How to Post YouTube Shorts

Posting YouTube Shorts is one of the most effective ways to grow your channel and reach new audiences right now. This guide walks you through exactly how to create, upload, and optimize your Shorts for maximum impact, covering everything from the basics of posting from your phone to advanced strategies that get you noticed.

What Exactly Is a YouTube Short? (And Why Should You Care?)

Think of YouTube Shorts as YouTube's answer to TikTok and Instagram Reels. They are vertical, short-form videos that are up to 60 seconds long. These videos appear in a dedicated "Shorts" feed on the YouTube app, making them incredibly easy for viewers to discover new creators.

So, why bother? The opportunity is huge. The YouTube algorithm is heavily promoting Shorts to compete with other platforms, which means your short, snappy videos have a much higher chance of going viral and reaching thousands - or even millions - of viewers who have never heard of you. For creators, this is a golden ticket for subscriber growth, building brand awareness, and driving traffic to your long-form videos.

• Discoverability: Shorts are surfaced to non-subscribers in the Shorts feed, giving you a powerful way to reach a completely new audience.
• Lower Barrier to Entry: Creating a 30-second video is far less intimidating and time-consuming than producing a polished 15-minute video. You can create more content, more often.
• Audience Growth: Viewers who discover and love your Shorts are highly likely to check out your main channel and subscribe for more content.

The Blueprint for a High-Performing YouTube Short

Before you tap "record," it's helpful to understand what separates a great Short from one that gets swiped away. Successful Shorts almost always share a few common traits that you can build into your own content strategy.

1. The First Three Seconds Are Everything

You have about three seconds to grab a viewer's attention before they scroll on. Start with a strong visual hook, an intriguing question, or a bold statement. Don't waste time with slow introductions or title cards. Get straight to the value or the action immediately.

Example: A cooking channel shouldn't start with "Hey everyone, today we're making tacos." Instead, it should start with an engaging shot of cheese pulling from a finished taco with a direct voiceover like, "This is the best taco you'll ever make."

2. Keep the Pace Fast

Shorts are consumed rapidly, so a slow-moving video feels out of place. Use quick cuts, dynamic camera angles, and energetic editing to maintain momentum. Keep your sentences short and your visuals changing. The goal is to hold the viewer's attention from beginning to end without a dull moment.

3. Use Trending Audio Wisely

Leveraging trending songs and sounds is one of the easiest ways to boost your Short's visibility. The YouTube algorithm recognizes these sounds and may show your video to people who have engaged with other Shorts using the same audio. Don't just slap a song on your video, try to integrate it creatively so it complements your content.

4. Provide Short, Sweet Value

Every Short should offer something to the viewer, whether it’s a quick laugh, a useful tip, a surprising fact, or an inspiring moment. Condense your message down to its purest form. If you're teaching something, focus on one single takeaway. If you're entertaining, get to the punchline quickly.

How to Post a YouTube Short: The Step-by-Step Guide

You have two main paths for uploading Shorts: directly from your phone within the YouTube app or from your desktop using YouTube Studio. Here’s a breakdown of both.

Method 1: Posting Directly from Your Phone (The Simplest Method)

This is the fastest and most common way to get your Shorts live, using the creation tools built right into the YouTube app.

Step 1: Open the YouTube App and Tap "Create"

Open the YouTube app on your smartphone and tap the large plus sign (+) icon at the bottom center of the screen. From the pop-up menu, select "Create a Short."

Step 2: Record or Upload Your Video

You now have two options:

• Record a clip: Tap and hold the red record button to capture new footage. You can record multiple clips by stopping and starting. You can also set a timer for hands-free recording. The default length is 15 seconds, but you can tap the "15" icon above the record button to change it to 60 seconds.
• Upload an existing video: Tap the small square icon in the bottom-left corner to access your phone's camera roll. You can select any vertical video that is under 60 seconds.

Step 3: Edit Your Short with YouTube's Tools

After you’ve recorded or uploaded your clip(s), tap the checkmark icon to proceed to the editing screen. Here you can:

• Add Sound: Tap "Sound" at the top to choose from YouTube's vast library of commercial music and viral audio clips.
• Add Text: Use the "Text" tool to overlay captions or titles. You can change fonts, colors, and timing.
• Trim Clips: Use the "Timeline" tool to adjust the start and end points of your clips and reorder them.
• Apply Filters: Tap "Filters" to apply a visual filter that changes the look and feel of your video.

