How to Get Views on YouTube Shorts

Getting your YouTube Shorts noticed can feel like a guessing game. You create a short, witty, or helpful video, upload it, and then... crickets. If you're tired of watching your hard work get buried in the feed, you've landed in the right place. This guide breaks down the practical, no-fluff strategies top creators use to get more views, keep their audience engaged, and turn scrollers into subscribers.

The First 3 Seconds Decide Everything

In the lightning-fast world of short-form video, you don't have time for a slow intro. Viewers decide in a split second whether to keep watching or swipe away. Your first three seconds, often just the first second, must act as a powerful hook that stops their thumb cold. A vague or slow opening is a guaranteed way to lose an audience.

So, how do you create a "scroll-stopping" hook?

• Start in media res (in the middle of the action). Don't waste time explaining what you're about to do. If you're doing a science experiment, start with the explosion. If you're telling a story, begin at the climax. This immediately creates a sense of intrigue and makes the viewer wonder, "How did we get here?"
• Use a strong visual opening. An unusual camera angle, a vibrant color, or a surprising visual element can grab attention instantly. For example, a makeup tutorial could start with the dramatic final look, then show how you did it.
• Pose a direct question or make a bold statement. Text overlays like "You're Making Your Coffee Wrong" or "The Biggest Mistake Most People Make in the Gym" are incredibly effective. They challenge the viewer's belief and create an immediate need to know the answer.
• Use movement. A static shot is boring. Start with your hands moving, an object dropping, or movement in the camera itself. Our eyes are naturally drawn to motion.

Your goal is to make the viewer feel like they'll miss something important if they swipe away. Treat every Short as a mini-movie teaser where the first scene is so compelling you have to see the rest.

Build Your Content Strategy Around Watch Time

Views are great, but the YouTube Shorts algorithm cares deeply about something else: viewer retention and average view duration (AVD). The algorithm wants to show people content they'll actually watch all the way through, and maybe even watch again. The longer you can hold someone's attention, the more the algorithm will push your Short out to a wider audience.

Every decision you make should serve the goal of keeping people watching. Here are a few ways to structure your Shorts for maximum watch time:

• Problem and Solution Format: Present a common frustration that your audience experiences. For example, "Can't get perfectly crispy potatoes?" Right away, you’ve hooked anyone who's ever dealt with soggy spuds. Then, spend the rest of the Short delivering a clear, quick, and satisfying solution.
• Create Mini-Narratives: Even a 30-second video can have a story arc. A simple structure like "Setup, Conflict, Resolution" works wonders. Set up a scenario (I wanted to organize my messy desk), introduce the conflict (everything was a total disaster), and provide the resolution (here's the one product that fixed it). This progression keeps the brain engaged.
• Pace Your Information: Don't give away the entire "secret" in the first five seconds. Unfold your message or story piece by piece. Rapid cuts, on-screen text that appears sequentially, and a dynamic voiceover can help build momentum and carry the viewer to the very end.

Master the Art of the Seamless Loop

One of the most powerful - and often overlooked - techniques for boosting watch time is creating a perfect loop. When a Short ends and immediately restarts in a seamless way, many viewers will watch it two, three, or even four times before they realize it has looped. Each rewatch dramatically increases your AVD and signals to YouTube that your content is highly engaging.

To create a perfect loop:

1. Match the Beginning and End: The very last frame of your video should look almost identical to the very first frame. If you start with a shot of an empty coffee cup, end the video with the same shot.
2. Use Audio Wisely: Use a sound or piece of music that loops flawlessly. The audio should transition between the end and the beginning without a noticeable break or change.
3. Practice Your Actions: If you're demonstrating something, plan your last action to blend into your first action. For example, if you start by picking up a pen, end the video by putting it down in the exact same spot. When it loops, it will look like a continuous motion. Creating a satisfying loop is both a science and an art, but mastering it pays huge dividends.

Ride the Wave of Trending Audio and Topics

One of the easiest ways to get discovered on Shorts is by tapping into what's already popular. The algorithm actively favors content that uses trending audio and participates in current challenges. But it's not about mindlessly copying what others are doing, it's about adapting a trend to your unique niche.

How do you find and use trends effectively?

