Log in
Noticed you’re on an iOS device. Get our mobile app for effortless planning on the go.
Log in with planable.io
Noticed you’re on an Android device. Get our mobile app for effortless planning on the go.
Log in with planable.io
Planable is the best client-facing social media tool we've ever used and we've used a lot.
Proving the value of social media work isn’t always easy. Unlike sales or other departments with clear ROI, social media’s impact is less obvious to someone with no social media expertise. Stakeholders often focus on vanity metrics, overlook the strategy behind posts,...
Mar 17, 2025
Okay, here’s the deal: there are 2.7 billion people on YouTube. Since launching globally in 2021, YouTube Shorts have been bringing wider audiences to creators who complement their long-form videos with truly compelling snippets.
That said, I know what you might be thinking. A YouTube content calendar is tricky to fill. Planning, making, and posting content can be as intense as sharing to TikTok or Instagram Reels. But since you already know how to make vertical short-form content, the odds are in your favor.
The best YouTube Shorts ideas come from combining your know-how from other platforms with YouTube culture and the specificities of your niche. And once you have your content ready, don’t forget to schedule YouTube videos to keep a consistent flow. That’s where the magic lies. Need more specific pointers? Keep reading for some fruitful and versatile YouTube Shorts ideas to help jumpstart your inspiration.
The maximum length of Shorts was expanded to 3 minutes in October 2024. This puts them in a sweet spot between the 90 seconds of Reels and 10 minutes of TikToks, so you can really tell a story while keeping it snappy. Iconic Shorts-focused creators the likes of Jorge Soto have seen massive subscriber growth in a matter of months and here’s why:
Keep these items on a checklist to guide your content creation. As you experiment, expand the list with approaches proven to spark a connection with your audience. Lean into YouTube culture, engage with other creators in your niche, and give credit where it’s due.
A clear narrative is one of the key features that makes content relevant and shareable. When your short videos have a clear beginning, middle, and end (plus, maybe, a surprising twist), you tap into people’s natural inclination toward stories. You also frame your topic of choice as relevant and easy to understand.
Take inspiration from storytelling in any format that speaks to you. If you, like me, are a fan of YouTubers who make video essays about movies, you already know that the way they unpack story structure can be very illuminating.
There’s a time for perfectly polished content (hello, new product launch) and there’s a time for a more down-to-earth approach. The way you calibrate the balance between these two depends a lot on your niche and brand positioning, but one thing stays true. People are very attuned to the huge gap between what’s shown online and actual real life, so you can close this gap with a relatable caption even when the visuals are glossy.
Speak how your audience speaks and keep things natural, conversational. Don’t be afraid to tackle disappointments and not-so-fun facts. Make your audience feel like you truly understand their pain points and you’re always on their side.
High-quality content starts with visuals since they influence what happens in the split second when people decide whether to watch or not. Beyond the technical specifications of the device you’re shooting with, make sure everything is well-lit.
Sound is just as important, but you can take it one step beyond “clearly audible”. When you pick songs, consider subtly building the sonic universe of your brand. Trending songs are important, but stick to a few genres with vibes that fit – if your Shorts can also double as a music discovery tool, audience interest will be piqued.
There should be no doubt about what you want viewers to do before they jump to the next video. A short CTA at the end of each Short will boost specific types of engagement by directing folks toward the exact action you want: subscribing, liking, commenting, visiting your website, watching a related video, making a purchase, and so on.
It’s time. Let’s see some YouTube Shorts ideas that can significantly enhance the emotional connection you can build with your target audience. Some of these are classic formats, but stay attuned to the specific needs of your customers and results will follow. If you struggle with the correct wording, you can turn to AI tools like Planable’s AI Creation Hub.
Turning the content on your YouTube channel into short-form videos can expose your channel to a broader audience. British Vogue makes a series called “Life in Looks” that runs anywhere from 6 to 12 minutes.
But by cutting out some of the juiciest snippets and turning them into Shorts, they make a strong case for why you should watch the whole thing.
Making short clips that detail your everyday activities is a great way to keep an audience engaged. You paint a picture of the actual people behind the brand, with their habits and challenges, which in turn fosters trust. This example does a great job of showing how the content creator sprinkles little joyful glimmers throughout the day.
Since making an engaging video takes up a serious amount of resources, it would be a missed opportunity to not post it wherever it can connect with a new audience. Keep an eye out for necessary tweaks (including to the CTA!) and you’re good to go.