Play around with these tools. Even simple text callouts or a popular song can significantly improve your video's performance.

Step 4: Add Your Title and Settings

Once you’re happy with your edits, tap "Next." On this final screen:

• Write a short, catchy title: Keep it concise and intriguing. Most importantly, always include the hashtag #Shorts to help YouTube’s system correctly identify and categorize your video.
• Set Visibility: Choose "Public" to make it live immediately, "Unlisted" to share via a link, "Private" for your eyes only, or "Schedule" to post it at a later time.
• Select Audience: Specify if your video is made for kids. For most creators, you'll choose "No, it's not made for kids."

Step 5: Upload Your Short!

Tap the blue "Upload Short" button. Your video will process and will soon be live on your channel and begin its journey into the Shorts feed.

Method 2: Uploading a Pre-Edited Video from Your Desktop

If you prefer editing your videos with more advanced software like Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere Pro, or CapCut, uploading from your desktop is the way to go.

Step 1: Create a Short-Compliant Video

Before you upload, confirm your video file meets the two essential criteria for a Short:

• It must be 60 seconds or less.
• It must be in a vertical or square aspect ratio. The ideal format is 9:16 (1080x1920 pixels).

Step 2: Go to YouTube Studio and Upload

Log in to your YouTube account and navigate to YouTube Studio. In the top-right corner, click the "Create" button and then select "Upload videos." Drag and drop your video file or select it from your computer.

Step 3: Fill Out Your Video Details

This is where desktop uploading gives you more control. Pay close attention to:

• Title: Just like with the mobile app, write a compelling title and make absolutely sure to include #Shorts. This is critical for desktop uploads.
• Description: While less important for Shorts than for long-form content, you can add some relevant context, links to your other social media, or a few more hashtags here.
• Tags: Add a few relevant keywords to help YouTube understand your video's topic. For example, for a recipe Short, you might use tags like #easyrecipe, #healthydinner, #cookingtips.

Step 4: Check Settings and Publish

Proceed through the next steps, including setting your audience and running checks. On the final "Visibility" screen, you can choose to save or publish your Short. You have the options to make it Public, Unlisted, or Private, and you can also schedule a specific publication time. This is especially useful for planning your content calendar in advance.

Best Practices to Take Your Shorts to the Next Level

Posting is just the first step. To consistently create Shorts that perform well and grow your channel, keep these strategies in mind:

1. Create Seamless Loops: Try to end your video in a way that makes it flow seamlessly back to the beginning. If a viewer watches your Short multiple times, YouTube interprets this as high engagement and is more likely to show it to more people.
2. Consistency Is Key: You don’t need to post every day, but try to find a consistent schedule you can stick to, whether it's three times a week or once a week. Consistency trains the algorithm and your audience to know when to expect new content from you.
3. Analyze What Works: Dive into your YouTube Studio analytics. Look at your top-performing Shorts and ask yourself why they did well. Was it the topic? The audio? The hook? Once you find a formula that resonates with your audience, lean into it.
4. Promote Your Long-Form Content: Use Shorts as trailers or teasers for your longer videos. At the end of a Short, you can say, "For the full breakdown, check out the new video on my channel!" This is a powerful way to convert Shorts viewers into loyal subscribers.

Final Thoughts

Creating and posting YouTube Shorts is a straightforward process once you know the steps. Whether you’re creating on the fly with your phone or scheduling polished videos from a desktop, mastering Shorts is one of the most powerful organic growth strategies available to creators today.

Managing a content calendar across YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, TikTok, and other platforms can get complicated quickly. We built Postbase from the ground up for the reality of short-form video. Since our platform was designed perfectly for a world of Reels, TikToks, and Shorts, you can plan your entire video strategy in our visual calendar, schedule content for all your accounts in just a few clicks, and see exactly what's working with simple, clear analytics. It makes managing everything feel organized and manageable, not chaotic.