How to Go Viral on YouTube Shorts in 15 Simple Steps
Virlo Team
Learn how to go viral on YouTube Shorts with 15 simple steps that boost views, increase reach, and grow your channel fast.
May 11, 2025
Consider this: you've found an interesting trend from YouTube Shorts. You create and publish a few videos, hoping they’ll get views. But days, weeks, or even months go by, and your Shorts sit there, collecting digital dust. Sounds familiar? If so, don’t worry.
This guide YouTube Shorts ideas will help you get ahead of the game and identify viral trends for short-form content, enabling you to create engaging Shorts that get views on YouTube.
One of the best ways to go viral on YouTube Shorts is to create content others want to see. And that's where Virlo comes in. Our virality analysis tool helps you identify what’s trending on YouTube Shorts so you can create videos that align with what viewers want.
Table of Content
Benefits of YouTube Shorts
1. Explosive Reach: Getting Seen Faster on YouTube
YouTube Shorts can reach a massive audience in no time. Although the tool is still new to many, it’s clear that Shorts can go viral. They can expose your channel and brand to a broad audience quickly. Suppose you have prior experience creating short-form content on other platforms like TikTok or Instagram. In that case, you may already understand how to package this type of content to capture an audience’s attention and ensure quick retention. Shorts can help you get discovered and visible on YouTube more quickly.
2. The Potential of YouTube Integration
YouTube Shorts live on the YouTube platform. If you have already created long-form videos on YouTube, you can easily integrate Shorts into your existing channel. This feature allows you to reach a broader audience. With the latest September update, you can link your short content to your longer videos, creating a funnel that encourages your less-engaged audience to become more loyal. This feature is excellent for building a stronger relationship with your viewers and boosting your channel’s growth.
3. Content Reuse: Maximize Your Existing Videos
As mentioned earlier, Shorts are a feature that enables you to reuse clips or concepts from longer videos. This helps to maximize the value of your existing content and optimize your investment in content creation. Furthermore, it facilitates a crossover strategy between long-form and short-form content. It’s not simply about recycling your old content, but rather identifying the pieces that have performed well and have the potential to rival other content on YouTube.
4. Long-Term Discovery: Get Seen Over Time
You can optimize the titles and descriptions of Shorts through keywords, just like with long-form content. As a result, they become discoverable in the long term through their integration with Google, allowing your content to attract viewers for an extended period. This means you can get a higher return on investment in content creation.
5. Ease of Production: Create Shorts Quickly
Videos can be of varying complexity, but platforms like TikTok allow anyone to create content quickly and easily without requiring knowledge of editing software or expensive equipment. The spontaneous and authentic nature of these videos makes them accessible to everyone. This means content creators can focus on producing more videos without worrying about how they will perform or reach their audience.
6. Attracting New Audiences: Grow Your Following on YouTube
To find out where your audience is coming from on YouTube, go to YouTube Studio > Analytics > Traffic Source. If you enter your metrics, you will be able to analyze that there are different functions by which users reach your content (Search, suggested videos, playlist, notifications, etc). YouTube Shorts are displayed in the Feed and are shown by algorithmic correspondence in the “For You” tab, which increases the possibility of new users discovering your content.
7. Monetization: Make Money with YouTube Shorts
However, the monetization by ads within the same platform, for short content, is drastically lower than the income obtained in longer videos… Due to its broad reach, and the high conversion of viewers into subscribers (as I have been able to verify in the different channels of clients for which I work) YouTube shorts, can allow you to break the initial barrier of requirements to monetize on YouTube that involves joining, to its partner program, which in the last update 2023, established a minimum of 500 subscribers, 3,000 hours of viewing and at least 3 uploaded videos. I do not see it as an end in itself but as a tool to access other, more profitable monetization functions.
8. High Interaction: Boost Engagement on YouTube
The short format appeals to viewers with short attention spans. While this can be a disadvantage, leading to less engagement, it can also be an opportunity. As they are more likely to react to the content more spontaneously, Shorts tend to have a higher engagement rate and greater interaction with the content, which helps to drive reach.
9. Potential Virality: Create a Shortcut to YouTube Fame
Various factors contribute to the mass production of content, making it easier for videos to go viral. This increase in visibility and reach is achieved through quantity rather than quality or systematic knowledge. However, creators who can identify common behavioral patterns of their audience can systematize their content to achieve intentional and consistent results. By creating a “formula” and iterating on it, they can produce similar outcomes every time.
Requirements for YouTube Shorts
Get It Done Quickly: Video Length for YouTube Shorts
YouTube Shorts must be 60 seconds or less in length. While the name suggests a focus on brevity, it’s best to think of these videos as a way to showcase your creativity, personality, and ideas quickly and engagingly. With only a minute to work with, you’ll want to hook your viewers right away and maintain their interest to the end to maximize the effectiveness of your Short.
Make It Snappy: Orientation and Aspect Ratio
The best way to optimize your Short for mobile viewing is to shoot it vertically. YouTube Shorts should have a 9:16 aspect ratio and a resolution of 1920 by 1080p, which is the standard for most smartphone videos. YouTube Shorts can also be square, with a 1:1 aspect ratio and 1080 1080p resolution. While square videos can work well on any platform, they can appear cluttered on YouTube, where the interface is designed for horizontal videos.
