10 Reasons Why My YouTube Shorts Are Not Getting Views

Many creators experience a disappointing dip in views when they first start posting YouTube Shorts. It's common for new creators to post several YouTube Shorts before getting any notice from the algorithm. The good news is that this type of content can allow you to gain traction quickly, especially if you learn to identify viral trends for YouTube Shorts ideas. This blog will help you understand why your YouTube Shorts aren't getting views, so you can create engaging content that appeals to your target audience and the algorithm.

One way to quickly gain traction with YouTube shorts is to use Virlo's virality analysis tool. This resource will help you identify viral trends for short-form content so you can create engaging videos that get views.

Table of Contents

• Benefits of YouTube Shorts

• 10 Reasons Why My YouTube Shorts Are Not Getting Views

• How to Go Viral On YouTube Shorts in 15 Simple Ways

• What is a Good Average View Duration on YouTube Shorts?

• Go Viral with Virlo's Virality Analysis Tool

Benefits of YouTube Shorts

YouTube Shorts offers creators a chance to reach new audiences quickly. Compared to YouTube's long-duration content, the overall usage of shorts is low, so there is less competition for visibility on the platform. Creators with experience with short-form content can capture audience attention to ensure quick retention. Plus, YouTube Shorts can reach a vast audience in a short period of time, allowing creators to gain visibility quickly.

YouTube Integration: Easily Diversify Your Channel

As a YouTube creator, you can seamlessly integrate Shorts with your existing channel. This new feature makes diversifying your content and reaching a wider audience easier. 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.

Content Reuse: Repurpose Existing Footage for New Opportunities

YouTube Shorts enable you to reuse clips or concepts from longer videos. This helps 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; instead, it’s about identifying the pieces that have performed well and have the potential to rival other content on YouTube.

Long-Term Discovery: Create Content That Sticks

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.

Ease Production: Create Quickly and Efficiently

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 that content creators can focus on producing more videos without worrying about how it will perform or reach their audience.

Attracting New Audiences: Increase Your Visibility on YouTube

If you want to know where your audience is coming from on YouTube, go to YouTube Studio > Analytics > Traffic Source. Once you enter your metrics, you can analyze the 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.

Monetization: YouTube Shorts Can Help You Earn Revenue Faster

For short content, ad monetization within the same platform is drastically lower than the income from 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 allow you to break the initial barrier of requirements to monetize on YouTube, which involves joining its partner program. In the last update, 2023, the program established a minimum of 500 subscribers, 3,000 hours of viewing, and at least three uploaded videos. I do not see it as an end but a tool to access other, more profitable monetization functions.

High Interaction: Boost Engagement on Your Videos

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.

Potential Virality: Create Content That Gets Views

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. Creators who can identify their audience's common behavioral patterns 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. 

Related Reading

• Most Liked YouTube Short
• Most Commented Youtube Short
• YouTube Video vs Shorts
• Can I Upload Tiktok Videos on Youtube Shorts

10 Reasons Why My YouTube Shorts Are Not Getting Views

1. Visibility Settings Not Set Correctly

Sometimes, the issue is simpler than you think. If your YouTube Shorts aren’t getting views, it might be because your visibility settings are off. It’s easy to overlook, but if your Shorts are set to “Private” or “Unlisted,” people won’t be able to find them. This means no views, no matter how good your content is.

The Solution

Double-check the visibility settings before you hit publish. Ensure your Shorts are set to “Public” so everyone can see them. It’s a small but essential step. If you want to test your video before fully launching it, use “Unlisted,” but remember to switch it to “Public” when ready. This simple fix can have an immediate impact on your views. To set your uploaded Shorts to Public, go to YouTube Studio > Content > Shorts > and update the Visibility settings.

2. Wrong Audience & Restriction Settings

Sometimes, your Shorts might not be reaching the right people. This could be due to incorrect audience settings or age restrictions. For example, if your content is marked as “Made for Kids,” it might limit who sees your Shorts and restrict engagement features like comments. Similarly, if your content has an age restriction, it may not show up for many of YouTube’s audience.

The Solution

To fix this, review your audience settings. If your Shorts are suitable for a general audience, ensure they are not marked as “Made for Kids” unless they genuinely are. This will help your video reach more people and enable features like comments, which can boost engagement. Avoid unnecessarily adding age restrictions unless your content specifically requires them. Adjusting these settings can help you expand your reach and attract more attention to your content.

