Short-form video content has long been on the rise – and it looks like it is finally taking top spot for video creators. Bite-sized content and viral clips are being lapped up by social media users, and many brands have started experimenting with organic content marketing. Get ahead of the game and add YouTube Shorts to your content plan.
What are YouTube Shorts?
Platforms like Instagram Reels, TikTok, and Vimeo have enormous and highly engaged audiences, so YouTube Shorts are Google’s attempt to throw their hat into the ring.
First released in India and beta launched in the US in 2021, Shorts have so far been a runaway success. YouTube has promised ongoing improvements and updates, including their recent changes to search filters to allow users to find Shorts content more easily.
Their aim, according to a press release, is to allow creators to “shoot short, catchy videos” using just their cell phones. These short, catchy videos give viewers animated, musical, parody, or informational content in an easily-digestible format – and now, this is expanding to include brand and sponsored content.
Today, Shorts have overtaken TikTok to have 1.5 billion active users – a fantastic reason to take a closer look at marketing with Shorts.
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What is the difference between Shorts, Instagram Reels, and TikTok?
Trying to decide which short-form video suits your content? Here are the major differences between Shorts, Reels, and TikTok:
Shorts
Length: 60 seconds (15 seconds in the app)
Reach: 1.5 billion users
Target group: Everyone
Features: Video editor with simple filters and effects, subtitles, copyright-free music library
Platform advantages: Established social media brand, high user loyalty
Reels
Length: 60 seconds
Reach: 2 billion users
Target group: 25 – 39 years
Features: Video and photo editor with AR filters and many effect, sticker, text, and caption options
Platform advantages: Visually sophisticated, especially advertising and shopping-friendly
TikTok
Length: 3 minutes
Reach: 1 billion users
Target group: 15 – 24 years
Features: Video editor with templates, filters and effects, stickers, text, subtitles, what’s trending, and music library
Platform advantages: The home of trends and community building
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Shorts, Reels, and TikToks all use the vertical 9:16 format, so you can easily play your videos across all three channels if they are no longer than 60 seconds. The most important thing is that you are active where your customers are, and that the platform and content match you and your brand.
How can I use Shorts to market my Shop?
The best way to use Shorts is as a supplement to your main channel, to offer your audience new and different forms of content in a new and exciting format. This can be a change of tone, fresh types of content, or brand positioning.
Here are some ways we suggest using YouTube Shorts to add some personality to your brand and solidify your community around your channel:
Behind the scenes. Use Shorts to show your viewers how you create videos or give them a sneak peek into how you behave when the cameras aren’t rolling.
Design theory. Short form video is perfect for giving quick, informational tutorials. Go through the process of how you create designs for your Shop.
Product updates. Shorts are a great way to introduce new products to your viewers and are the perfect channel for organic product promotion.
News updates. Keep your audience up to date on news, campaigns, or big things happening on your channel!
Highlight reels. This is a great way to recycle your content and drive engagement with very little work! Learn more in our deep dive into the Buffalo method.
Viral clips. Take your funniest, most awkward, and catchiest bloopers or clips and give them a chance to go viral in a viewer-friendly format.
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3 Tips for YouTube Shorts
Getting some ideas for how you want to use Shorts? Perfect, that’s the aim of this article! Don’t let your hard work go to waste – whatever content strategy you decide to use for your Shorts, here are some general tips for maximizing your engagement:
1. Keep it simple.
Make your Shorts informal, informative, and to the point. YouTube recommends 15 seconds duration for Shorts – you only have your audience’s attention for a limited time, so make the most of it!
2. Start strong.
Open your videos with an attention-grabbing line or opening sequence. There is a lot of content out there competing for attention, so grab your audience right from the get-go if you want them to listen to your message.
3. High-effort thumbnails.
Thumbnails are the headline of your videos. Marketers and copywriters spend hours researching and crafting headlines, because they know that is your one chance to grab the audiences’ attention – put some effort into your thumbnails and make the most of your opportunities.
Follow these best practices and make sure you are maximizing the return on effort. If you put in the hard work, you will see the results – channel growth, audience engagement, and Shop sales await you!
Feeling inspired to grow your channel with your new Shorts knowledge, but don’t have any merch to offer your viewers? Head over and open your free Spreadshop in just a few clicks.
Whatever your product, design or niche, Spreadshop has the right printing method to get the most out of your creations. Most designs are printed with the infamous allrounder, direct digital printing. But for accessories made from more rigid materials, including caps, bags or products with particularly fine fibers such as polyester shirts, we need to find a better match. This is when it‘s DTF (Direct-to-Film) printing’s time to shine.
DTF Printing Transfers: The Ins and Outs
Digital printing involves spraying your designs, just like an inkjet printer, directly onto the products. With DTF printing, however, your motif is firstly pressed onto a foil (or film). This allows for very exact ink quantities, meaning vibrant colors, opaque whites as well as remarkably sharp and fine edges. DTF film absorbs almost every drop of color, so even high levels of detail and color gradients are no problem.
Once the film has been printed, it gets a layer of adhesive, before being pressed onto the product, which sits in a pressing device. This makes DTF printing ideally suited for both light and dark products. It’s ultimately just as durable and stretchable as the product fabric. Here’s a quick summary of the main advantages:
Available for all file formats
Extremely stretchable and durable
Suitable for dark and light textiles
Compatible with cotton, polyester, blended fabrics and many other materials
Which products do we use DTF for?
Thanks to the moderate pressing temperatures, DTF printing is suitable for numerous different fabrics, whether coarse, fine or mixed.
The rougher materials include baseball caps, hats, bags and backpacks. But it also works well on T-shirts and hoodies, and on finer materials, in particular polyester fibers. DTF prints are perfect for sport and function shirts, as they protect more sensitive fibers.
