Watch It, Clip It, Share It
Posted on 02/11/2021 at 02:30 PM
Short-form video is becoming the way to share content...
At this point, it’s pretty clear that any effective digital strategy must have video content as one of the main components. People love videos. More recently, short-form video content (30 seconds or less) has shown itself to be a major opportunity to take advantage of.
In fact, this style of content is showing up across almost every social networking platform, not just TikTok anymore, and it’s being put to good use by some of the best performing influencers across the globe.
YouTube is working to make the most of this movement.
Create a Clip
YouTube recently released a sneak peek into a new feature it’s developing called “Clips.” Currently, in beta and only available on a limited number of gaming channels, Clips is setting itself up to make content-sharing even easier...and more fun.
How’s that? Well, as of now, the only way viewers can share YouTube videos and live streams are by using the page URL. Additionally, starting a video at a specific time is possible, but only by adding specific parameters. Clips will make it all much easier!
Essentially, this feature allows users and creators to make and then share specific segments from videos and live streams. The start and stop times will be of their choosing, creating clips that are between 5-60 seconds long. By the way, as a creator of a video or live stream, if someone creates and shares a clip you don’t like, you will have the power to delete it.
Still not sure how it works? Take a few minutes to check out the video made by The Creator Insider channel that gives a great glimpse of Clips.
After you watch it, give the feature a test drive for yourself (it’s actually more fun than it has any right to be)!
Simply click on the clip icon (located beside the share button) on the video, and the tool pops up automatically. Give the clip a title and then use the blue slider to find the segment of the video you want to share. If you want the Clip to be longer, just click and drag the edge of the blue slider; remember, you can only share up to 60 seconds of a video.
Once you have your desired 5-60 seconds highlighted, click on the "Share Clip" button to get social media sharing options. The clip will generate a unique URL that you can copy and share manually or on a specific social media platform. And just like that, you’ve created your first Clip!
Pro Tip: Hashtags have always played an important role in YouTube video optimization, so whenever you’re sharing a #Clip, don’t forget to use hashtags!
As you create clips, you’ll see a clips section tab shows up in the left sidebar, which will allow you to manage, share and delete everything you create.
Improving Retention by Using Clips
Retention (or how long a person watches a video) is an important factor used by YouTube to decide which videos to recommend in its search algorithm. To YouTube, higher retention = higher value.
Imagine this. You’ve created a great how-to video and you’re ready to share it. But you’re worried about people staying on the video long enough to get to “the good stuff.” Clips can help eliminate some of that concern.
Clips = Teasers
Quite simply, think of Clips as the hook. They provide a brief insight into what the entire video is about, and maybe even how it ends. But a Clip won’t tell the whole story. So a well-created Clip has the opportunity to make someone want to know more...to find the full-length video and to watch the entire thing.
Get viewers to tease other users with a great Clip of their own attribution, and then bring it home with excellent content you’ve worked hard to curate.
A Few Other Key Things to Know
Although Clips was created with gamers (and other live-streamers) in mind, this feature is going to be useful for all kinds of creators! Whether you’re a mom sharing how-to tips, a snowboarder showing off a new trick, or a chef in the making giving away secrets for the best pies, Clips make it possible to easily and quickly share the most interesting moments from your videos and live streams.
Some times when Clips may not be usable:
- On videos made for kids
- Live streams that are 8+ hours
- Premieres that are still live on air
- If the original content is deleted, set to private, or violates the community guidelines
At the end of the day, short-form content should be added to your digital strategy, whether or not you’re on YouTube. Maybe your target audience is on TikTok or maybe they’re using Reels on Instagram. Whatever platform and approach will work for you, understand the type of content your audience is consuming, and get started! Need a little help to get going?
