YouTube Shorts Get Longer 📺

I’ve had a blast this week experimenting with Google NotebookLM’s Audio Overview feature. This AI tool allows you to upload documents and notes to generate a podcast, featuring AI-generated voices engaging in a deep discussion about the content.

The banter, insights, and overall conversation are quite impressive!

Check out the video I shared on LinkedIn and Instagram where I test it out with a recent edition of my newsletter. To showcase its capabilities further, I’ve uploaded this edition of the newsletter—you can listen here.

TODAY’S EDITION

• YouTube delivers on creators’ most in-demand feature: the ability to share longer Shorts, along with other updates.

• Facebook merges its monetization programs, aiming to help more creators earn across different formats.

• Instagram launches an in-app hub that guides creators on best practices.

• TikTok expands its Stories format with Flip Stories, providing an interactive way for creators to share hidden content with their followers.

• Pinterest introduces new AI and automation tools ahead of the holiday season, helping advertisers reach potential shoppers.

• Google recognizes content creators as trusted sources in search results — another nod to the power of creators.

If you’re enjoying the newsletter and finding it valuable, I’d love to hear from you! You can also support it via Buy Me A Coffee.

DEEP DIVE

YouTube Delivers on Creators' Top Request: Longer Shorts, Plus Other Updates

YouTube announced a batch of updates for Shorts, its short-form video experience. These updates include longer Shorts, a streamlined player, templates, and more.

Let’s dive into the notable changes, broken down by area of impact, and break down what they mean and why they matter.

Functionality

Longer Shorts: Starting October 14th, creators will be able to share Shorts up to three minutes long similar to TikTok, provided the videos are square or taller in aspect ratio. Videos uploaded prior to this date will remain unchanged. These Shorts are eligible for monetization, except where they include copyrighted music.

Why It Matters: YouTube is addressing one of creators' most requested features by allowing the creation of Shorts longer than 60 seconds. This extended duration gives creators more flexibility, striking a balance between very short clips and traditional long-form content, with the added benefit of being discoverable in the Shorts feed.

This update also helps creators repurpose content from other short-form video platforms, as they will no longer need to trim their clips to fit the 60-second limit. Additionally, longer Shorts can boost YouTube’s advertising potential, enabling advertisers to place longer ads that are less disruptive than those shown between videos under 60 seconds

Streamlined Shorts Player: Interaction icons are being updated from solid to outlined. The creator handle, description, and sound information have been repositioned further down, requiring viewers to click a "More" button to access all the details.

Why It Matters: These changes allow content to occupy more screen space, putting creators front and center. As a result, the viewing experience becomes more immersive, ensuring viewers can see the content as intended. However, this also means that post descriptions may become less relevant due to their minimized visibility.

Creation

Templates: A new "Use Template" button will be available under the Remix features, enabling creators to access templates for Shorts they want to recreate.

Why It Matters: Templates—from Instagram Reel templates to TikTok CapCut templates—have become synonymous with short-form videos. They lower the barrier for content creation and often lead to trendy creations that foster community engagement.

Veo: Announced at the Made On event, creators will soon gain access to Google DeepMind’s Veo tool to generate videos, including backgrounds and standalone clips for their Shorts.

Why It Matters: YouTube is expanding its AI tools by leveraging Google’s resources, allowing creators to enhance their videos without needing to film all the footage themselves. For instance, a travel creator could generate visuals of destinations they want to highlight, even without their own footage.

Community

Shorts Trends: On mobile, there will be a dedicated page for the latest trends across Shorts based on users’ countries, refreshed daily. Creators can see the number of videos created for each trend and tap a button to add their own videos.

Why It Matters: Creators now have a central location to discover trending content they can participate in, helping them connect with communities and increase their discoverability.

Comments in Shorts Feed: A preview of comments will now appear directly in the Shorts feed.

