YouTube has launched a feature that allows creators to convert long-form videos into Shorts
The short-form video format of TikTok has captured the attention of content production platforms all around the world, and now YouTube is stepping up its efforts to compete with the social media juggernaut by introducing a new TikTok-style creator tool. On iOS and Android devices, YouTube has introduced a feature that enables artists to instantly turn up to 60 seconds of previously posted long-form videos into shorts as part of its most recent app update (opens in a new tab). If the chosen video is less than 60 seconds, artists can film more with the Shorts camera or upload more from their gallery using the tool, which makes use of the platform’s built-in editing tools (text, timeline editor, filters, etc.).
Only the authors themselves can import and/or modify their existing content collection, and any shorts made utilizing previous movies will, of course, connect back to the original YouTube upload. The functionality appears to be a creator-driven innovation that provides creators with an additional channel for luring prospective subscribers to their long-form material (if, for instance, a user is interested in a short-form version of a longer video, they may be inclined to click through and continue watching). But this change also shows that YouTube is trying hard to add more short-form videos so it can compete with services like TikTok and Instagram.
Given the criticism of YouTube’s recent decision to automatically convert some vertical videos into shorts (opens in a new tab), the company is now betting on the effectiveness of allowing users the freedom to make that decision for themselves. Clearly, not enough creators are uploading straight-to-Shorts content. As a result of Shorts’ more natural, but still encouraged, growth, YouTube fans can expect to see a lot more vertical video content in the coming months.