- The House of Founders Newsletter
- Posts
- You’re One Short Away From Going Viral
You’re One Short Away From Going Viral
Aaron Tran
May 26, 2025
YouTube Shorts Best Practices: Master the Art of Going Viral in 30 Seconds or Less
Stop scrolling.
That’s what your audience needs to do, and in a world where attention spans are shorter than a tweet, that’s no small feat.
YouTube Shorts are not just another passing trend. They are the front lines of digital attention. They're fast, fierce, and if done right, they can explode your brand’s visibility like nothing else.
If you’re serious about growing on YouTube, Shorts are your golden ticket. But here's the truth:
Making a YouTube Short isn’t hard. Making one that actually works is.
In this guide, we’re not just talking about the basics. We're diving deep into what actually works, tested, proven best practices designed to grow your audience, build authority, and get you discovered. Whether you're a solo creator, entrepreneur, or digital marketer, this is your blueprint to dominate YouTube Shorts.
Let's dive in.
What Are YouTube Shorts?
YouTube Shorts are vertical videos under 60 seconds designed for quick, punchy storytelling. Think of them as micro-content that delivers macro-impact.
They exist because attention is currency. And YouTube is investing heavily in Shorts to compete with TikTok and Instagram Reels. That means if you’re creating Shorts, YouTube wants you to win.
Creators who consistently publish engaging Shorts are seeing massive spikes in subscriber growth, higher retention, and even monetization opportunities through the YouTube Shorts Fund and affiliate marketing.
YouTube Shorts Best Practices
1. Nail the Ideal Length: 15–60 Seconds of Pure Value
Let’s be honest, attention is the new currency. The first rule of making a great Short?
Get to the point. Fast.
Shorts between 15 and 40 seconds tend to perform best. Why? Because people can finish them, and if the content’s good, they might watch it again. That’s retention gold, and the algorithm loves it.
Deliver your punchline, tip, or value early. Don’t save it for the end.
Use vertical 9:16 format only — horizontal Shorts perform poorly.
Hook the viewer in the first 1–2 seconds. No exceptions.
Ask yourself: If someone knew nothing about me, would they stop to watch this?
If the answer is “maybe,” it’s not strong enough.
2. Start With a Hook That Demands Attention
The scroll is your enemy.
The first second must interrupt the scroll with a hook that creates curiosity or stakes. Think:
“Most creators are doing this wrong…”
“Here’s the fastest way to grow on YouTube in 2024…”
“If I had to start from zero, this is what I’d do…”
People won’t wait around to find out what your video is about. You have one second to prove you’re worth their time.
Use pattern interrupts: sudden movements, bold visuals, unexpected sound bites.
If you’re not willing to fight for their attention, the algorithm won’t fight for you either.
3. Keep Energy and Editing Tight
Your video should never stall. There’s no room for filler in a Short.
Here’s how to keep the energy high:
Use fast cuts to eliminate dead air or slow transitions.
Include text overlays to reinforce your message visually.
Use zoom-ins, motion effects, and sound design to keep momentum.
Keep visuals dynamic and scene changes every 1–3 seconds perform better.
If you’re filming talking-head content, use jump cuts and subtitles to maintain viewer interest. And remember: silence kills, Shorts. Keep the audio environment engaging.
Shorts aren’t just performance content, they’re search content too. Treat your Shorts like mini SEO-optimized blog posts.
Use 3–5 targeted hashtags, including:
#Shorts, a niche keyword (#DigitalMarketingTips), and a trend if relevant.Write descriptions that include relevant keywords naturally — avoid keyword stuffing.
Include a subtle CTA in the description: “Subscribe for weekly YouTube growth tips.”
Use tools like Ubersuggest or Keywords Everywhere to research short-tail and long-tail keywords your audience is actually searching.
YouTube indexes everything, descriptions, hashtags, even titles in Shorts feed. Give it the data it needs to serve your content.
5. Use Thumbnails and Titles
Here’s a secret most creators ignore: custom thumbnails DO matter, especially when your Shorts are viewed on your channel or desktop.
Create thumbnails with big, bold text — ideally 3–5 words max.
Use bright colors with high contrast. Make it pop.
Use emotional facial expressions — surprise, excitement, curiosity.
Titles should spark intrigue: “The YouTube Growth Hack No One Talks About”
When someone scrolls through your channel and sees 10 Shorts, yours needs to stand out visually in half a second.
6. Consistency
You don’t grow by going viral once.
You grow by showing up consistently, giving the algorithm more data, training your audience to expect content, and increasing your chances of striking gold.
Here’s how to make consistency sustainable:
Post 3–5 Shorts per week minimum.
Use a content calendar. Plan 30 days in advance.
Batch film 5–10 Shorts in one session to avoid burnout.
Track performance weekly. Double down on what works.
Consistency feeds the algorithm. But more importantly, it builds trust with your viewers.
7. Repurpose and Cross-Promote on Every Platform
You’re not just making YouTube Shorts. You’re building micro-assets that can live on every major platform:
Post your Shorts to Instagram Reels, TikTok, Pinterest Idea Pins, and Facebook Reels.
Use LinkedIn to share thought-leadership-style Shorts in your niche.
Embed Shorts into your blog articles to boost on-page engagement.
Add them to your email marketing campaigns to increase clicks.
This is how you turn one 30-second video into a full-scale content engine.
Use tools like Opus Clip or Repurpose.io to automate and streamline this process.
YouTube Shorts Are Not a Trend
We are in a new era of content. Short-form video isn’t “nice to have” anymore; it’s the most effective format for rapid growth, brand awareness, and engagement.
If you’re not leveraging YouTube Shorts, you’re leaving reach, relevance, and revenue on the table.
Let’s recap the winning formula:
Keep it short, snappy, and value-packed (15–60 seconds).
Hook immediately or lose the scroll.
Edit for retention — every frame must earn its place.
Optimize for discovery with smart keywords and hashtags.
Design thumbnails and titles that stop thumbs.
Post consistently and track your data.
Distribute everywhere your audience lives.
Done right, Shorts can grow your channel 10x faster than long-form content, with a fraction of the time and budget.
Want to Go Deeper?
Join the House of Founders Accelerator. This is our invite-only coaching system for creators who are ready to go full-time. We help you build a content system that scales, with tools, strategy, and 1:1 guidance.
Apply today for a free consultation. Or sign up for the House of Founders newsletter, and get high-performance strategies like this, delivered weekly.
P.S. Whenever you're ready, there are 4 ways I can help you:
#1: Ready to grow your personal brand to $1 million or more? Let's chat. >>> Click here to apply for your call with me
#2: Have you seen my YouTube Channel? I'm putting a ton of energy into creating heaps of valuable content that I think you'll like.
#3: Promote your brand to over 23,258 subscribers by sponsoring this newsletter.