Launched in 2020, YouTube Shorts has quickly become an important part of the platform, now generating over 70 billion daily views and attracting more than 2 billion monthly active users. 

Initially designed to compete with TikTok and Instagram Reels, Shorts allows creators to engage audiences with short, impactful videos. Recently, YouTube extended the maximum length of Shorts, giving marketers and content creators a new tool to explore deeper narratives without losing the format’s fast-paced appeal. This change aligns with a growing preference for longer, more engaging short-form content. Data suggests that Shorts between 50 and 60 seconds perform best regarding views and engagement.

By offering extended lengths, YouTube is enabling creators and advertisers to craft more meaningful stories, helping them better engage with their community and perform better at product discovery. 

With YouTube aggressively promoting Shorts, early adopters are poised to benefit from enhanced visibility and stronger audience connections across this rapidly growing platform. Below, ten industry leaders provide insights into how extended YouTube Shorts are reshaping marketing strategies for deeper engagement.

1. Jennifer Powell, CEO, Jennifer Powell, Inc

As people get used to watching longer form shorts we are needing to anticipate the shorter attention span when they engage with this content. We are front-loading content with fun branded video which includes a tease of a compelling CTA for viewers to stay through the end of the content to try to keep their attention through the end. There is going to be a little trial and error but we are finding tremendous and continued success with YouTube campaigns right now.

2. Zach Rusell, Head of Talent, Mana Talent Group

“I think it’s obvious there was a gap between short form and long form that consumers were looking for. For starters:

• No one gets connected to a creator in 30 second content, no matter how viral the content goes
• Building Community is a formula when it comes to content creators. That formula is: (Common Interests + Time Spent Together) x (Common Trials & Tribulations) = Community.

I think it’s safe to say that the change gives brands the opportunity to make short form content that can tap into the same storytelling elements you see from longer form content that generally brings a more engaged audience.

3. Jason Bergman, Founder & CEO, MarketPryce

With YouTube Shorts extending the video length, I think it’s a smart move to keep up with TikTok and get back to YouTube’s roots of longer videos. YouTube is likely going to push this new format hard, so there’s a real opportunity for early adopters to take advantage of these early days by being some of the first to upload up to 3-minute videos. Brands working with student-athletes can use this extra time to get more creative—whether it’s showing off training routines, product demos, or fun challenges with teammates.

4. Casey Benedict, Founder & CEO, Maverick Mindshare

This YouTube update is going to create FOMO for brand marketers, which is a tricky foundation for any strategy. I recommend throwing budget behind influencers who are already exploring the extended short-form format to gauge how the longer time frame ladders into their brand’s video strategy. Every brand, product, and category is different, but rather than taxing your internal team–who are already maxed out as the holidays approach–tap influencers as mini-creative agencies to run “test-for-best” campaigns on your brand’s behalf.

5. Kirsten Baumberger, Founder – Director of Partnerships, MiniSocial

Utilizing tutorial, product application, or recipe content here would be my recommendation to drive engagement and sales. If I was a skincare brand I’d use this opportunity to take potential customers through a journey of a skincare routine using one or multiple products from the brand. If I was a food product I’d deliver recipe-style content using the product. These are great ways to add context to your products without making people commit to watching a whole YouTube video.

6. Mae Karwowski, Founder & CEO, Obviously

We have seen extremely strong performance with creators’ Youtube short content. Now that this content can be longer we see a real opportunity for creators to tell deeper stories with their brand partners while keeping strong video performance from this format.

7. Jack Adler, Founder, Out2Win

With YouTube Shorts tripling its video length, brands now have a great opportunity to explore deeper storytelling and build more authentic influencer partnerships. The extended format allows for more engaging, creative content without sacrificing the fast-paced nature that audiences love.

8. Aditi Rajvanshi, Head of Strategy, Portal A

As experts in this space, we at Portal A believe YouTube’s decision to allow longer Shorts is one that both Brands and Creators will be excited about. The lowest hanging fruit, so to speak, for any Brand marketer, is the ability to syndicate the same content across all short form platforms from TikTok to Reels to Shorts. We are seeing most Brand and Creator short form content range from 30 – 90 seconds in length. With this change, Shorts just became a viable option for the longer end of that range.

Zooming out, YouTube’s domination across audience types, from Millennial to Gen Z to Gen Alpha, makes it an indispensable part of a 360 content marketing strategy. The platform’s preference for longform has historically made it a harder one to crack. This is especially true for brand marketers just dipping their toes in content. At 3 minutes, YouTube just became a lot more accessible for higher-quality brand content on brand and creator channels, enabling a wider variety of brands to experiment with YouTube and truly see its community building capabilities.

9. Michael H. Curtis, Founder & CEO, Proud Management

When TikTok first extended its video length beyond 60 seconds, the creators who thrived were those who used the additional time to tell in-depth and engaging stories. Now that YouTube Shorts has tripled its video length, brands and marketers should follow suit by creating content that immediately grabs viewers’ attention with strong hooks, while delivering greater value through storytelling, educational tutorials, and meaningful interactions that resonate with their core audience.

10. Eric Scheer and Liam Hurd, Co-Founder, RealQuick Media

With YouTube Shorts tripling its video length limit, brands and marketers can enhance their short-form content strategies by focusing on storytelling, allowing for deeper narratives that engage viewers. They can create educational content that adds value and shares quick tips relevant to their audience. Incorporating behind-the-scenes glimpses can humanize brands, while interactive elements can encourage audience participation. By investing in high production quality and effective calls-to-action, brands can drive viewer engagement and conversions. Additionally, A/B testing different formats will help identify what resonates best with their target audience. This approach ensures that longer Shorts remain engaging and effective in building brand loyalty.