YouTube is rolling out five new creation tools for its Shorts platform this spring, responding to creator feedback while aiming to strengthen its position in the competitive short-form video market.

Enhanced Editing Capabilities

The platform is introducing an upgraded video editor, which YouTube’s Chief Product Officer Johanna Voolich describes as “much more powerful” during a Release Notes discussion with Rene Ritchie. The new editor allows creators to make precise timing adjustments with zooming and snapping features, rearrange clips, and add timed text.

“Say you go to make a short, you import a bunch of things from your gallery and then in the flow we’re going to let you time that to music from our very wide music library,” Voolich explains. The editor will enable users to “pinch and zoom and find the right moments in the shorts” to enhance storytelling capabilities.

A new beat-syncing tool automatically aligns clips with music rhythm, eliminating manual synchronization work for creators.

Template and Sticker Innovations

Templates are receiving significant upgrades, with Voolich noting that creators will be able to “upload all of the pieces of your template at once,” streamlining what was previously a one-by-one process. The update also includes automatic attribution to original template creators.

Two new sticker features aim to increase personalization options. “Image stickers” will allow creators to import photos directly from their gallery—useful for fashion creators showcasing outfit inspiration. Additionally, AI-generated stickers created through text prompts will provide customized visual elements.

“Say I wanted to have a sticker of a pink jacket. Well, then I could use a prompt to make a sticker of my pink jacket,” Voolich illustrates.

Platform Growth and Monetization Opportunities

According to a recent EMARKETER report, YouTube Shorts crossed 2 billion monthly logged-in users globally in 2023, with average daily logged-in viewers growing by over 25% year-over-year in the United States as of January 2024.

The platform expanded Shorts’ maximum length to three minutes, which Voolich confirms has been well-received: “We’re seeing a lot of videos coming in over 60 seconds now. This allows you to do things like deeper narratives, longer tutorials.” She notes that the range is expanding in both directions, with creators also posting shorter content.

EMARKETER indicates that Shorts represents a significant opportunity for marketers, noting that online users are 98% more likely to trust creator recommendations on YouTube than on other social platforms. YouTube ranks as the top platform for influencer content related to product reviews.

“Shorts presents a massive opportunity for brands, particularly those that are looking for more cost-effective creator-made ads,” stated Jasmine Enberg, VP and Principal Analyst at EMARKETER.

YouTube also announced changes to how views are counted, transitioning from counting views when a Short plays for a few seconds to counting when a viewer sees the content at all, based on creator feedback.