3. Your Shorts Need an Improvement in Quality

The number of views your Shorts get is directly related to the quality of the videos you post on the platform, just as with YouTube’s long-form videos. If you’ve been creating shaky videos or poorly recorded audio, you can’t expect a high view count, as more viewers are likely to swipe past your video in search of something better. Let’s be real: Quality matters. Even though Shorts are meant to be quick and fun, viewers still expect a certain level of quality. A polished video shows that you care about your content, and that effort often pays off with more views. After all, it’s always wiser to choose quality over quantity if you want to increase the views and engagement on your videos.

The Solution

Improving quality doesn’t mean you need expensive gear. Simple tweaks can make a big difference. Make sure your video is well-lit; natural light works wonders if you don’t have fancy lighting. Stabilize your shots, use a tripod, or keep your phone steady. Clear audio is also important; if your viewers can’t hear you correctly, they’ll lose interest.

4. Your Thumbnails are Not Attractive

Thumbnails are the first impression your Shorts make. People won’t click on your video if your thumbnails aren't attractive. Even if your content is excellent, a dull or unclear thumbnail can cost you views. Think of thumbnails as the cover of a book – they need to grab attention right away. Currently, you cannot change the Shorts thumbnail on the desktop. You can select a thumbnail from your video frame when you upload Shorts using the mobile app. You can also select the best frame from your video or add a custom thumbnail before uploading.

The Solution

Create thumbnails that stand out. Use bold colors, high-quality images, and easy-to-read text (if any). Your thumbnail should give a glimpse of your video, sparking curiosity without misleading viewers. 

5. Not Optimized for The YouTube Shorts Algorithm

The first reason your YouTube Shorts may not be getting views is that they may not be gaining the advantages of the YouTube algorithm. This could happen for various reasons, such as the lack of necessary metadata, poorly optimized captions, or even a low engagement rate. The YouTube Shorts algorithm plays a massive role in getting your content seen. If your Shorts aren’t optimized to please the algorithm, they will likely not get the exposure they deserve. Factors like low search volume, not being optimized for search, and mobile viewing experience can all impact performance. 

Optimize Shorts for Better Reach

For example, you could be disadvantaged if your Shorts are missing key details like descriptions, titles, or relevant tags. YouTube’s algorithm relies on these details to index and categorize and show your content to its intended or relevant audiences.

The Solution

Focus on key areas to ensure your Shorts are optimized for the algorithm. Use trending sounds and relevant keywords in your title, description, and tags to help YouTube understand what your content is about. If your Shorts aren’t appearing in searches, it might be due to low search volume or improper keyword usage. Do some keyword research and choose popular yet specific terms for your niche.

Make Shorts Mobile-Friendly & Engaging

Optimize your Shorts for mobile viewing. Ensure the visuals are clear and the text is readable on a small screen. Shorts are primarily watched on mobile devices, so anything that looks off can cause viewers to swipe away. Lastly, ensure you encourage engagement, likes, comments, and shares, as these signals tell the algorithm your content is worth promoting. By optimizing for search and mobile and encouraging engagement, you can make your Shorts more algorithm-friendly and boost their chances of getting more views.

6. Using Improper or Incorrect Hashtags

Hashtags are crucial to improving the discoverability of the Shorts you post online. They only work if you use them the right way. In actual terms, this means ensuring that the spellings of your hashtags are correct and that they’re relevant to the content of the Shorts. Similarly, many individuals think that adding keywords to their hashtags can help improve their content’s discoverability, but this isn’t the case. Google’s algorithm strongly discourages the practice of keyword stuffing, and it prefers that they be naturally incorporated into your content. Additionally, while it’s good to use a few branded hashtags, especially if they’re being used to build your brand’s identity and foster recognition, you must avoid being spammy with your approach.

The Solution

The solution here is to research the most relevant hashtags for your content and use a mix of popular and niche-specific tags. Also, limit your use of tags to three to five per post and keep updating them with changing trends to ensure their relevance.

7. Your Videos Are Posted in the Wrong (Horizontal) Format

As we mentioned in the introduction, Shorts, like Reels, are meant to be vertically oriented videos lasting up to 60 seconds. One mistake that’s all too common is posting landscape or horizontal videos to your Shorts. This reduces the overall visual real estate and leaves unsightly black spaces on the top and bottom of the video. These factors can lead to lower engagement rates as your audiences may not find your videos worth viewing for the entire duration or engaging with.

The Solution

Always ensure that your content for Shorts is recorded vertically, preferably in the 9:16 ratio. This is how YouTube Shorts are meant to be viewed, and it provides the best experience for mobile users. The goal is to ensure that your video meets all of Shorts’ video specifications and guidelines to give it the best possible chance at receiving higher views and engagement.

