YouTube Shorts Is Just a TikTok Clone, But It’s Not Going to Fail
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By this point in time, you’re probably familiar with TikTok. The short-form video platform has exploded in popularity and transformed the way users create videos. Businesses are getting on board, and it seems TikTok is going to be more than just a passing fad.
Of course, TikTok isn’t the first time video has been revolutionized. Over a decade earlier YouTube allowed creators to upload their self-made projects online. It seems like the platform was an immediate success, and they now host over 2 billion worldwide users. Nobody has been able to dethrone YouTube’s power, but TikTok has certainly made some waves.
In 2020, YouTube introduced Shorts, allowing users to upload 60-second clips straight from their mobile devices. The beta version wasn’t available in the US market until March of 2021, but the intent has always been clear. Shorts exist because TikTok is so popular. There’s a market for short-form content, and YouTube knows they need to get in on the action.
At its core, YouTube Shorts is just a TikTok clone. Despite the similarities, YouTube will be successful. TikTok has found its competition, and the war is just beginning.
TikTok: Becoming a Viable Youtube Competitor
At the end of September 2021, TikTok passed the billion worldwide user mark. This is only half of the number of active YouTube users, but it’s still an amazing feat. This social site’s rise in popularity occurred much faster than YouTube’s. TikTok has generated a countless number of viral sensations, and they spread like wildfire. After all, the app is designed with the mobile experience in mind. It’s super easy to tap an arrow and share a video with your friends.
By nature, TikTok has become addictive. This can be demonstrated by the fact that the average TikTok user spends more time watching TikToks than YouTubers spend watching YouTube videos. This news comes a couple of months after TikTok expended their maximum video length from 1-minute to 3-minutes. This has potential to lure people in for longer periods of time, but it’s a fraction of the length of a YouTube video. On YouTube, some videos last for hours. On TikTok, you’ll need at least 20 videos to fill an hour.
