal subscribers, and you cannot see a creative way around this, bring it up before you agree to work with them. Explain what you think should happen instead. If they are not willing to compromise, do not agree to work with them. Find a more reasonable brand to partner with.

If you offend your subscribers and they stop watching you then your channel will become less valuable to other potential sponsors. In the long run, there is no upside to agreeing to do a video that makes no sense for your channel.

Remember that even brands that like your ideas and get excited about your proposals will not be able to work with you if you do not meet their requirements in terms of subscribers and average views. There are a lot of campaigns on FameBit which are open to small or mid-sized channels, but there will always be minimum requirements. It makes no sense for a brand to pay you to make a video nobody will see, even if it is an amazing video. Sad, but true.

How to Avoid Alienating Your Audience

Some of your subscribers will resent any branded content you create and there is no way around that. These subscribers will be in the minority – most people understand that accepting sponsorship from brands helps their favorite YouTubers continue making great videos – but it is unavoidable that there will be a few.

Most of your subscribers will not be bothered by the idea of you partnering with a brand, so long as you go about it in the right way.

Firstly; be honest about your sponsorship. Do not pretend to be giving an objective opinion on a product when the company who makes it is paying you. Your viewers will know and they will be offended.

Secondly; incorporate the brand’s message or product into your videos in ways that feel natural. Do not stray too far from your usual video style. Ultimately every video you make, even branded content, is for your viewers. Make the kind of video they expect from you and mention the product or service you have agreed to in a place where it makes sense/is on topic.

You want the branding in your videos to be subtle, but you never want to hide that it is there.

So long as you are honest and the more commercial elements of your video are not distracting, the vast majority of your subscribers – the ones you have built a real relationship with – will not mind.

Custom Videos with Awesome Video Editor

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

FameBit is one of the leading influencer marketing platforms.

Creators use FameBit to earn money by creating branded content. Businesses use FameBit to find the perfect video creators – or ‘digital influencers’ – to help with their marketing campaigns.

Until your channel is huge it is difficult to make a significant amount of money through ad revenue on YouTube. Creating branded content is one way in which YouTubers with small or mid-sized channels can generate income.

Finding sponsorships and negotiating with brands can be tricky. So can integrating products and brand messages in your videos without making your audience feel like you have ‘sold out’. This guide will help.

You must have at least 5,000 subscribers to join FameBit.

How Much Money Can You Make

How much money you can make on FameBit will depend on the deals you can negotiate with brands, and those deals will depend on how many subscribers you have and how many views you usually receive .

When calculating your fee, FameBit suggests thinking of it in terms of ‘cost per view’ (CPV). Most creators on FameBit charge between $0.05 and $0.10 per view. If you charge $0.05 per view and you get an average of 10,000 views per video then you would charge a brand $500 for your services.

How much you should charge per view depends on your genre and the nature of your audience. If you often mention products you like in videos and your subscribers have come to trust your recommendations, then it makes sense for you to charge more per view than a creator whose audience will be less receptive to product placement.

For example, if you do makeup tutorials then viewers will be used to hearing about your favorites. This makes your 10 000 views more valuable than 10 000 views on a ranting vlog channel whose subscribers are not tuning in to hear about products.

How to Make Money With FameBit

Finding Sponsorships

Brands post details about their upcoming campaigns, and the types of creators they are interested in working with, on FameBit.

While you are browsing through the available campaigns, think of the types of brands you would be excited to work with as well as which ones make sense for your channel.

If you host a lifestyle vlog about staying healthy, for example, and there is an opportunity to work with a brand that sells a type of healthy snack then it is your responsibility to look into the company and the product before you sign on to work with them. Is the snack healthy, and do you enjoy it?

Ideally, you will want to find brands that share your values and which are selling products you feel good about recommending to your subscribers.

Once you find a few campaigns you are interested in creating videos for, it’s time to write your proposals and negotiate with your potential sponsors.

Negotiating with Sponsors

When you want to be part of a campaign a brand has posted, you send them a proposal.

Be creative and detailed in the proposals you write. The best brands will value you for our ideas and creativity, and this will give you an edge over creators who put less effort into their pitches. You also want to be detailed because you do not want to risk having a disagreement with the brand based on them misunderstanding what you were going to do.

Sometimes brands will have very specific things they want you to do or say in the video you make for them. It is your job to find ways of doing and saying these things that still feel natural within the context of your videos. On YouTube, even when you are representing a brand, you need to be authentically you.

If you feel like the things a brand wants from you will make your video come across as a tacky commercial and offend your loyal subscribers, and you cannot see a creative way around this, bring it up before you agree to work with them. Explain what you think should happen instead. If they are not willing to compromise, do not agree to work with them. Find a more reasonable brand to partner with.

If you offend your subscribers and they stop watching you then your channel will become less valuable to other potential sponsors. In the long run, there is no upside to agreeing to do a video that makes no sense for your channel.

Remember that even brands that like your ideas and get excited about your proposals will not be able to work with you if you do not meet their requirements in terms of subscribers and average views. There are a lot of campaigns on FameBit which are open to small or mid-sized channels, but there will always be minimum requirements. It makes no sense for a brand to pay you to make a video nobody will see, even if it is an amazing video. Sad, but true.

How to Avoid Alienating Your Audience

Some of your subscribers will resent any branded content you create and there is no way around that. These subscribers will be in the minority – most people understand that accepting sponsorship from brands helps their favorite YouTubers continue making great videos – but it is unavoidable that there will be a few.

Most of your subscribers will not be bothered by the idea of you partnering with a brand, so long as you go about it in the right way.

Firstly; be honest about your sponsorship. Do not pretend to be giving an objective opinion on a product when the company who makes it is paying you. Your viewers will know and they will be offended.

Secondly; incorporate the brand’s message or product into your videos in ways that feel natural. Do not stray too far from your usual video style. Ultimately every video you make, even branded content, is for your viewers. Make the kind of video they expect from you and mention the product or service you have agreed to in a place where it makes sense/is on topic.

You want the branding in your videos to be subtle, but you never want to hide that it is there.

So long as you are honest and the more commercial elements of your video are not distracting, the vast majority of your subscribers – the ones you have built a real relationship with – will not mind.

Custom Videos with Awesome Video Editor

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett