How to Upload YouTube Shorts in 2023? – A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners

Hey there! Have you heard about YouTube Shorts? They‘re the hot new 15-60 second vertical videos everyone is talking about.

In this jam-packed guide, I‘ll walk you through everything you need to know to start uploading viral Shorts in just minutes.

By the end, you‘ll be a Shorts expert ready to grow your channel and mesmerize mobile viewers!

Let‘s get started.

What Exactly Are YouTube Shorts?

YouTube Shorts are mini vertical videos optimized for mobile viewing.

They offer creators a new way to express their creativity and reach the massive YouTube audience.

Key advantages of Shorts:

• Made for smartphones – no letterboxing!
• Super short format keeps viewers engaged
• Easy to produce daily with basic equipment
• Powerful built-in editing tools require no third party apps
• Seamlessly strung together with music to create an addictive viewing experience

YouTube launched Shorts in September 2020 as their version of TikTok. The feature is now rolled out globally.

Shorts have their own feed where videos auto-play one after the other like Reels or TikTok.

YouTube Shorts daily views have skyrocketed:

Date	Daily Views
July 2021	3.5 billion views
November 2021	15 billion views
June 2022	30 billion views

The growth has been explosive. For creators, this presents a massive opportunity to expand your audience on the world‘s #2 ranking website.

Now let‘s get hands-on! I‘ll show you step-by-step how I make and upload Shorts that rack up thousands of views.

Step 1: Download the YouTube Mobile App

Shorts creation tools are available exclusively on mobile.

Download the latest version of the YouTube app for iPhone or Android.

Enable auto-updates so you always have access to the newest features.

Step 2: Sign in to Your YouTube Account

Use your Google account details or existing channel credentials to sign in.

Don‘t have a channel yet? No worries! The app makes it easy to set one up in just minutes.

Step 3: Tap the "+" "Create" Button

This large circular button in the center of the app is your starting point for creating a new Short.

Step 4: Select "Create a Short"

You‘ll see options to upload a regular video, go live, or make a Short. Tap "Create a Short."

Step 5: Shoot Your First Clips

The viewer shows a miniature version of your final video.

Tap and hold the record circle button to shoot your first clip, up to 60 seconds long.

String multiple clips together to tell a short story. I like to switch up angles, distances and framing to keep it visually interesting.

Pro tip: Most clips work best around 15-20 seconds long. Viewers can tap to skip ahead, so you have to grab their attention quickly!

Step 6: Enhance with Music (Optional)

Tap the music note icon to open YouTube‘s massive catalog of songs and playlists.

Browse by mood, genre or popularity to find the perfect track to vibe with your video.

Properly used, music can really amplify the energy and engagement of your Short.

Step 7: Edit Your Short

This is where things get fun! YouTube‘s editing tools allow you to:

• Trim clips
• Reorder segments
• Layer clips
• Adjust speed
• Timer record segments to match beats
• Apply filters and color correction
• Add text overlays
• Insert stickers and emojis
• Blur backgrounds
• And much more

I‘m constantly amazed by how powerful yet intuitive these tools are. You can create pro-level edits without any third party software required!

Step 8: Add the Finishing Touches

Just a few quick steps left before uploading your masterpiece:

• Add a title and description
• Include relevant hashtags so your Shorts appear in feeds
• Turn on comments if you want to interact with viewers
• Add end screens and cards to link to your other videos
• Set visibility to public (unless you want it unlisted)

Step 9: Upload Your Short

Review your final Short, then hit that checkmark button! Congrats, you just published your first Short.

You‘ll see it appear on your channel‘s Shorts tab. Sit back and watch those view counts roll in!

Top Shorts Shooting Tips

Through trial and error, I‘ve dialed in my shooting process to create mobile-friendly Shorts:

Tip 1: Hold your smartphone steady. Prop it against objects or invest in a mini tripod.

Tip 2: Film in vertical orientation. Avoid letterboxing by keeping the phone upright.

Tip 3: Move the camera. Pans, tilts, zooms, and camera moves help keep Shorts dynamic.

Tip 4: Mix distances. Capture some clips up close, and some from farther away for visual variety.

Tip 5: Prioritize proper lighting. Your subject should be vivid and well-exposed. Avoid backlighting.

Tip 6: Use depth of field. Shoot shallow focus close-ups for impact.

Tip 7: Capture audio cleanly. Use built-in mic or external Lav mic. Avoid noisy locations.

Tip 8: Pick visually engaging locations. Interesting backgrounds keep viewers‘ eyes glued to the screen.

Tip 9: Change up framing between clips. Shoot from different perspectives and angles.

Tip 10: Keep it short. Rapid fire 15-20 second clips work best over 60 second marathon clips.

If you follow these mobile video best practices, your DIY Shorts will totally hold their own against professionally produced content!

Advanced Editing for Next Level YouTube Shorts

While Shorts creation tools are intuitive, they offer deep capabilities for expert creators:

Timer Recording

Tap a beat to have your clip start and stop automatically on the beat marker. Perfect for music videos!

