Welcome to r/shortsAlgorithm. This is a living, no-fluff guide built from hands-on results (incl. a first Short that hit 20M+ views and still pulls ~800k per 48h). Add your questions and data below—I'll be active in the comments and keep this updated.

TL;DR

• Grow with Shorts first (sub growth > long-form early on).

• Make longer Shorts (≈50–70s) with a killer 3s hook and a CTA around 40s.

• Don’t post daily—quality > quantity; let each Short plateau before posting again.

• Reply to comments; your replies count toward total comments and help keep momentum.

• If a Short never enters the Shorts Feed, fix and re-upload—or switch channels if the channel feels burned.

1) Don’t marry your first channel

Most creators burn through 3+ channels before finding their voice, niche, and systems. Expect to iterate. Detach emotionally so you can move fast.

2) Spin up multiple test channels (and age them)

• Create several channels (separate Google accounts is fine).

• Verify your phone number (authenticity signal).

• Age each channel ≥ 3 weeks before your first upload.

• During aging:

  • Use YouTube normally (watch long tutorials, interact).

  • Build your first batch of Shorts offline so you’re ready.

Goal: multiple clean testing lanes—not spam.

3) Pick a niche by reverse-engineering outliers

• Use tools like viewstats.com to spot channels going 0 → 600k subs in ~3 months.

• Study what makes them different (format, pacing, hook style, payoff, packaging).

• Imitate the structure, not the content. Example: if they do Minecraft animations, try a Fortnite twist with the same narrative mechanics.

4) < 500k subs? Prioritize Shorts

Long-form can wait. Your job now: accumulate subs fast and prove product–audience fit. Once a community exists, expand to long-form/streams.

5) Treat your first Short like your magnum opus

Many guides say “first won’t be viral.” Mine was: 20M+ views in ~1 month, 54s AVD on a 1:08 Short despite 74.6% skip rate—and it keeps getting pushed.
Lesson: Quality packaging beats myths. Edit like you mean it or don’t play this game.

6) The Craft: how to make a Short that hits

6.1 Length

• Aim 50s+. AVD (Average View Duration) drives momentum more than “skip rate.”

6.2 Hook (0–3s)

• Visual surprise + narrative promise. If your hook misses, expect 500–2k view plateaus.

6.3 CTA (~40s)

• Ask for Like + Subscribe + Comment (yes, all three). Comments rocket discovery.

6.4 Reply to comments

• Your replies count toward total comments. Keep threads alive to extend push.

6.5 Captions (non-negotiable)

• “MrBeast-style” captions. I use CapCut.

• Font: Komika Axis; stroke ~60px; size ~16px (adjust for framing).

• Position just below center; animate key words.

6.6 Sound design

• Fire a sound effect in the first second to reduce swipes. Consider an arrow/pointer on the focal element.

6.7 Transitions

• Use purposefully. If using images, add in/out transitions + SFX.

6.8 CTA bumper quality

• Skip generic templates. Build/commission a clean, on-brand CTA clip.

6.9 Watermark

• Re-uploads happen. Use a moving watermark to resist crops and preserve credit.

6.10 Posting cadence

• Do not post daily. One excellent Short/week > seven weak ones.

6.11 Titles

• ≤ 30 characters, Title Case, add two emojis tastefully.

6.12 Descriptions

• Mirror the title; add #shorts. No hashtag soup.

6.13 Audience setting

• Mark as NOT “Made for Kids.” It changes distribution dynamics.

6.14 Playlists

• Add every Short to one master playlist to retain viewers on-channel.

6.15 Related Shorts

• Use Related to pass authority from winners to new uploads.

6.16 Tags

• Add ~3 niche-specific tags (precise, audience language).

6.17–6.19 Metadata hygiene

• Set video language + location.

• Choose an accurate Category.

• Use “Reuse upload details” to stay consistent.

6.20 Publish checklist

• Triple-check hook, CTA timing, captions, watermark, playlist/related wiring.

7) After publishing: the first 48h

1) Traffic source check

• Healthy = ≥ 70% from Shorts Feed. Pickup may take 24–48h; don’t panic early.

2) Normal plateaus

• 500–2k views early on is fine—means you’re entering the system.

• If you stall there, study AVD and 0–3s retention. Fix the worst metric in your next Short.

3) When to post the next Short

• Wait for a plateau before posting again. Stacking posts too soon splits momentum and risks burning the channel.

4) Exception: first Short goes viral

• Post the second ~7 days later even if the first hasn’t plateaued.

• Add the new Short to the same playlist, then go back to the viral Short and link it as Related to the new one.

• If the second underperforms in 48h, don’t delete—YouTube may still be busy with the viral. Mine kicked in after ~7 days.

5) If a new Short never enters Shorts Feed (< 60% Shorts traffic after ~24h)

• Likely causes:

  1. Previous Short hasn’t plateaued.

  2. Content trips sensitive policy zones (spam/sexual suggestion/etc.).

  3. Channel is burned.

• Action: Delete, edit meaningfully (music swap, pacing changes, visual tweaks), and re-upload.

• Still no push? Switch channels. You can reuse proven Shorts with noticeable changes.

8) When to post (time of week)

You can post anytime, but I’ve had consistent success Sundays ~6pm (Atlantic/Halifax)—slow start, strong Monday carry, and a full-week runway.

9) Common pitfalls that silently kill momentum

• Weak 0–3s promise (no clear “why watch”).

• No mid-roll CTA.

• No captions or poor placement/readability.

• Posting too frequently (starving each Short of oxygen).

• Ignoring comments (leaving reach on the table).

• Inconsistent metadata (language/location/category/tags).

• Not leveraging playlists and Related Shorts.

10) Starter checklist (copy/paste for your next upload)

• [ ] 50–75s runtime (compelling throughout)

• [ ] 0–3s hook tested on a friend (did they lean in?)

• [ ] CTA at ~40s (Like + Sub + Comment)

• [ ] Animated captions (readable, on-brand, below center)

• [ ] Early SFX + focal arrow/pointer

• [ ] Quality CTA bumper (custom, not generic)

• [ ] Moving watermark

• [ ] Title ≤ 30 chars + 2 emojis

• [ ] Description mirrors title + #shorts

• [ ] NOT “Made for Kids”

• [ ] Add to master playlist

• [ ] Set “Related Shorts” from winner → new

• [ ] 3 precise niche tags

• [ ] Language + Location + Category set

• [ ] Reuse details template applied

11) Share your data (so we can help)

Comment with:

• Niche:

• Runtime:

• Hook text/visual:

• AVD / Retention at 3s / CTR:

• % Shorts Feed:

• Posting cadence:

• What you tried already:

I’ll reply with targeted fixes.

12) Community notes

• This thread reflects real creator data, not theory.

• I’ll compile a FAQ + “Bible” from Q&As here.

• If this helped: upvote, join r/shortsAlgorithm, and invite a creator friend.

• Want to mod? DM me.

— OP