Who Can Create Shorts? Age Requirements
You must be at least 13 years old to create a YouTube Short. If you’re between the ages of 13 and 19, you’ll need permission from a parent or guardian to create an AdSense account to monetize your content.
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How to Go Viral on YouTube Shorts in 15 Simple Steps
1. Use Virlo to Find Trends for YouTube Shorts
Virlo helps creators crack the code of virality for YouTube Shorts through AI-powered trend analysis. Our platform combines creator insights with advanced analytics to identify winning content patterns, optimal posting times, and successful audio/video combinations that help your content stand out in today’s fast-moving social landscape.
Perfect for independent creators looking to build a sustainable side business, Virlo takes the guesswork out of content strategy. We analyze the latest viral trends and help you understand when to post and what combinations of elements drive engagement. Go viral with Virlo's virality analysis tool.
2. Give It a Catchy Title
The title of your Short is just as important as the video itself. Consider using the title as a hook to keep viewers watching your Short until its end. Different kinds of language work for various audiences, so you must experiment with this. That said, it’s a good idea to keep your title short and punchy and use words that resonate with your audience.
3. Make the First Few Seconds Count
You must get your viewers’ attention within the first few seconds of your video. Come up with a compelling hook to start your Short. Avoid clickbait, though! Nothing makes a viewer swipe to the next YouTube Short faster than a clickbait video! It’s a great idea to brainstorm a few hooks before filming your Short, and to make sure you experiment with different kinds of hooks across your videos.
4. Create the Perfect Loop
YouTube Shorts are played on a loop by default. If the viewer doesn’t swipe to the next Short video, they will see the same Short again for the second time, or even more times. A perfect loop will help make your Shorts look crisper. When filming and editing a Short, create a smooth loop to encourage multiple views.
5. Re-Hook Your Audience
It isn’t enough to create a strong hook for the beginning portion of your Short. Despite their short length, you need to keep viewers engaged throughout. Aim to re-hook your audience every three to five seconds, whether with a trending sound, text, or other visuals.
6. Create Consistently
Whenever a new platform — or a feature like YouTube Shorts — gets released, content creators will pour themselves into testing it out and figuring out how to make it a part of their strategy. But all too often, these creators give up after a few attempts that don’t go far. If you want to go viral with Shorts, you have to create them consistently. That can be one video a day or one a week, but just make sure you stick with them.
7. Use Relevant Hashtags
Hashtags are a great way to make your Shorts more discoverable and should be part of your YouTube Shorts strategy. Do some research, see what hashtags top creators in your specific niche use or what hashtags are featured in viral videos, and include them in your content.
8. Post Your Shorts at the Right Time
While there’s no hard and fast rule for the best time to post on YouTube Shorts, there are some general tips you can follow. According to research from HubSpot, most marketers post YouTube content between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m on Thursdays, Fridays, or Saturdays. That’s generally a good time to post. But if you have a big enough audience, you can check YouTube Analytics to see when your subscribers will most likely be on the platform. Post at those times for the best chance of going viral.
9. Learn From the Competition
Ever heard the saying “great artists steal?” It has been attributed to everyone, from Russian composer Igor Stravinsky to Steve Jobs, but the whole saying goes like this: “Good artists copy, great artists steal.” The difference? Copying would mean just taking what the competition’s doing and doing the same thing. “Stealing” means finding out what works and putting your spin on it — injecting your creativity into an established format or trend. Doing this should be an essential part of your research.
10. Create a Series
One-off Shorts are great, especially with a strong hook and the perfect loop. But do you know what’s even more engaging? A series of Shorts. A series can keep your audience returning for more, with a natural sequence they can follow from one content piece to the next. You can break down more complex topics into multiple bite-sized, short videos by making your Shorts into a series. And if you include something like “Part 1” in the video title, people will know they should keep checking in to see the rest of your series.
11. Look Out for Other Viral Trends
Besides trending music, keep an eye out for trending topics and viral video trends. Creating a great YouTube Shorts video inspired by a specific trend of the moment is a great way to attract new viewers. Just be careful not to blindly follow trends to keep up with what’s in. When incorporating trends in your Shorts, be sure that they are relevant to your content in one way or another.
12. Try Different Types of Content
Just because your YouTube channel is dedicated to your podcast doesn’t mean all your Shorts must be clips of your longer content. Similarly, even if you’re a Let’s Play creator, that doesn’t mean every Short has to be a snapshot of your best gaming moments. No matter what kind of creator you are, there are many ways you can connect with your audience — and the rest of YouTube — with Shorts, film behind-the-scenes content showing your setup or tidbits of your personal life. Summarize longer videos and link back to the original video. Share updates about your travels or any time off you take. Try different things and see what sticks.
