How to Create a YouTube Shorts Video Tutorial

Creating a great YouTube Shorts video tutorial is one of the fastest ways to get discovered and build a loyal audience right now. This guide walks you through the entire process, from brainstorming a winning idea to filming, editing, and optimizing your Short for maximum reach.

Why YouTube Shorts is a Goldmine for Tutorials

Before jumping into the "how," let's quickly cover the "why." Traditional YouTube tutorials are great, but Shorts have a unique power. The platform is pushing Shorts hard, meaning your bite-sized tutorials have a massive chance of landing on the Shorts shelf and getting in front of millions of potential new viewers who aren’t subscribed to you.

Unlike long-form videos that require deep-dives, Shorts tutorials thrive on simplicity. They are perfect for answering a single, specific question or demonstrating one quick task. This format caters to today’s audiences who want fast solutions without the fluff. For you, the creator, this means a lower barrier to entry - you don't need a fancy studio or complex editing, just a good idea and a smartphone.

Step 1: Brainstorming and Planning Your Shorts Tutorial

A successful Short is built on a solid foundation. While spontaneity has its place, a little planning goes a long way in making your tutorial clear, concise, and compelling.

Find the Right Topic

The best Shorts tutorials solve one problem and solve it fast. Think small, specific, and actionable. Instead of "A Guide to Using Photoshop," create a Short on "How to Use the Content-Aware Fill Tool in Photoshop."

Here’s how to uncover great ideas:

• YouTube Search Autocomplete: Type "how to..." related to your niche and see what YouTube suggests. These are topics people are actively searching for.
• Analyze Your Competitors: Look at what other creators in your space are doing with their Shorts. What's performing well? What questions are being asked in their comments?
• Read Your Own Comments: Your existing audience is a great source of inspiration. What questions do they repeatedly ask? Each question is a potential tutorial.

The goal is to provide a single, valuable takeaway. If someone watches your Short and learns one new thing, you've won.

Scripting for Speed and Impact

You don't need a word-for-word screenplay, but a simple outline is critical for a video under 60 seconds.

1. The Hook (0-3 Seconds): Your opening is everything. Start with the problem or the end result. For example, instead of saying, "Today, I'm going to show you how to peel garlic," start by showing a perfectly peeled clove and saying, "Hate peeling garlic? Try this."
2. The "How-To" (The Middle): This is the core of your tutorial. Show the steps visually. Use quick cuts and keep the pace energetic. Aim to "show, not just tell." Don't waste time with unnecessary details, focus only on the essential actions.
3. The Call-to-Action (The End): End with a simple, quick CTA. Don't overdo it. A brief "Follow for more daily tips!" or "Let me know what to cover next in the comments" is perfect.

Keep your video as short as possible. If you can teach something in 15 seconds instead of 45, do it. The faster you deliver value, the more likely viewers are to rewatch and share.

Step 2: Filming Your Vertical Masterpiece

The technical quality of your Shorts doesn't need to be Hollywood-level, but a few basic considerations make a huge difference in holding a viewer's attention.

Setting Up Your Shot

• Shoot Vertically (9:16): This is the most important rule. Always film with your phone held vertically. Shorts are designed for mobile, full-screen viewing, and horizontal videos will have black bars, immediately signaling that your content isn't native to the platform.
• Good Lighting is Essential: You don't need expensive equipment. Filming near a window with natural light is often the best option. A well-lit video looks more professional and is easier for viewers to watch. If you're often filming at night, a simple ring light is a worthwhile investment.
• Clear Audio Matters: Viewers are more forgiving of mediocre video quality than they are of bad audio. Muffled, echoey sound will cause people to scroll away instantly. The microphone on your smartphone is surprisingly good, but make sure you're in a quiet room. For a small upgrade, an inexpensive lavalier microphone that clips to your shirt can dramatically improve clarity.

Filming Techniques for Engagement

Because Shorts are so fast-paced, how you film can add energy to the final product. Even if you're just demonstrating something on a computer screen, a few techniques can help.