8. Your Videos Are Potentially Too Long

Have you ever come across the phrase “less is more?” These golden words couldn’t be more valid in the case of YouTube Shorts, just as they sometimes are in life. While Shorts allows you to record or post videos up to 60 seconds long, you don’t have to use all 60. This is because most people don’t have an attention span that allows them to view a video for that long unless it’s engaging. According to studies, our average attention span stands at around 47 seconds.

Keep the Shorts Brief and Engaging

Remember that this then becomes the upper limit, and the ideal duration of your content, especially if you intend to retain your viewer’s attention, should be much shorter. Recently, YouTube updated its Shorts feature to accommodate videos up to 3 minutes long. While this is great for creators who need more time, it’s still important to remember that Shorts are meant to be quick and engaging.

The Solution

Consider the length of your Shorts carefully. If you’re using the full 3 minutes, ensure every second counts. Hook viewers early, keep the content engaging, and avoid unnecessary fluff. The key to higher views and engagement is to keep your bounce rate as low as possible. The best way to do this is to present your content as engaging as possible within 15-30 seconds.

Shorter Videos, Stronger Impact

Shorter videos often perform better because they hold viewers’ attention and encourage replays, which is excellent for the algorithm. If you need to create longer content, ensure it remains engaging from start to finish. Keep it snappy and interesting, and you’ll see better results.

9. You’re Inconsistent With Posting Content

If you want to grow on social media to a point where you start making money or even collaborating with brands, you must be consistent with your content production. Viewers are also less likely to subscribe or stay engaged if they can’t predict when they’ll see more from you. A consistent posting schedule helps the algorithm and your audience know when to expect new content. If you’ve just posted a few videos and are somewhat inconsistent, you can’t expect an increase in your views. This is because you need to consistently post videos to grow on YouTube or any other social media platform, for that matter. The more videos you post, the higher the chances of one going viral and bringing in more followers and views.

The Solution

Create a content calendar to manage your content production. Try posting at least two to three Shorts weekly to signal to the algorithm that you’re routinely posting high-quality content. Streamlining your content creation can also help you focus more on the quality of your videos, which will further help your Shorts get more views.

10. You Aren’t Giving Your Videos Enough Time to Gain Traction

 If you’ve been doing everything mentioned above right, from creating high-quality content to carefully optimizing your videos, but your Shorts are still not getting views, it could be because they simply need some time to gain traction on the platform. It’s easy to feel discouraged if your Shorts don’t go viral immediately. But remember, the YouTube algorithm needs time to understand your content and find the right audience. If you’re deleting or re-uploading videos too quickly because they aren’t performing well, you’re not giving the algorithm enough time to work its magic.

Standing Out on Competitive Shorts

Like Instagram Reels, Shorts has also become highly competitive since its release, and it can often take some time to gain the algorithm’s advantage. This is especially true if you’re relatively new to posting content on Shorts.

The Solution

The key is to be patient and consistent. When creating Shorts, there’s no fixed timeline for when your videos will gain traction or go viral. The algorithm can take time to test your video with different audiences and determine where it fits best. Instead of deleting or constantly re-uploading, focus on promoting your Shorts through other channels, like social media or engaging with your community in the comments. Cross-promote your Shorts on different platforms, share them on Instagram, Twitter, or TikTok to drive traffic.

Boost Shorts' Visibility Beyond YouTube

You can embed your Shorts on your website or include them in your newsletters and promotional materials for better visibility. Consistently creating high-quality content certainly increases your chances of that happening; it’ll be worth the effort when it does.

How to Go Viral On YouTube Shorts in 15 Simple Ways

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 landscape.

Virlo: Smarter Strategy for Going Viral

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 helps you navigate the ever-changing algorithms to increase your chances of going viral. Go viral with Virlo's virality analysis tool.

Pick a Catchy Title

The title of your short is just as important as the video itself. Think of the title as a hook to keep viewers watching your short until its end. You’ll need to experiment with different kinds of language to see what works for your audience, but it’s smart to keep it short and punchy and use words that resonate with your target demographic.

Make the Opening Seconds Count

You need to hook your viewers in the first few seconds of your Short. Avoid clickbait! Nothing makes a viewer swipe to the next YouTube Short faster than a clickbait video. Brainstorm a few hooks before filming your Short and experiment with different hooks across your videos.

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 seamless loop to encourage multiple views.

