Should You Be Making YouTube Shorts in 2026?
Short answer: Absolutely. Shorts aren't just a nice-to-have anymore—they're how your ideal audience discovers you exist. So, here's the reality: your long-form content is your authority piece. Your Shorts are the business cards that drive people to it. Why Shorts Matter More Than Ever Discovery at Scale: The YouTube algorithm surfaces Shorts to entirely different audiences than your long-form content. One well-crafted Short can bring in hundreds of new subscribers who align perfectly with your message but would never have stumbled across your channel otherwise. Maximum Leverage from Existing Work: You're already creating thoughtful long-form content. I use OpusClip to extract 7+ Shorts from every video I publish. That's one 6-hour production day turned into a week's worth of top-of-funnel content. Pure leverage. Meeting People Where They Are: Your audience scrolls during lunch breaks, commutes, and between meetings. Shorts let you stay visible during those micro-moments when they're not ready for deep dives. Built-In Conversion Path YouTube's "related video" link in Shorts creates a direct funnel: hook them in 60 seconds, link to your full video, convert viewers into subscribers and eventually community members. When Shorts Don't Work Standalone Value Missing: If your Short needs 5 minutes of context to make sense, skip it. Each Short must deliver complete value on its own. Off-Brand Execution: Sloppy Shorts undermine professional positioning. Quality standards matter across all formats. The Strategic Approach Hunt for these moments in your long-form content: - Counter-intuitive insights that challenge assumptions - Concrete frameworks or strategies viewers can apply immediately - Specific results or case studies that prove your point OpusClip finds the high-energy moments automatically. My job is selecting clips that genuinely serve my audience, not just chase views. For time-strapped professionals building creator businesses: this isn't extra work. It's smart repurposing that multiplies your reach without multiplying your effort.