13. Drive Your Audience to Other Content
Creating Shorts is one of the best ways to funnel people toward other types of content. Use pinned comments to direct viewers to additional content, like another Short that serves as a part two to the video, or your channel’s long-form content. Whatever you point viewers to, it’s easier to pull them in if there’s some kind of connection between the two pieces of content.
14. Promote Your Content
To get your Shorts in front of as many viewers as possible, promote your content on YouTube and beyond. You can share snippets of your Shorts on YouTube Stories and other social media platforms like Instagram Reels.
15. Engage With Other Creators
Too many creators think they’re on their own, and any views their Shorts get have to come at the expense of another content creator, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. With YouTube Shorts getting billions of daily views, there is more than enough. Collaborating with other creators is a great way to get your content in front of a different audience, which means more views for your videos!
How to Monetize YouTube Shorts
Unlocking Revenue Streams for Your YouTube Shorts
One of the best ways to monetize your Shorts is through the YouTube Partner Program (YPP). Upon joining, you can access all of YouTube's money-making tools, like placing ads on videos or monetizing your audience directly through fan-funding.
Accessing Fan-Funding Tools for Shorts Monetization
To access fan-funding only
Gain 500 subscribers.
Upload 3 public videos in the last 90 days.
Get 3,000 public watch hours in the last 365 days or 3 million public Shorts views in the previous 90 days.
Getting Ad Revenue and Fan-Funding for Shorts
To access ad revenue and fan-funding
Gain 1,000 subscribers.
Get 4,000 public watch hours from long-form videos in the last 365 days or 10 million public Shorts views over the previous 90 days.
If you mainly produce Short Videos or a mix of long and short videos, aiming for 1,000 subscribers plus either 10 million Short Video views or 4,000 watch hours is a smart path to joining the YPP.
Staying in Good Standing with the YouTube Partner Program
Only eligible Shorts will earn advertising revenue once you're in the program. So, do these four things to stay in the clear:
Follow YouTube's Advertiser-Friendly Content Guidelines.
Avoid using unedited clips from movies and TV shows you don't have the rights to.
Avoid uploading another creator's content without adding a new perspective or transforming the content.
Don't pay for automated/fake views.
Understanding How YouTube Shorts Ad Revenue Works
Earning Shorts ad revenue differs from monetizing a regular YouTube video. Notably, all Short's revenue is split between different parties, including the creators who make them and the music publishers who provide songs for those videos.
Here is the 4-step process
YouTube pools all of the Shorts ad revenue on its platform.
YouTube calculates how much money goes to the creator pool, which depends on views and music usage across all Shorts. If creators use no music in their Shorts, they retain all of the revenue at this point. The revenue is split between the creator pool and music publishers if they use music.
YouTube distributes the ad revenue to monetized Shorts creators. This is based on a creator's total share of Shorts views on the platform, whether 5%, 10%, 15%, etc.
Creators keep 45% of their revenue share.
Can You Monetize YouTube Shorts Without 1,000 Subscribers?
If you're just starting on YouTube, getting 500 subscribers is a quick way to join the YPP and monetize your Shorts. You won't earn ad revenue, but you can monetize most of your content, including Shorts, through fan-funding tools.
Earning Super Thanks
For example, with just 500 subscribers, you can collect Super Thanks revenue on your YouTube Shorts. Your fans can send these "video tips" ranging from $2 to $50 to support individual videos.
Collecting Super Chats and Stickers
Super Chats and Stickers are also an option, especially if you love streaming on YouTube. When you host a vertical or horizontal live stream, viewers in the live chat can reward you with monetary donations ranging from $1 to $500. These can appear as Super Chats — colorful comments pinned to the top of the live chat — or as Super Stickers, fun, digital animations that appear on the screen.
Earning from Channel Memberships
Channel Memberships offer exclusive perks to a creator's super fans, such as members-only videos, badges, Community posts, emojis, and livestreams. It's a great way to make money, but did you know you can monetize your YouTube Shorts through channel memberships? After all, Shorts count as videos too! You can make these exclusive to your members like regular, horizontal content.
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• Youtube Shorts Ratio
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• Youtube Shorts vs Tiktok vs Reels
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Go Viral with Virlo's Virality Analysis Tool
Going viral on YouTube Shorts isn't as easy as it seems. Like the regular YouTube platform, the algorithm favors certain types of content over others, and understanding what makes a winning YouTube Short will help you get the views you want. So, how do you go viral on YouTube Shorts? First, create a strong hook to engage viewers right away. Next, include elements that align with current trends to boost your content’s discoverability. Finally, optimize your content for the algorithm by posting consistently and targeting specific niches.
Virlo helps short-form content creators crack the code of virality through AI-powered trend analysis. Our platform combines creator insights with advanced analytics to identify winning content patterns, optimal posting times, and successful audio/video combinations that help your content stand out in today's fast-moving social environment.
Perfect for independent creators looking to build a sustainable side business, Virlo takes the guesswork out of content strategy. We analyze the latest viral trends and help you understand when to post and what combinations of elements drive engagement. Whether you're just starting or looking to optimize your existing content, Virlo enables you to navigate the ever-changing algorithms to increase your chances of going viral. Go viral with Virlo's virality analysis tool.
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