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How to Grow YouTube Shorts: Proven Strategies for 2024

Crescitaly Staff

Crescitaly Staff

— 4 min read

In February 2023, a 19-year-old Colombian creator uploaded a 40-second video of her abuela dancing to a viral reggaeton track. The next morning, it had 2.3 million views. By the end of the week, it helped triple her YouTube subscriber count—without a single long-form upload on her channel.

That’s the power of YouTube Shorts in 2024: fast, searchable, and still shockingly underutilized. With over 70 billion daily views on Shorts globally (as reported by YouTube in Q1), it has become essential real estate for creators, brands, and marketers aiming to cut through the noise.

If you're wondering how to grow YouTube Shorts effectively—whether you're just starting or looking to optimize a channel you already run—this guide breaks down proven tactics, platform insights, and practical strategies to unlock Shorts’ full potential.

Why YouTube Shorts Should Be at the Center of Your Content Strategy

YouTube isn't just competing with TikTok and Instagram anymore—it's actively borrowing from them while bringing its own long-game strengths: searchability, monetization, and evergreen visibility through algorithmic pairing with long-form videos.

Unlike TikTok and Reels, YouTube Shorts offers long-tail value

While TikTok content spikes and fades in days, YouTube Shorts often continue to receive traction weeks—even months—after posting. That's because of two distinguishing features:

  • Search integration: Shorts are indexed in YouTube search, giving them longer shelf lives.
  • Channel linkage: Shorts funnel viewers to your channel's long-form content and community tab.
"Shorts are not just a discovery tool anymore; they're creating full-time creators." — Todd Sherman, YouTube's Director of Product Management

Best Practices to Grow on YouTube Shorts in 2024

Though some argue you can go viral with just your phone and a reaction clip, most successful creators follow a clear framework. Here's how to give your Shorts an algorithmic and human edge:

1. Hook the Viewer Within 1.5 Seconds

The first second of a Short is make-or-break. Your title doesn't matter—your visual hook does. This can be:

  • A bold statement in text overlay
  • An unexpected facial expression or reaction
  • Jump-cutting directly into action or payoff

YouTube’s internal data shows that Shorts with high initial retention (70% or greater for the first 5 seconds) are 15x more likely to go viral.

Using trending music or sound is vital, but that alone won’t get you noticed. Put your own spin on it:

  • Use voiceovers to comment on a popular track
  • Remix a trending sound into your niche (comedy, education, reviews)
  • Pair sound with a visual contradiction—this juxtaposition stops scrolls

Using Crescitaly's advanced panel analytics, many creators noticed that pairing viral audio with text-based storytelling saw a 28% increase in completion rate compared to audio clips alone.

3. Add Context with Captions and Overlays

Over 80% of mobile viewers watch Shorts with the sound off. Don’t expect users to pick up your punchline or lesson without help:

  • Burned-in captions (not auto-generated) for clarity
  • Bolding keywords inside captions for emphasis
  • Adding subtle emojis as visual cues

4. Post Consistently Without Fear of Cannibalizing Long-form Views

One common myth is that Shorts compete with your long-form content. In truth, they operate in parallel universes. In fact:

"When creators post both Shorts and long-form videos, they see better overall growth in watch time and subscribers." — YouTube Creator Blog, 2024

Uploading 3–5 Shorts per week can actually support your long-form growth by keeping your channel in the feed. A study on Crescitaly.com found that hybrid creators (posting Shorts and full-length content) grew 2.7x faster in subs compared to Shorts-only or long-form-only accounts.

5. Use Hashtags—but Only 3 to 5

Overloading your Shorts with hashtags is a rookie move. Instead:

  • Use 2–3 niche-specific tags (e.g. #cookingtips, #macroshots)
  • Include 1–2 broad discovery tags (e.g. #Shorts, #LearnOnYouTube)

YouTube’s algorithm doesn’t rely on hashtags to sort content—it’s more about watch history. But hashtags help users find your videos through searches and related feeds.

How to Track Growth and Optimize Performance

Review YouTube Analytics for Key Data

Inside Creator Studio, focus on:

  • Average View Duration (AVD): Aim for 90%+ of your video length
  • Views from Browse vs. Subscription: Optimize thumbnails and hook for browse-heavy reach
  • Top Geographies: Tailor language, slang, or time of posting accordingly

Third-Party Tools Make a Difference

Many creators are using external platforms to streamline performance audits. Crescitaly.com, for example, offers a custom dashboard to monitor Shorts retention, trend velocity, and competitive benchmarking against similar channels. It’s especially helpful for SMM panel users managing multiple accounts.

Cross-Promoting Shorts Across Other Platforms

Instagram Reels & TikTok

Rather than reposting identical content, use Shorts as a base and tweak:

  • Change audio on TikTok for local virality
  • Resize text overlays for Reels' UI
  • Add platform-native CTAs (stickers, Q&As)

Telegram Channels

Telegram is an underused powerhouse for distributing Shorts. Create a private or public content hub and drop behind-the-scenes or early access content. Build exclusivity:

  • "Catch the full Short before it goes live tomorrow"
  • "Vote on my next upload topic"

Organic engagement is significantly higher via Telegram than YouTube community tabs—especially if paired with incentives or polls.

Final Thoughts: Where Shorts Are Headed Next

YouTube Shorts is no longer the “experiment” tab. It’s now front-and-center in YouTube’s growth strategy. With increasing monetization options (rev share, Super Thanks, affiliate integration), Shorts are becoming a self-contained revenue stream—and a top-funnel driver for YouTube’s full ecosystem.

For marketers and creators alike, here’s what to keep in mind:

  • Use visual storytelling, not just audio trends
  • Consistent posting beats lucky viral flukes
  • Smart distribution across TikTok, Reels, and Telegram widens your reach
  • Tools like Crescitaly streamline performance tracking at scale

The short answer to growing on Shorts? Prioritize substance over flash—and bring your audience along for the ride, one scroll-stopping second at a time.

Meta Title: How to Grow YouTube Shorts Fast in 2024

Meta Description: Learn battle-tested strategies to grow YouTube Shorts and drive real engagement across platforms like TikTok and Instagram.

Tags: YouTube Shorts, TikTok growth, Instagram Reels, social media marketing, SMM panel, Crescitaly, Telegram marketing

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