YouTube has been making waves with its Shorts feature, and there’s no better time to dive in than now, especially with the exciting new updates. As of October 15, 2024, YouTube has expanded the video length for Shorts, allowing creators to upload up to 3-minute vertical videos! This is fantastic news for those of us who love to tell a story but always felt limited by the previous 60-second cap.

If you’ve been following my blog or YouTube channel, you know I’m all about simplifying video creation for business owners and entrepreneurs, especially those navigating the midlife and beyond. In this post, I’ll walk you through how to make the most of this new feature.

Step-by-Step: Uploading Longer YouTube Shorts

First things first—how do you actually get a vertical video up to 3 minutes onto your YouTube account? Here’s a quick guide based on my own experience:

  1. Upload via Desktop: If you’re working with a video over 60 seconds (but under 3 minutes), the YouTube app might not recognize it as a Short just yet. You’ll need to use the desktop version. Upload the video as you would any other video, and YouTube will automatically move it to the Shorts tab after processing.
  2. Vertical Format is Key: Ensure your video is recorded in a vertical or square aspect ratio. YouTube's algorithm identifies vertical videos under 3 minutes as Shorts, moving them from your regular video tab to the Shorts shelf once they’re uploaded.
  3. Title, Tags, and Hashtags: Don’t forget to optimize your video’s title, description, and hashtags. This will help YouTube recommend your Shorts to the right audience.
  4. Extra Features: Once your video is recognized as a Short, you can add end screens and subtitles to increase engagement.

For a full demo on how I upload my 3-minute Shorts and tips on how you can streamline your workflow, check out the video below!

What’s New with YouTube Shorts?

YouTube is rolling out several updates to improve the experience for both creators and viewers. Not only will you now be able to create longer Shorts, but YouTube is also introducing more personalized features, like a new Trends page and the ability to preview comments right from the Shorts feed ( source​ blog.youtube and 9to5Google )

These updates aim to make Shorts even more immersive and help your content stand out.

So if you’ve been hesitant to get into Shorts, now’s the perfect time. Head over to my YouTube channel Video Visibility Club or explore the blog for more tips and strategies to make the most of this powerful tool.

Any questions? Drop them in the comments or reach out to me directly! Don't forget to subscribe to my channel and stay tuned for more updates.

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