Boosting Visibility on YouTube: Videos or Shorts?

By Dipa Gandhi

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When it comes to gaining visibility on YouTube, creators and businesses often face a tough choice: should they focus on long-form videos or Shorts? Each format has unique benefits, but making the right choice depends on your goals, audience, and strategy.

Why YouTube Video Visibility Matters

YouTube is the world’s second-largest search engine and a prime platform for reaching audiences. Visibility on YouTube means more eyes on your content, increased brand recognition, and greater engagement. For service area businesses like roofers, painters, and electricians, YouTube provides a visual way to showcase expertise, build trust, and attract new leads.

But with over 500 hours of content uploaded every minute, standing out on YouTube can be challenging. Choosing between YouTube Videos (long-form content) and Shorts (bite-sized vertical videos) is critical to optimizing your presence.

The Case for YouTube Videos

Long-form YouTube videos are great for in-depth storytelling, tutorials, and building authority. Here’s how they can work for service businesses:

• Tell a Story: A roofing company might create a 10-minute video showing a start-to-finish roof replacement, highlighting their craftsmanship.
• Educational Content: An electrician could produce a "Top 5 Electrical Safety Tips" video, showcasing expertise to build trust with homeowners.
• Algorithmic Benefits: YouTube prioritizes watch time and engagement, both of which long videos excel at. Longer content often leads to longer viewing sessions, which helps improve rankings.

Success Story: A small painting company in Austin gained 20 new leads within three months after uploading a 15-minute walkthrough of a home exterior painting project. The detailed explanation helped establish credibility and convert viewers into customers.

Pros of Long-form Videos

• Establish expertise and authority in your field.
• Encourage longer watch times, boosting algorithm performance.
• Allow detailed storytelling or in-depth explanations.

Cons

• Higher production time and costs.
• Requires sustained viewer attention, which may be challenging for busy audiences.

The Power of YouTube Shorts

Shorts, YouTube's answer to TikTok and Instagram Reels, are designed for quick, engaging content. They’re ideal for grabbing attention fast and reaching wider audiences.

• Quick Tips: A plumber could create a 60-second Short explaining how to fix a leaky faucet.
• Before-and-After: Landscapers can show transformations of outdoor spaces in a snappy, visual format.
• Reach Younger Audiences: With 75% of global YouTube Shorts views coming from mobile devices, Shorts are perfect for engaging younger, mobile-first audiences.

Success Story: A cleaning company uploaded a series of 15-second Shorts showing quick cleaning hacks. These clips went viral, attracting 5,000 new subscribers and doubling their bookings in a month.

Pros of Shorts

• Quick and inexpensive to produce.
• Higher chance of virality with wide audience reach.
• Perfect for mobile-first viewers and trend-driven content.

Cons

• Limited time to convey detailed information.
• Short-lived engagement compared to evergreen long-form videos.

How to Decide: Videos, Shorts, or Both?

Choose YouTube Videos if:

• You want to establish authority through in-depth content.
• Your target audience values detailed explanations.
• You’re showcasing complex services like solar panel installations.

Choose Shorts if:

• You’re targeting younger, mobile audiences.
• You aim to generate quick bursts of visibility and engagement.
• You’re leveraging trends or showing quick, impactful transformations.

Consider Both if:

• You want to diversify your content strategy.
• You have the resources to produce different types of content.

A smart strategy might look like this: create a 10-minute "How to Prepare Your Home for Winter" video, then repurpose clips into 30-second Shorts to tease the full content. This approach maximizes reach while building authority.

Maximizing Visibility on YouTube

Regardless of format, optimize your YouTube content for visibility:

• Use Keywords: Include searchable terms like “roof replacement tips” or “DIY plumbing hacks.”
• Thumbnails: Create eye-catching thumbnails that reflect the video's theme.
• Consistency: Post regularly to keep your audience engaged and signal to YouTube that you’re active.