YouTube Shorts is basically a land grab right now. If you aren't doing it, you're leaving views on the table. But honestly, most people mess up the basics of how to post Shorts on YouTube, and then they wonder why their view count is stuck at exactly 212. It’s frustrating. You spend an hour editing a vertical clip, hit upload, and... crickets.
The platform’s algorithm for short-form content behaves differently than the "big" YouTube. It’s twitchy. It relies on instant gratification and split-second retention metrics. If you treat a Short like a shrunken-down long-form video, you’ve already lost the game before you even hit publish.
The technical hurdles of how to post Shorts on YouTube
First off, let’s talk about the phone vs. desktop debate. Most people just use the mobile app. It’s easy. You tap the "+" icon, select "Create a Short," and you’re off. But there is a massive limitation here: the YouTube app's built-in editor is, frankly, kind of clunky compared to CapCut or Adobe Premiere. If you want to know how to post Shorts on YouTube like the pros—the ones getting millions of views—you usually shouldn't be filming inside the YouTube app.
Film on your phone's native camera or a dedicated mirrorless setup. Keep it 9:16. That means 1080x1920 pixels. If you try to upload a square video or, heaven forbid, a horizontal one, YouTube might not even recognize it as a Short unless you’re very careful with the metadata.
The 60-second hard limit
One second. That’s all it takes to ruin your upload. If your video is 60.1 seconds, it’s not a Short. It’s just a very skinny, very annoying regular video. This is a common trap. When you export from an editor, sometimes a few frames of black are added at the end. Always aim for 58 or 59 seconds just to stay in the "Shorts shelf" safe zone.
Uploading from a computer is actually better
I know, it sounds counterintuitive. It’s a mobile format! Why use a PC? Because the desktop "Studio" gives you way more control over the "boring" stuff that actually helps you rank.
When you're figuring out how to post Shorts on YouTube via desktop, you just go to the standard upload button. There isn't a special "Shorts" button on the desktop site. You just drag your vertical file in. YouTube detects the aspect ratio automatically.
Here is where it gets interesting: the description box. On mobile, people get lazy. On desktop, you can actually write a description that helps Google’s search engine understand what the heck your video is about. Use it. Mention your keywords. Don’t just spam #shorts thirty times. That doesn't work anymore. One or two hashtags in the title or description is plenty. YouTube’s VP of Engineering, Todd Sherman, has mentioned in various creator interviews that the algorithm is smart enough to find the audience without you shouting at it with hashtags.
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The thumbnail trick
You can’t upload a custom thumbnail for Shorts on a computer anymore. It’s annoying. You have to do it on the mobile app during the final upload screen by tapping the "pencil" icon on the video preview. Pick the most high-action, "wait, what’s that?" frame. If you skip this, YouTube picks a random frame where your eyes are probably half-closed.
Why your first three seconds are a lie
You’ve got to hook them. Immediately. No "Hey guys, welcome back to the channel." Nobody cares who you are yet. They are swiping. They are bored. They are looking for a reason to leave.
If you want to master how to post Shorts on YouTube, you need to understand the "Swipe Away" metric. In your analytics, YouTube shows you what percentage of people chose to view vs. swiped away. If your "Chose to View" is under 60%, your video is going to die a slow death.
Try starting with a question. Or a visual "beat" that doesn't make sense without context. MrBeast is the king of this, obviously, but even smaller creators like Paddy Galloway have broken down how a simple color shift or a loud noise in the first 0.5 seconds can save a video.
The "Shorts Feed" vs. Search
Most of your views will come from the Feed. That’s the "slot machine" part of YouTube. But don't ignore Search. People actually search for "how to" content in the Shorts bar.
If you’re showing someone how to fix a leaky faucet in 45 seconds, your title shouldn't be "I fixed it!!" It should be "Easy 45-second Faucet Fix." Be literal. Google Discover—that feed of news and videos on your phone’s home screen—loves Literal. It wants to surface helpful, high-quality content that matches a user's recent interests.
Music and Copyright (The gray area)
Using the "Add Sound" feature in the mobile app is the safest way to use popular music. If you edit a song into your video in Premiere and then upload it, you might get a copyright strike or at least have the video demonetized.
The downside? If you use the YouTube library, you’re limited to 60 seconds (sometimes less depending on the track). It also locks certain editing features. If you're a business, be careful. Using a Taylor Swift song to sell a product is a fast track to a legal headache. Stick to the "Commercial Library" if you’re a brand.
Common myths that just won't die
- "You have to post 5 times a day." Please don't. You'll burn out and your quality will tank. Quality still beats quantity, even on Shorts.
- "The #Shorts tag is mandatory." It’s not. YouTube knows it’s a Short if it’s vertical and under a minute. It helps for some legacy search reasons, but it’s not a magic spell.
- "Re-uploading works." If a video flops, some people delete and re-post. Sometimes it works because of a timing fluke, but usually, it just annoys the algorithm and looks like spam.
Actionable Steps for your next post
Don't just read this and go back to scrolling. If you want to actually see growth, follow this workflow for your next upload:
- Script for the loop. Make the end of your video lead naturally back into the beginning. This tricks the brain into watching it 1.5 times, which sends your "Average View Duration" through the roof.
- Edit outside the app. Use CapCut or VN Editor. Add captions. Big, colorful, moving captions. People often watch Shorts with the sound off in public.
- The Pencil Tool. When you go to the mobile app to hit "Upload," do not forget to click the pencil icon on the thumbnail. Select the frame with the most movement or the clearest subject.
- Check your "Remixing" settings. Allow others to remix your audio if you’re doing a tutorial or something funny. It’s free marketing. Every time someone uses your sound, it links back to your original video.
- Wait 24 hours. Shorts often have a "delayed fuse." They might get 10 views for the first six hours, then suddenly spike to 5,000 at 2:00 AM. Don't delete it if it doesn't go viral in twenty minutes.
Keep it fast. Keep it vertical. Stop overthinking the description and start overthinking the first three seconds. That’s the real secret to how to post Shorts on YouTube that actually get seen.