Got a YouTube channel where you post your long-form VODs? Want to start posting shorts there, too? It’s a solid idea—but like many content creators, you may be wondering: will posting shorts to my VOD channel hurt the performance of my existing VODs? The short answer (no pun intended) is no. In this short guide (again, no pun intended), we break it down.
To understand the different types of YouTube content and how they might (or might) affect each other, it’s important to get a basic understanding of what each one is in the first place. For the purposes of this guide, we have two categories:
VODs: Short for “video on demand,” a VOD is a longer-form YouTube video accessible via a content creator’s channel or through natural search on YouTube. It’s YouTube’s classic video format, with information and comments displayed below the video itself, and a host of tools available for viewers to optimize the viewing experience. Many streamers will upload past streaming sessions as VODs for their fans to enjoy later.
Shorts: If you’ve ever used TikTok, Instagram Reels, or (most relevant to this guide) YouTube Shorts, then you already have a solid idea of what shorts are and how they work. These short-form, vertical videos are tailor made for feeds where attention spans are short and consumption is rapid-fire. On YouTube specifically, YouTube Shorts are capped at 60-second lengths and formatted vertically for optimal viewing on a smartphone.
So, will posting shorts hurt your established VOD channel? No. Not if you do it with a bit of common sense. And with just a bit more common sense, posting shorts can actually help your VOD channel. Here are some factors to consider to help your short game (pun intended).
Algorithms: they’re the black boxes every streamer is trying to crack, on every platform. On YouTube specifically, streamers starting to look into YouTube Shorts may be concerned that YouTube’s algorithm will “punish” (divert traffic away from) their existing VOD channel as soon they start uploading shorts.
We’ve done our research with streamers who are paying close attention to the behavior of YouTube’s algorithm, and we have good news: there’s no indication that YouTube punishes existing channels for uploading shorts. If anything, uploading shorts helps existing channels (and existing VOD content) perform better. Whether that’s due to the algorithm itself or just good old-fashioned content principles, we explore below.
Setting the dark and mysterious YouTube algorithm aside, shorts appear to be helpful to existing channels for other fairly straightforward reasons.
We mentioned posting shorts with a bit of common sense—and one major area where that applies is notifications. We strongly suggest being selective with your notifications when you publish your shorts. Not every short needs a notification (and because of YouTube daily 3-notification limit per channel, not every short will get a notification). Save your notifications for your best, most relevant content; be it long- or short-form.
If you’re concerned about YouTube Shorts adversely affecting your existing VOD channel, one route many content creators have taken is that of dedicated shorts channel. That way, they can still capitalize on the potential revenue and exposure of YouTube Shorts while keeping their long-form content separate for their existing audience. While some claim it works better with algorithm and reduces negative cannibalization, others argue that it reduces positive cross-pollination.
Good content wins out, no matter its length. Don’t just post shorts for the sake of posting shorts. Empty or boring content won’t keep users coming back and may adversely affect how channel performs in the algorithm. There are more than a few ways to make great shorts, but by far the fastest is using an AI-powered tool that creates viral clips in a single click. Don’t leave your short-form content creation up to guesswork. Cut engaging videos—and cut down on editing time—with the help of AI.