YouTube, the platform known for longer form video content, is about to roll out a short form video style and yes, it’s 100 percent their answer to TikTok. But, uh, what exactly is YouTube Shorts and is it any good?
Keep reading to learn all the facts about the next contender in the TikTok-Byte-Reels-Triller brawl.
What is YouTube Shorts?
YouTube Shorts is YouTube’s take on the short-form ever-scrolling videos of TikTok. The feature was first announced back in April but is officially being rolled out in a few countries—including India where TikTok is now banned, smart thinking Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim—this week, according to TechCrunch.
What are the features of YouTube Shorts?
As per TechCrunch, Shorts allows users to upload videos of up to 15 seconds or less, drawing on a set of creator tools similar to TikTok, including a multi-segment camera, speed controls, a timer and countdown feature.
Just like the beloved viral platform, you can set music to your videos, which apparently come from YouTube’s large library of songs that they plan to grow over time.
How does YouTube Shorts differ from TikTok?
It’s unclear whether the sounds from original YouTube Shorts can be used in other videos, like TikTok, or even, potentially, the sounds from YouTube videos in general. YouTube Shorts is premiering on Android with plans to expand to iOS in time.
How does YouTube Shorts differ from Instagram Reels?
According to TechCrunch, YouTube Shorts has similar initial features as Instagram Reels.
When is YouTube Shorts coming to Australia?
It’s currently unclear when exactly YouTube will roll out their Shorts feature down under. The company only just launched the new feature in India because of the fact they have very little competition there and can grow the app. But, YouTube says they intend to bring it out to other countries slowly soon.
Is YouTube Shorts better than TikTok?
As of right now, it’s hard to say if YouTube Shorts will be better than TikTok and claim the title as *The* Gen Z app. For now, we can only imagine it will blow up if we see a number of big named YouTube stars and creators get involved and make exclusive content through it, and if YouTube finds a way to allow users to use YouTube clip sounds in their Shorts.
In the meantime, we’ll be partying with TikTok’s community of gay witches, cottagecorists, cluttercorists, gen z lawyers, therapists and beauty and fashion gurus.
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