One thing that makes YouTube Shorts different is that it is not a typical social media app. This could affect how well it does. The TikTok app encourages people to make, watch, and even share videos with their friends, but the YouTube Shorts format is quite different from TikTok.
Since YouTube doesn’t have this easy way to talk to people directly and isn’t only about making, sharing, and watching Shorts, it may be hard for it to keep up with TikTok’s popularity.
When comparing Tiktok Shorts Vs YouTube Shorts, another problem with YouTube Shorts is that it doesn’t have a dedicated app like TikTok. So, even though it keeps its promise of letting people make, watch, and share both long and short-form content, it may turn off people who want quick access to focused content. Even so, now that more people can use YouTube Shorts, the competition with TikTok in the market for viral videos is sure to heat up.
The Same Things About TikTok And YouTube Shorts
- Both of these sites let you watch short videos.
- TikTok and YouTube Shorts both help creators add music from their audio libraries, and users can watch all videos under the audio library.
- Both offer analytics, such as the number of views, likes, comments, watch time, shares, impressions, and reach. You can look at these analytics on either a desktop or a mobile device.
- The Shorts and TikTok feeds take up the whole screen, and the menu for interacting with them is on the right-hand side.
- Both of their feeds move in the same way. Also, there are a huge number of videos waiting to be found and watched. But neither has auto-scrolling, so users have to scroll by hand to see the next video.
- Both offer tools that help content creators make money from what they make.
- In both feeds, users can subscribe to or follow creators right from their videos.
- Both allow creators to change the speed of their videos and help them set timers while they are filming.
- Creators can upload videos they’ve already made using YouTube Shorts and TikTok.
- Both of these can have closed captions and text on top of the video.
- They both help the person who made the video make it public so anyone can watch it or make it private so only certain people can see it.
TikTok Shorts Vs YouTube Shorts Key Differences
- Both of these platforms have very different ways to make money. TikTok has Shoutouts and Digital Gifts, while Shorts has their “Shorts fund.”
- TikTok videos can be up to three minutes long, while shorts can only be 60 seconds long (it could soon be stretched to five minutes duration as per their recent test).
- Users can add captions to videos on TikTok. The captions appear in the bottom left corner of the app. At the same time, users can add a title to a video in Shorts, and it will appear in the same place as a TikTok caption. And YouTube Shorts can have a video description that users can only see when they click the three dots above the link button and click “Description.”
- YouTube has a large library of music, so users can choose from a lot of new and well-known songs, maybe even more than what TikTok has to offer.
- TikTok has a huge collection of filters, such as greenscreen and augmented reality (AR) effects. Shorts, on the other hand, only has filters that change the video’s tone, temperature, brightness, etc.
- With the “private” video setting on Shorts, creators can choose who watches their videos or see who does. On the other hand, a “private” video on TikTok can only be seen by the person who made it.
- You can look at the analytics for TikTok right in the app. On the other hand, YouTube Studio is where you can see the analytics for YouTube Shorts.
Why Using YouTube Shorts Is A Good Idea
The best way to see how TikTok and YouTube Shorts are different might be to focus on their biggest pros and cons. Let’s look more closely at what YouTube Shorts has that TikTok doesn’t.
Bigger Demographics
Even though TikTok is one of the fastest-growing social media sites, YouTube’s 2 billion users still make it the largest social media platform.
Although this could change in the near future, YouTube Shorts now have a larger potential audience than TikTok videos. This is because Shorts coexist with other content on the already established YouTube platform.
YouTube users have no need to look elsewhere, as Shorts debuted one day in 2021 and have remained ever then. In addition, YouTube caters to audiences of all ages and demographics, but the average age of TikTok users remains younger.
Reduced Vulnerability
YouTube and TikTok are both banned in some places and only available with limitations in others.
However, in comparison to TikTok, YouTube has been around for a long time and may appear more trustworthy in terms of data security. As a result, creating YouTube Shorts may be considered the more widespread choice of the two.
Long-Form Video Promotion
YouTube is a great place for people who like to make long-form vlogs or video essays. With Shorts on their channel, they can make short videos telling people to check out their main channel.
It might not be what the average YouTube Shorts viewer wants, but it helps the person who made the video.
Scheduling Feature
Do you know how to edit and personalize a short movie but are hesitant to share it because you are still thinking about it?
With YouTube Shorts, you can choose when the video goes up, thus this is not an issue. You get to pick the precise moment the video goes up, and subsequent likes and comments will serve as gentle reminders.
Why You Shouldn’t Use YouTube Shorts
One of the most annoying things about YouTube Shorts is that they don’t have their own app. Things could change, but there’s not much reason for them to.
At first, it was confusing to have both Shorts and regular YouTube videos, but you get used to it pretty quickly. Still, TikTok might be better if all you want to do is watch short videos.
Another bad thing about YouTube Shorts is that they only work for seven days. But you can save them by hand and post them again later. But that’s still a lot less convenient than not having to do anything and having your video saved on your feed, which is what TikTok does.
Why You Should Use TikTok
Some people might not join the TikTok trend because they don’t like short-form video content. But TikTok has been known to win over even its most ardent critics because it gives people a unique place to be online. Here’s what you can do with TikTok.
More Cohesive User Experience
TikTok is the most interesting social media app, according to the data. With an average user session time of almost 11 minutes, TikTok is the best at getting and keeping people’s attention.
Also, TikTok videos can be up to three minutes long, depending on the user’s status. This gives users a chance to add more to their videos.
TikTok also has a pretty easy-to-use interface that lets you start watching videos as soon as you sign up. The “For You” page starts showing videos right away that are similar to the ones you watch and like. This is done to keep you on the site longer and get you to watch more videos.
This is why people love the TikTok app so much. It lets them join certain TikTok communities and move from one video to the next without having to deal with big changes in style.
But every once in a while, the TikTok algorithm will throw you a curveball to see if you’re interested in something different.
TikTok Gives Everyone A Fair Chance
To become popular on TikTok is a matter of luck rather than skill. You can try to make conditions favorable for going viral, but success is never guaranteed. It’s not unusual for a very obscure TikTok channel to suddenly become immensely popular after being shared hundreds of thousands of times in a matter of hours.
It doesn’t have to be an expertly choreographed dance; it might simply be someone commenting on an episode of a popular TV show.
TikTok is a free-for-all, which is why it’s so popular among young people. When a popular YouTuber makes a successful short video for YouTube Shorts, it has a greater chance of going viral.
Disadvantages of Using TikTok
In contrast to YouTube Shorts, TikTok does not offer a scheduling option that allows you to choose the time and day a video goes up.
You also lack a “dislike” button, which is useful when attempting to curate the information you wish to see. Nonetheless, you can:
- Press and hold on a certain TikTok video.
- Choose “Not Interested” from the menu that pops up.
- You can choose to hide videos from certain people or videos with certain sounds.
It’s the most like the “dislike” button, and it will help you have a better time on TikTok.
Final Words
It’s likely that most TikTok users also occasionally check out YouTube Shorts, given that most people use multiple social media apps. Those that dislike this genre aren’t likely to watch either, thus it really comes down to personal taste. Daily YouTube Shorts are sufficient for some users, while for others it’s a chance to discover and join new communities.
With TikTok, you can make videos that are only three minutes long, with improved personalization choices and a decent shot at going viral. Promoting your previous videos on YouTube with YouTube Shorts can help you get in front of a wider audience.