What do I need to look out for as a spread shop owner?
Minimum line thickness of 1mm, as otherwise they can break away from coarser materials
You don’t even need to worry about which products you need to print with DTF. It’s part of our job as print-on-demand experts to find the printing style that fits your designs and ideas. That’s we set up the printing process to match each individual order. The goal is simple: to get the best possible printing results. Good thing we know a thing or two about this.
By the way, some of the most recent products activated for your shop are only possible due to the introduction of DTF printing. These include the children’s apron and the umbrella. More products will follow. Stay tuned!
Now you want to find out more about DTF? Let us know in the comments. Otherwise keep your eyes peeled for further reports on what we do.
Kids— they grow up so fast. Before you know it, they’ve moved on from gifting their parents clumsily-glued construction paper projects for Mother’s and Father’s Day to more grown-up (if no less heartfelt) gifts. This spring, your Shop customers will be looking for meaningful gifts for their moms and dads. Will they find the perfect present in your Shop?
If you are already in the process of spring cleaning your Shop, you can use the space you free up for a few Mother’s and Father’s Day designs. Add your own personal touch and be creative—it’s not all bouquets and neckties.
Our tip: Promote your designs for these big days on Instagram and Facebook. After the order deadlines have passed, however, you should cut back on your advertising. Because we all know: disappointed parents are a force to be reckoned with.
Order deadlines Mother’s Day 2022
As always, we reserve the right to change our order deadlines at short notice. You can always find the current delivery times here in the blog article.
Country
Date
Shipping Deadline
Order Deadline
DE
5/8/22
5/4/22
4/30/22
US
5/8/22
4/28/22
4/25/22
FR
5/29/22
5/21/22
5/17/22
NL
5/8/22
5/2/22
4/27/22
AT
5/8/22
5/2/22
4/27/22
IT
5/8/22
4/27/22
4/24/22
ES
5/1/22
4/15/22
4/12/22
PL
5/26/22
5/18/22
5/15/22
DK
5/8/22
4/26/22
4/23/22
FI
5/8/22
4/26/22
4/23/22
SE
5/9/22
4/28/22
4/24/22
Order deadlines Father’s Day 2022
Country
Date
Shipping Deadline
Order Deadline
DE
5/26/22
5/23/22
5/17/22
UK
6/19/22
6/9/22
6/6/22
US
6/19/22
6/10/22
6/6/22
FR
6/19/22
6/10/22
6/7/22
NL
6/19/22
6/13/22
6/8/22
AT
6/19/22
6/13/22
6/8/22
PL
6/23/22
6/13/22
6/8/22
NO
11/13/22
11/1/22
10/26/22
DK
6/5/22
5/25/22
5/22/22
FI
11/13/22
11/3/22
10/28/22
SE
11/13/22
11/3/22
10/28/22
As far as deadlines are concerned, we usually take two days to ship an order. As always, we will do our best to ensure that all your customers receive their orders on time.
Do you have any questions or comments about the order deadlines? Write us in the forum!
Finally, winter is over. We could weep. On March 20, spring officially begins and (half) the world awakens from its long winter sleep.
Spring is a busy and festive season with many special occasions and holidays around the world, including:
Mardi Gras on March 1st
International Women’s Day on March 8th
St. Patrick’s Day on March 17th
Start of Ramadan on April 2nd
Easter on April 17th
Passover from April 15th-23rd
Special occasions are just one nice excuse to promote your Shop. You can usually postpone the start of your discount promotions within a time window of 60 days – i.e. 30 days before or after the official promotion date, so schedule them as you see fit.
Scheduled discount promotions in March & April*
March 4th – 9th: 15% off everything
March 17th – 22nd: Free shipping
March 30th – April 4th: 20% off everything
April 9th – 12th*: 15% off everything
April 21st – 26th*: 20 % off everything
*to be confirmed.
Notice anything? We’ve extended the promotion period to up to six days! Of course, you can still shorten or postpone your discount promotions as you like. So get planning and promote your Shop with some special deals!
Your designs will be “singin’ in the rain” when you feature them on this new collapsible umbrella. What will they be singing, you ask? That should be obvious: “Now that it’s raining more than ever / Know that we’ll still have each other / You can stand under my umbrella ella ella eh eh eh!”
Snapback caps are size-adjustable at the back of the head thanks to their trademark snap. What distinguishes the snapback from its predecessor – the baseball cap – is the straight brim.
Snapback caps were first used in baseball, but in the 2000s they became a popular accessory in hip-hop culture.
All clear? If not, come to the Spreadshop forum and chat with us and your fellow Shop Owners all over the world!
This retro fanny pack is a multifunctional addition to your Shop. In classic fanny pack style, it’s made of durable polyester and topped off with an adjustable strap.
You’re going to love this month’s product additions! Next to brand new colors for the Men’s Organic T-Shirt, we’ve also added some fresh hues for the bigger sizes of the Premium Hoodie for both women and men. Be sure to add them to your range!
Of course, what’s true for women also holds true for men. This essential hooded sweatshirt is now also available in different colors for sizes 3XL-5XL: black, navy, heather grey, and white.
Color deactivation
ID 1544 Women’s Performance Racerback Tank
The manufacturer discontinues the color azalea, and we are currently looking to replace it with a similar color.
Product News – Europe
We don’t have too many news this time around, but we’re excited to be able to offer new colors for one of our firm favorites: the mighty Premium Hoodie.
New in our assortment: our kids’ apron is great for real and imaginary cooking. Your designs will add a special flavor to any little chef’s uniform. Add it to your Shop today!