• Browse the Shorts Feed: The best place to find trends is by consuming content yourself. When you hear a specific song or see a particular format pop up multiple times, that’s a trend! Tap the sound icon at the bottom right of a Short to see how many other videos have used that audio. If it's in the thousands or tens of thousands, it's popular.
• Put Your Own Spin On It: Don't just lip-sync to the popular song. Find a way to apply the trend's format or audio to your topic. A gardener could use a trending "glow-up" audio to show a plant growing over time. A finance channel could use a funny, popular sound bite to explain a complex budget concept. The remix of the trend is often what makes the content stand out.
• Add Value: The most successful creators don't just participate in trends, they add educational or entertainment value through them. Ask yourself, "How can I use this trend to teach my audience something new, make them laugh, or inspire them?"

Optimize Every Element for the Shorts Feed

While content is king, a little basic optimization can give your Shorts the push they need to get found. The Shorts feed is competitive, and you should use every tool at your disposal.

Craft Short, Punchy Titles

Nobody has time for a long, formal title in the Shorts feed. Your title should be short, intriguing, and keyword-rich where possible. Often, the best title is a variation of the text hook used in your video.

• Good: "A hack for perfect rice every time"
• Bad: "In This YouTube Short I Will Show You My Method For Preparing Rice"

The first one is quick to read and communicates a clear benefit. The second one is a mouthful that gets cut off in the feed.

Use Hashtags Smarter, Not Harder

Hashtags help YouTube categorize your content and show it to the right people. You don't need to stuff your description with dozens of them. A focused approach is more effective.

• Must-Have: Always include #shorts in your title or description. This explicitly tells YouTube that your video is intended for the Shorts shelf.
• Go Niche: Add 2-3 specific hashtags related to your content and audience. Instead of #cooking, use #mealprepideas or #veganrecipes.
• Optional Trend: If you're participating in a challenge, include the relevant trend tag, like #lookchallenge.

Don't Forget the Description

Most viewers will never see it, but the YouTube algorithm does pay attention to your video's description. Write one or two clean sentences that summarize the Short and include relevant keywords. Think of it as providing extra context for the AI, helping it understand exactly what your video is about and who might want to watch it.

Consistency Is Your Best Friend

Posting one great Short and then disappearing for a month isn't going to build an audience. The YouTube algorithm rewards creators who are active and reliable. Consistency tells the platform that you’re a serious creator and gives it more data to understand your channel and what kind of audience to serve your content to.

This doesn't mean you have to burn out by posting five times a day. Find a sustainable schedule that works for you. Whether it’s one Short every day or three Shorts per week, the key is to stick to it. This consistency also teaches your audience when to expect new content from you, which helps build a loyal following.

Analyze Your Data to Create Smarter, Not Harder

Don't just upload and hope for the best. Your YouTube Analytics are a goldmine of information that can tell you exactly what’s working and what isn’t.

Dive into your YouTube Studio and look specifically at the analytics for your Shorts. Pay attention to:

• Views: Which Shorts took off? Try to identify a pattern. Was it a specific topic, format, or trending audio?
• Average Percentage Viewed: This shows how much of your video people are watching. If most people are dropping off in the first few seconds, your hook needs work. If they're making it to the end, you've done something right. Pay special attention to Shorts with over 100% AVD - that means people are re-watching them!
• Traffic Sources: Where are your views coming from? The goal is to see a high percentage from the "Shorts feed." This means the algorithm is picking up your video and serving it to new audiences.

Use this data to refine your strategy. If Shorts about topic A consistently outperform Shorts about topic B, make more content about topic A. Your audience is literally telling you what they want to see - you just have to listen.

Final Thoughts

Increasing your views on YouTube Shorts isn't about finding a single cheat code. It's about combining strong hooks, smart content strategies built for retention, capitalizing on trends, and staying consistent over time. Test new ideas relentlessly, pay close attention to your analytics, and double down on what works for your audience.

We know how difficult it can be to manage a consistent posting schedule, especially when you're creating Reels, TikToks, and Shorts. That's why at Postbase, we built our platform with short-form video in mind from day one. Our visual calendar is designed to help you easily plan your entire content strategy across every platform. You can upload a video once, customize it for each channel, and schedule it with confidence, knowing it will get published reliably - letting you focus on creating Shorts that people love.