By Enric Llonch, on 25 March 2025
YouTube Shorts has become one of the most powerful and popular tools for content creators worldwide, making it a key tool to include in your 2025 marketing strategy. With the exponential growth of short videos, Shorts has become an essential platform for both emerging creators and established brands looking to reach new audiences through video marketing.
This article will guide you through the latest developments in YouTube Shorts, including new features and trends that will dominate the year. It will also provide you with a complete guide to help you create viral videos that capture the attention of millions. If you want to stand out in this dynamic space, it's crucial to understand the right strategies and tools.
YouTube Shorts Updates for 2025
As of October 15, 2024, YouTube has extended the maximum duration of Shorts to three minutes, giving creators more flexibility to develop their content. This update applies to videos with a square or vertical aspect ratio and does not affect videos uploaded before that date.
Additionally, YouTube Shorts has simplified the content creation process through "Templates." As a complement to YouTube Create, this new feature allows creators to use audio and video templates from already trending content so that new content can be inspired by and based on the layout, effects, or sounds of other successful videos.
AI-Driven Innovations
YouTube Shorts is incorporating various AI-driven innovations designed to improve the content creation and consumption experience. Here are the main new features:
Dream Screen: This tool allows creators to generate customized animated backgrounds using AI for their short videos. By entering a text description, the feature produces backgrounds that adapt to the video's content.
Veo: Developed by Google DeepMind, Veo is an AI video generation model that facilitates the creation of clips up to six seconds long from text prompts. This tool integrates directly into the YouTube Shorts editor, simplifying the content production process.
AI Music Remixes: YouTube is experimenting with a functionality that allows creators to modify licensed songs, applying new styles through artificial intelligence. This feature offers the possibility of generating 30-second audio clips using AI-generated voices of recognized artists, expanding creative options on the platform.
How to Create Videos on YouTube Shorts
A YouTube Short can be any square or vertical video up to 3 minutes long. You can create it using YouTube's video creation tools or upload a short video you've created using other resources.
To use the YouTube Shorts camera, follow these steps:
Log in to YouTube from your mobile device.
Tap Create → Video → Create a Short.
Hold the capture button to record a clip or tap it once to start recording and tap it again to stop it.
Tap Undo to remove the last clip you recorded or Redo to add the deleted clip back to the video.
Hit Next to view the video you've created.
Tap Next again to add your video details: title (100 characters maximum) and Select Audience (to mark it as a video for kids if applicable).
Click Upload and you're done!
Key Metrics in YouTube Shorts
YouTube Shorts metrics allow you to evaluate the effectiveness of your videos through key indicators, which help you understand what works and what doesn't. These metrics are fundamental for adjusting your strategy, optimizing your reach, and improving your chances of going viral.
Some important metrics include:
Views
Watch time
Interactions (likes, comments, shares)
Subscriber growth rate
Impressions
Average viewing time per viewer
4 Tips for Making Viral Shorts
Identify a trending topic: Check social media platforms like X, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube to identify trending topics, popular hashtags, viral challenges, or current events being widely discussed.
Capture your audience's attention in 3 seconds: Start your Shorts with intriguing questions, impactful statements, or eye-catching visuals. Address the audience directly and promise a clear benefit at the end.
Optimize your title and description: Create short, clear, and catchy titles that include relevant keywords. In the description, add additional keywords that users would search for and include popular hashtags.
Interact with your audience: Encourage interaction by including clear calls to action (CTAs) in your Shorts. Invite viewers to like, comment, or share the video. Use direct phrases and include questions at the end of the video to generate conversations.
YouTube Shorts has undoubtedly established itself as a key tool for creating short-form content, transforming the way people interact with online videos. Its agile format, adapted to mobile usage trends, offers an invaluable opportunity for both creators and brands looking to connect with audiences quickly and effectively.
