Information is reaching newer parameters, and social media giants have to improvise to reach their audience. And while we're at the edge and seeing a lack of originality almost everywhere, there's no denying that it seems to work well without a doubt. Apart from being a voice for millions, Instagram and YouTube have led the race and encouraged several content creators over the years. However, with things (and our attention span) becoming shorter nowadays, the need to upgrade and update is real!

What are YouTube shorts?

Google has reportedly been testing a short-video feature in India, christened YouTube Shorts, in the past year. 'Shorts', introduced as TikTok's rival, has received over 3.5 billion daily views. In a video, Alphabet and Google CEO Sundar Pichai also mentioned how the company is planning to bring it to more countries in 2021.

According to Google, YouTube Shorts are vertical videos up to 60 seconds in length. In addition to showing on your channel, viewers may find your short-form video on the homepage Shorts shelf and tap into a vertical viewing experience made for short videos.

In a blog post, YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki said, "More people are creating content on their phones, which is why we're investing to give creators more video editing tools. We're now beta testing YouTube Shorts in India, and we're excited to help the next generation of mobile creators tell their stories by lowering the barriers to entry."

The post discusses the company's plan for the year 2021; further, it goes on to say, "So far, videos in our new Shorts player -- which helps people around the world watch short videos on YouTube -- are receiving an impressive 3.5 billion daily views! We're looking forward to expanding Shorts to more markets this year."

How to use YouTube Shorts?

On downloading Shorts, you can use YouTube's short-form video creation tool, the Shorts camera, which makes it easy to create videos that are up to 15 seconds long with the option to capture multiple clips. You can also use various creative features, including:

• Music: Pick from a selection of songs that are free to use.

• Speed control: Choose to speed up or slow down recording.

• Timer: Set the Countdown to record hands-free and the Stop point to automatically stop recording.

You can add anything beginning from YouTube's own audio to any copyright free music to your short video.

Where can I find YouTube Shorts created by others?

YouTube users can find your short videos on the homepage or the shelf. Apart from this, users can also find it in the 'What to Watch Next' module. Users can also search YouTube to find Shorts created by other consumers.

Can you monetise your Shorts video?

As of yet, you cannot monetise or generate ads on your YouTube Shorts video. However, the company may work on this feature in the future.

Is YouTube Shorts available for me?

YouTube Shorts is in its beta phase in India and is reportedly being introduced to other countries as well. An early version of the product is available for a handful of users, along with a few new creation tools that are in their testing phase.