As a YouTube creator in 2025, you're faced with a big decision:
Should you focus on YouTube Shorts or long-form videos to grow your channel?
Each format offers unique benefits—and the right choice depends on your content style, goals, and audience. In this article, we’ll compare both and help you choose a strategy that fuels your channel’s success.
1. What Are YouTube Shorts?
YouTube Shorts are vertical videos that are:
Less than 60 seconds
Shot in a 9:16 aspect ratio
Easily discoverable through the “Shorts” feed
They are designed for quick, entertaining content—and have exploded in popularity, especially among Gen Z and mobile users.
2. What Are Long-form Videos?
Long-form videos are traditional YouTube content, usually over 2 minutes, and often between 5–15 minutes.
They allow creators to:
Tell stories in depth
Explain tutorials and reviews
Build stronger audience connections
3. Benefits of YouTube Shorts
✅ High Discoverability
YouTube pushes Shorts to millions of users daily via the Shorts shelf.
✅ Faster Growth for New Creators
Channels with 0 subscribers can go viral with one good Short.
✅ Low Production Time
You can create 5–10 Shorts in the time it takes to edit one long video.
✅ Higher Viewer Retention
Short-form videos keep attention naturally due to their length.
4. Downsides of Shorts
❌ Low Watch Time Contribution
Watch time from Shorts doesn’t help your long-form content ranking.
❌ Hard to Monetize
RPM (revenue per 1,000 views) is much lower than on long videos.
❌ Weaker Community Building
It’s harder to build deep relationships with viewers in <60 seconds.
5. Benefits of Long-form Videos
✅ Better Monetization
Longer videos generate more ads, leading to higher earnings.
✅ Deeper Engagement
They allow for storytelling, tutorials, and discussions.
✅ Builds Authority
You become a trusted voice in your niche over time.
✅ More Suggested Traffic
Long videos appear in "Suggested" and "Recommended" sections more often.
6. Downsides of Long-form Content
❌ Takes More Time to Produce
Scripting, shooting, and editing require serious effort.
❌ Higher Drop-off Risk
If your content isn’t engaging, viewers click away quickly.
7. Which One Should You Focus On?
The answer is: Both—but strategically.
👉 New Channels
Focus on Shorts to grow visibility and gain subscribers quickly.
👉 Growing Channels
Use Shorts as teasers and long-form for deeper value.
👉 Monetized Channels
Prioritize long-form for higher RPM and community engagement, and sprinkle in Shorts to stay relevant.
8. Smart Strategy in 2025
Use Shorts to drive traffic.
Use long-form videos to retain and convert subscribers.
Promote long-form videos inside Shorts using pinned comments and calls to action.
Example:
Post a 45-second cooking hack, and at the end, say:
"Watch the full recipe in my latest video – link in the description!"
Conclusion
YouTube Shorts and long-form videos are not enemies—they’re powerful partners.
Use Shorts to attract, and long videos to convert and retain.
The most successful creators in 2025 are those who know how to balance both formats smartly.