YouTube has a cunning technique to compete with TikTok

• Producers can capture more footage with Shorts or upload their portfolio.
• Update reveals YouTube’s desperate attempt to expand its short-form library.
• YouTube’s latest iOS and Android app update enables creators create 60-second Shorts.

Content production platforms can’t resist TikTok’s short-form video format, therefore YouTube is adopting a TikTok-like creator tool.

YouTube’s latest iOS and Android app update lets producers transform up to 60 seconds of long-form videos into Shorts.

YouTube says producers can capture extra material using the Shorts camera or upload more from their portfolio if the selected content is less than 60 seconds.

Any Shorts created with old videos will, of course, link back to the original YouTube upload, and only the creators can import and/or modify their existing content library.

On the surface, the feature appears to be a creator-led innovation, providing creators with another channel to attract potential subscribers to their long-form content (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).

However, this update reveals YouTube’s desperate attempt to expand its short-form library in order to compete with TikTok and Instagram.

Clearly, not enough creators are uploading straight-to-Shorts content, and given the backlash over YouTube’s recent automatic conversion(opens in new tab) of some vertical videos into Shorts, the company is now banking on the efficacy of allowing users to make that choice for themselves.

Shorts growth is more organic, albeit encouraged, and YouTube users can expect to see a lot more vertical video content in the coming months.

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