YouTubers try to be TikTokers

According to employees of the Google subsidiary, videomakers on YouTube are producing shorter videos and more Shorts, as reported by the Financial Times. This poses a threat, according to the employees, of Shorts cannibalizing the platform itself.

Users are reportedly watching fewer long videos, while companies are increasingly requesting shorter videos for sponsorship deals, reports the Financial Times. As a result, videomakers have a double incentive to create shorter videos and focus more on Shorts. Shorts is YouTube's format for short videos, lasting up to a minute. With Shorts, YouTube aims to compete with TikTok and Instagram Reels.

Both videomakers and YouTube earn more from advertisements around longer videos, as there are more ad slots available. The push by YouTube towards Shorts is believed to have cost ad revenue in recent years. YouTube prominently features Shorts on its various pages. According to FT, a maximum of 10 percent of videomakers use the built-in editing tools in Shorts.

YouTube does not directly confirm this information but points out in a response that Shorts is meant to complement other formats. "This is not a zero-sum game where only one video format can win. Offering diverse forms creates a positive cycle that leads new viewers to various formats."