Re-hook Your Audience

It isn’t enough to just create a strong hook for the beginning portion of your Short. Despite the short length of the video, you need to keep viewers engaged throughout its duration. Ideally, you should aim to re-hook your audience every three to five seconds, whether with a trending sound, text, or other visuals.

Create Consistently

Whenever a new platform or feature like YouTube Shorts is released, content creators will spend time testing it and figuring out how to incorporate it into their strategy. But all too often, these creators give up after a few unsuccessful attempts. If you want to go viral with Short Videos, you have to create them consistently. That can be one video a day or one a week, but just make sure you stick with it. That’s the only way you’ll start seeing results!

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.

Post Your Shorts at the Right Time

While there’s no hard-and-fast rule for the best time to post on YouTube Shorts, you can follow some general tips. According to research from HubSpot, most marketers post YouTube content between 3 PM and 9 PM 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.

Learn from the Competition

Have you 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, putting your spin on it, and injecting your creativity into an established format or trend. Doing this should be an essential part of your research.

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.

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. Be careful not to blindly follow trends to keep up with what’s in. When incorporating trends in your Shorts, ensure they are relevant to your content somehow.

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 I’m a Let’s Play creator, that doesn’t mean every Short has to be a snapshot of my 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 my personal life. Summarize longer videos and link back to the original video. Share updates about my travels or any time off you take. Try different things and see what sticks.

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.

Promote Your Content

Promote your content on YouTube and beyond to get your Shorts in front of as many viewers as possible. You can share snippets of your Shorts on YouTube Stories and other social media platforms like Instagram Reels.

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 further 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!

What is a Good Average View Duration on YouTube Shorts?

Aim for an average view duration of at least 70% on your YouTube Shorts. So if your Short is 30 seconds long, you want to get at least 21 seconds of watch time. The higher you can get this percentage, the better. Videos that achieve 80% or more are considered engaging and will perform well on YouTube.

Why You Need To Care About Average View Duration

Average view duration is a key metric for the YouTube algorithm. The greater your Short's average view duration, the more people watch and engage with your content. This will help get your video recommended to more viewers. A high average view duration is also a good sign for you as a creator. It shows that viewers are enjoying your content and are likely to check out longer videos you create in the future. Finally, a high average view duration indicates your content is engaging and keeping viewers hooked. This will help get more views for your YouTube Short.

Related Reading

• Youtube Shorts Ratio
• Youtube Shorts Font
• Youtube Shorts Thumbnail Size
• Youtube Shorts vs Tiktok vs Reels
• How Often to Post Youtube Shorts
• How to Get More Views on YouTube Shorts

Go Viral with Virlo's Virality Analysis Tool

If you're one of the many creators trying to get a leg up on YouTube's newest algorithm, you're not alone. YouTube Shorts is a popular new feature that allows users to create and share short, vertical videos that are 60 seconds or less. Like TikTok, YouTube Shorts boasts its own algorithm, which is still being defined. As a result, content creators are still figuring out how to get their YouTube Shorts to rank. In the meantime, if you’re struggling to get views on your YouTube Shorts, here are some potential reasons why.

Are You Optimizing Your YouTube Shorts For SEO?

Like any other content on YouTube, SEO matters for YouTube Shorts. The more you optimize your video for search, the better chance it has to get discovered. Start with a catchy title that includes your target keyword. Write a detailed description that explains what your Short is about. Use your target keyword and include other relevant terms to help with discoverability. Finally, use tags to help classify your Short. Tags allow YouTube to understand the content of your video so it can be categorized appropriately.

Are You Posting Consistently?

Consistency is key when it comes to building an audience and getting views on your YouTube Shorts. The more you upload, the better your chances are of getting discovered. Aim to post at least once a week to start. As you get comfortable with the process, try to increase your output. Creating a content calendar can help you plan your uploads and stay organized.

Are You Using The Right Trends And Audios?

Jumping on trends and using popular audio can drastically increase your chances of getting views on your YouTube Shorts. Trends change quickly. So, you'll want to figure out what's popular before they fizzle out. Look for ways to incorporate these trends into your niche to help you go viral. Whether you're just starting or looking to optimize your existing content, Virlo helps you navigate the ever-changing algorithms to increase your chances of going viral. Go viral with Virlo's virality analysis tool.

Related Reading

• How Long Can YouTube Shorts Be
• How to Go Viral on Youtube Shorts
• How Many Hashtags Should I Use on Youtube Shorts
• Best Hashtags to Use on Youtube Shorts
• Best Time to Post Youtube Shorts