• Quick, Decisive Actions: Move with purpose. Viewers expect a peppy and fast-paced delivery when viewing Shorts.
• Vary Your Angles: If it makes sense for your tutorial, try filming from a couple of different angles. For example, a wider shot to establish the scene, then a close-up on the details. Stitching these together in the edit creates a more dynamic video.
• Screen Recordings: For digital tutorials (apps, software, websites), use a screen recording tool. Many phones have a built-in function, or you can use free tools like Loom or OBS Studio for desktop recordings. Just remember to crop your recording to a 9:16 vertical format.

Step 3: Editing That Keeps Viewers Hooked

Editing is where your tutorial comes to life. Your goal is to be ruthless - cut out every single moment of dead air, every hesitation, and every unnecessary detail.

Choosing Your Editing Tool

• The YouTube App: For basic trims, adding text, and selecting music from YouTube's library, the in-app editor is fast and convenient.
• Mobile Apps (Recommended): Apps like CapCut, InShot, and VN Video Editor offer more control and features like auto-captions, advanced text animations, and cleaner cuts - all on your phone and generally for free. They are perfect for creating polished Shorts.
• Desktop Software: Tools like DaVinci Resolve (which has a powerful free version) or Adobe Premiere Pro are fantastic if you're already comfortable with them, but they can be overkill for most Shorts creators.

Key Editing Elements for a Great Tutorial

• Text Overlays: Add animated text or simple labels to highlight key steps. It helps reinforce a message and makes the tutorial easy to follow, even with the sound off. Make the text big, bold, and easy to read.
• Trending Audio: Adding a trending song or sound from the YouTube Shorts audio library can help your video get picked up by the algorithm. Important: Keep the music volume low so that it serves as background music and doesn't interfere with your narration.
• Captions: The vast majority of Shorts are watched on mobile, often in public places without sound. Use an app like CapCut to generate auto-captions for your video. It's a quick and straightforward editing process that greatly improves your Shorts' watchability, both with and without sound.

Step 4: Uploading and Optimizing for Discovery

Don't hit publish without giving your Short the best chance to succeed. A few final touches make a big difference in how YouTube understands and distributes your content.

Crafting the Perfect Title

Your title should be short, descriptive, and keyword-focused. Think about what a user would type into the search bar. Formulas like "How to [Achieve Result] in 30 Seconds" or "[Task] Hack You Need to Try" work well.

And yes, you should still include #shorts at the end of your title or in the description. While YouTube automatically categorizes vertical videos under a minute as Shorts, adding the hashtag signals your intent to the algorithm and can only help.

Using Descriptions and Hashtags Effectively

The description is less important for Shorts than for long-form videos, but it's still worth optimizing. Write a one-sentence summary of the tutorial, and then add 3-5 highly relevant hashtags. Think broad and specific, like #CookingHacks, #GarlicHack, and #KitchenTips.

Picking a Thumbnail (When Possible)

On mobile, YouTube often selects the video's thumbnail for you. However, when you upload from a desktop, you can choose a specific frame from your video to serve as the thumbnail. While Shorts don't have a dedicated thumbnail like a long-form video, picking an engaging moment or a clear depiction of the final product in your short video tutorial makes it that much more appealing - definitely worth that extra 10 seconds of effort during the upload!

Quick Ideas for Your First YouTube Shorts Tutorial

Stuck on where to start? For your first YouTube Shorts video tutorial, the key is to experiment and learn from the results. Here are some simple, universally appealing ideas to try:

• A simple software tip or keyboard shortcut for a popular program.
• A 15-second recipe for a simple sauce or drink.
• Demonstrate one effective exercise, like the proper form for a plank.
• A fashion tip, like how to tie a scarf in a unique way.
• A 30-second tour of a useful app on your phone.

Final Thoughts

Creating YouTube Shorts tutorials comes down to delivering focused value quickly. Pick one problem, solve it clearly, and keep your production simple. By following these steps - from planning and filming to editing and optimizing - you can effectively tap into the algorithm and grow an audience that loves what you have to say.

Making content for Shorts, Reels, and TikToks is a powerful strategy, but managing all those platforms can get chaotic. At Postbase, we built our platform specifically for today's short-form video reality. You can upload your video once, customize the caption for each platform, and get it all scheduled from a single, clean calendar. We simplify the workflow so you can stop juggling apps and spend more time creating. Give Postbase a look if you're ready to get your scheduling sorted for good.