How to Grow Your Channel With YouTube Shorts

Hooks, length, looping and linking Shorts to long-form videos so short views turn into subscribers.

7 min read · September 12, 2026

Hook in the first second

Shorts viewers swipe instantly. Start mid-action or with the most surprising line — never with an introduction.

Keep it tight and loopable

Shorter Shorts are easier to watch fully. Ending in a way that flows back into the start encourages rewatches, which boosts viewed-versus-swiped rate.

Format for vertical

Shoot 9:16 (1080×1920), keep text away from the bottom and right edges where the interface sits, and use captions for silent viewing.

Connect Shorts to long videos

Use the related-video link to send viewers to the full version. Shorts subscribers who also watch long videos are far more valuable.