Should I focus on shorts or long-form content?

[Precious]

I'm torn between making youtube shorts (which are easier and faster) or long-form videos (which take forever but seem more "real")

Which should i prioritize for channel growth? or should i do both?

[Flaky]

Long-form content builds real channels. shorts bring traffic

I wasted 6 months posting only shorts. got millions of views but channel growth was minimal. here's why:

problems with shorts-only strategy:

• low conversion rate - shorts viewers don't subscribe to your channel
• separate algorithm - shorts views don't help your long-form videos
• low monetization - shorts RPM is terrible ($0.05 per 1k views)
• no depth - can't build real authority with 60-second videos
• platform risk - youtube could change shorts strategy anytime

benefits of long-form:

• builds real subscriber base
• better monetization ($2-5 per 1k views)
• establishes authority
• viewers are more engaged
• content has longevity

my recommended split:

• 80% effort: long-form content (1-2 videos per week)
• 20% effort: shorts from long-form clips

use shorts as trailers for your long-form content

make a 10-minute video, pull 3-5 short clips from it, post those as shorts pointing back to the full video

don't sacrifice long-form quality to pump out more shorts. that's a losing strategy

[Dre]

Start with shorts, transition to long-form later

here's why this worked for me:

shorts advantages for beginners:

• faster learning curve - make 10 shorts in time it takes to make 1 long video
• algorithm boost - easier to get initial reach
• less pressure - lower production requirements
• immediate feedback - know if content resonates quickly
• build confidence - get comfortable on camera

my progression:

• months 0-3: posted 100+ shorts, found what topics resonate
• months 3-6: started adding long-form, already knew what worked
• months 6-12: shifted to mostly long-form with shorts as supplement
• result: 25k subscribers, 800k monthly views

why this works:
shorts let you fail fast and learn quickly. by the time you commit to long-form, you know:

• what topics your audience wants
• what titles/thumbnails get clicks
• how to present on camera
• what value you uniquely provide

then when you make long-form content, it's based on validated ideas

for beginners: start with shorts for 3 months, learn, then shift to long-form. you'll grow faster overall

trying to create perfect long-form videos when you don't know what works yet is inefficient