Brands like Faber Castell know this, so you’ll find that a lot of their short-form content is cross-posted.
And here is one repurposed reel into a Youtube short:
Behind-the-scenes Shorts are unmatched when it comes to helping your brand come off as relatable. When people know how you work, they’re more likely to trust the end product and want to engage further. Shorts like this one from @oner.active work great for generating buzz if you have an upcoming campaign or launch.
No list of Shorts ideas is complete without our old friend, the how-to. It’s no wonder this format transcends platforms and eras. When you give people step-by-step instructions, you make complex tasks seem reasonable (plus, such content can double as a behind-the-scenes peek into your process).
Check out this example from user @birdietam. Doesn’t it just make you want to get into ceramics?
This is another classic format that’s been around since the very early days of advertising. You can see why: it’s a compressed way of showing what a product or service can accomplish. It helps you establish credibility within seconds.
Examples like the one below work great if you offer services with visually compelling results. And when you want to show how one goes from “before” to “after”, just refer to point 5 above.
GRWMs aren’t going anywhere. They’re relatable and intimate (that feeling of getting ready with a trusted friend is unbeatable). But think of them as flexible, not restrictive.
They can be adapted to industries beyond beauty (you can get ready to till the weeds in your yard). But even if you handle a beauty brand, you can add your own twists.
My favorite tip? Add as much sensorial information as possible. People want to know what the ritual feels like, so don’t be shy about describing scented products or pleasing fizzy sounds the packaging might make.
Q&A videos that answer several questions quickly or focus on one question at a time (as part of a series) can both be a boon for any content creator. You satisfy people’s need for info that is quickly and efficiently delivered, so it makes for some of the most shareable content out there.
Whether you like to grow plants or paint intricate scenes, time-lapse videos are stellar when it comes to engagement. Compressing a slow process into a few minutes (or seconds) gives people a unique view of what can be accomplished with patience and care. Whether they share out of pure awe or get inspired to try it themselves, you’ve made a connection.
Educational content never goes out of style. Compressing complex information into bite-sized pieces goes a long way toward building thought leadership for your brand. You can go deep on a single fact or give people an overview of a complicated process, then expand on it via longer videos.
Either way, brands whose Shorts get saved to playlists or bookmarked are the winners.
Social media trends and challenges can provide you with fresh ways of showcasing your brand but also bring it to audiences you haven’t reached before. A new trend might not warrant a whole video on your channel, but it might be perfect for a YouTube Short.
Stay expansive with your approach, though. Popular trends aren’t just things that run their course in a matter of days. Look at what this creator does: she uses the pretty long-lived trend of adults relaxing with coloring books to create contrast with her more brand-focused content.
It fits her brand universe and works like a charm.
UGC is extremely powerful because it shows your product or service in the real world, beyond how glossy brand videos display it. Everyday people interacting with what you made can build a new level of trust with your audience, so always be on the lookout.
Once you start integrating UGC into your calendar, your community keeps growing and even more similar content pours in. Plus, remember you don’t have to post it as it is. Tweak it, gather it into compilations, or post similar uses of the same product in wildly different environments.
Think beyond unboxing videos. Product reveals or reviews can also work wonders as they attract new customers and boost engagement. If you’re launching something new, you might want to tackle it from all sides (long video on your main channel, but also Shorts). If you’re an expert in your field, a flurry of micro-reviews can bring fresh eyes to your in-depth videos.
Creative tips and hacks can help folks use your product to its maximum potential, repurpose it for other uses, or use it in tandem with something else. Either way, you’re putting it in a new light and saving people the time needed to research or find out things through trial and error.
You can especially hit a nerve if you explain etiquette in specific situations or unspoken rules. So many people out there have no one to ask about such things, so you can definitely create an emotional connection.
A sneak peek of your paid content is a strong argument for why people should open their wallets, often stronger than ads simply describing what’s inside. This is why you’ll see this practice across formats and platforms (I’ve seen it work spectacularly for everything from newsletters to podcasts).
Consider what Masterclass is doing – their whole marketing strategy is built on these snippets.
As far as I’m concerned, here’s what makes or breaks a good sneak peek: make sure you include at least one juicy insight. Get specific!
Irina is a freelance senior copywriter & content writer with an advertising agency background. If she’s not rummaging for good synonyms, she’s probably watching a sitcom or listening to radio dramas with plucky amateur detectives. She loves collage, doing crosswords on paper and shazamming the birds outside her window.
Create
Approve
Plan
Schedule
Collaborate
Analyze