Use case: Lipsync challenges

Multi-segment Clips

Have 2-4 frames playing at once for cool overlap effects and transitions.

Use case: Scene transitions, cloning yourself

Green Screens

Replace your background with custom images or video clips.

Use case: Place yourself in exotic locales or fantasy worlds

Text Overlays

Stylize your titles with fonts, colors, motion and positioning.

Use case: Captions, subtitles, emphasizes key moments

Stickers

Overlay illustrated and animated stickers for memes.

Use case: Reaction clips, viral meme formats

Speed Controls

Speed up or slow down clips for dramatic effect.

Use case: Comedy, action shots, slowing down key moments

Take time to familiarize yourself with these tools. Combining them creatively will make your Shorts stand out!

Picking the Right Music for Your Short

Music plays a central role in YouTube Shorts. As a creator, choosing the right song can be tricky:

DO:

• Feature up-and-coming musicians to help their careers
• Preview tracks to find one that matches your video style
• Adjust audio mix to balance music volume
• Use songs sparingly to avoid copyright issues
• Credit artists properly with song titles

DON‘T:

• Just pick top songs without reviewing first
• Let music overpower the visuals
• Use the most popular songs – be unique
• Play full songs to avoid muting/removal
• Forget to give musicians credit

Finding obscure yet catchy songs for your niche helps make your Shorts more discoverable. Support indie artists, and they‘ll support you back!

How to Get More Views on Your YouTube Shorts

In the ultra-competitive Shorts game, you‘ll need every advantage to get views and engagement:

Hook viewers in the first 5 seconds

Research shows most viewers drop off after 5 seconds if you don‘t grab their attention! Start strong.

Use eye-catching thumbnails

Bold colors, contrast and text help your Shorts stand out in feeds.

Write detailed titles

Informative titles help get clicks and rank higher in YouTube search.

Use hashtags strategically

Place relevant hashtags so Shorts appear in niche feeds.

Promote across social media

Cross-promote Shorts on all your platforms.

Pin most popular Shorts

Pin your best performers to your channel to keep views coming.

Interact with commenters

Reply to comments to build a fan community.

Link to long-form content

Direct viewers to related full videos on your channel.

Apply these tips religiously, and you‘ll notice your view counts steadily grow. Nothing beats consistency and persistence!

How to Make Money from YouTube Shorts in 2023

Shorts opened new monetization opportunities:

YouTube Shorts Fund

Earn $100-$10,000+ per viral Short based on their engagement and viewership. You need 1,000+ subscribers to qualify.

AdSense revenue sharing

YouTube shares ad earnings from viewers who watch your long-form videos after viewing your Shorts.

Sponsorships

Popular creators can land brand sponsorships and product placement deals.

Affiliate links

Add end cards leading to your affiliate offers.

Merchandise sales

Direct viewers to purchase your cool branded merch.

Live streams

Go live using Super Chats and Channel Memberships.

Creator services

Offer consulting, brand deals and shoutout services.

With so many options, Shorts creators have multiple ways to monetize their audience both directly and indirectly.

Trending Ideas for Viral YouTube Shorts

Unsure what to make Shorts about? Here are some top-performing genres and video ideas:

How-to Shorts

• Life hacks
• Cooking tricks
• DIY tutorials
• Tech tips
• Pet care advice

Entertainment Shorts

• Skits and comedy
• Pranks
• Stunts and challenges
• Reenactments
• Talent showcases

Lifestyle Shorts

• Fashion and beauty
• Health and wellness
• Fitness motivation
• Travel adventures
• Parenting and family

Informational Shorts

• Science facts
• Historical snippets
• Geography trivia
• Math and physics tricks
• Language learning

Reaction Shorts

• Trying viral food recipes
• Testing crazy products
• Reacting to music videos
• Responding to news and events
• Unboxing and reviewing tech products

The possibilities are endless! Film what excites you, and that authenticity will come through.

Over time, you can hone in on a specific niche and become known as a thought leader around it.

Let‘s Review the Key Steps:

Uploading your first YouTube Short is easy when you break it down:

1. Download YouTube mobile app
2. Sign into your account
3. Tap the "+" create button
4. Select “Create a Short”
5. Shoot fun vertical clips
6. Add music (optional)
7. Edit clips together
8. Add titles, hashtags, etc.
9. Post your Short!

With these steps mastered, you can publish amazing Shorts as often as you like.

Consistency over time is key – platforms reward creators who post daily!

You‘re Ready to Conquer YouTube Shorts!

Congrats friend, you now have all the knowledge needed to start uploading awesome Shorts.

Remember to keep clips brief, shoot vertically for mobile, and take advantage of YouTube‘s powerful editing tools.

Have fun exploring your creativity in this exciting new format!

I can‘t wait to see the entertaining, helpful and inspiring Shorts you produce. The opportunities are endless, especially for those who start early and stick with it.

Now get out there and start shooting your first viral Short! Feel free to reach out if you have any other questions.

Happy Shorts making!