Why It Matters: Currently, users must tap the comments icon to view comments on a Short, which can often be overlooked since Shorts are primarily consumed from the feed. By displaying previews, viewers can see what others are saying, potentially encouraging them to engage and benefiting creators through increased interaction.

Customization

Show Fewer Shorts: A new "Show Fewer Shorts" option will allow users to temporarily reduce the number of Shorts displayed in their home feed.

Why It Matters: As a platform historically known for long-form video, not all users embrace Shorts. This option provides a breather for those who prefer YouTube’s traditional format or simply want to avoid Shorts for a while.

Competing with Reels & TikTok

With these upgrades, YouTube is enhancing various aspects of Shorts, providing benefits like improved storytelling for creators through mid-range videos and promoting community engagement via Templates and the Shorts Trends page. The viewer experience is also being improved with a streamlined player and the option to see fewer Shorts if desired.

Collectively, these updates position Shorts as more competitive against TikTok and Instagram Reels. While creators will continue to share their short-form videos across multiple platforms, YouTube’s established direct monetization model remains a strong draw for creators of all sizes.

NEWS, TRENDS & INSIGHTS

Meta

Facebook Announces New Monetization Program for Creators

Facebook announced that it will roll out a new monetization program called Facebook Content Monetization Beta. This program will merge in-stream ads, Ads on Reels, and the Performance Bonus into a single initiative. Creators will be compensated for Reels, longer videos, photos, and text posts based on a performance-based payout model.

Facebook also reported that:

• It has paid out creators $2 billion in the past year alone, following its expansion from compensating creators for longer videos to other content formats.

• Payouts for Reels and short-form videos have grown by more than 80 percent.

• Currently, only one-third of creators who monetize on Facebook do so through more than one Facebook-funded program.

The new program will be available in 2025, but creators can learn more and express their interest in the program here.

Why It Matters: Facebook is simplifying its monetization programs for creators by consolidating what were previously multiple programs, which had varying availability, eligibility requirements, and sign-up processes, under one umbrella. This streamlined approach will make it easier for creators to participate in and earn from Facebook's monetization opportunities.

Despite paying out billions to creators in the past year—though still much smaller than YouTube’s $70 billion over the last three years—Facebook often doesn’t receive enough recognition for the opportunities it offers on its platform. However, with recent moves to create a more TikTok-like video experience and its push to attract Gen Z, we can expect an uptick in creators investing their time and resources in Facebook.

ICYMI: Meta Connect 2024 Key Creator Updates: Language Dubbing to Realistic Video Avatars

Instagram Launches In-App Best Practices Hub for Creators

Instagram launched Best Practices, an in-app education destination for creators. This hub features guides and short-form videos that educate creators on topics such as content creation, engagement, reach, monetization, and platform guidelines. Additionally, it includes personalized tips to help creators understand how their accounts are performing in each category.

Why It Matters: Understanding best practices on any platform is essential for creators' success. However, navigating rapid changes and the overwhelming volume of information available online can be challenging, especially when myths abound. For example, Adam Mosseri recently clarified that editing content in third-party apps does not affect reach, dispelling a common misconception.

With the new hub, creators have a reliable resource straight from the horse's mouth. They can combine best practices with their own personalized learnings to adopt a more holistic approach.

Instagram Adds Filtering & ‘Create Thread’ Options for Comments

Instagram added a pair of comment-related features. The first is a filter that allows to sort comments on a post between "For You" and "Recent." The second feature is a "Create Thread" option, which becomes available when users long-press on a comment they've left on a post. Selecting this option populates the comment along with the corresponding post as a Threads post.

Why It Matters: The filtering option introduces an algorithmic way of displaying comments, which can be beneficial in helping creators manage comments who receive large volume of comments on their content.

The "Create Thread" feature furthers Meta's integration of its apps, giving Instagram users a way to extend their interactions onto Threads. This once again highlights how comments have evolved into a content format, as platforms continue to enable users to transform these interactions into shareable content.

Threads Extends Post-Editing Window to 15 Minutes & Enhances Fediverse Integration

Threads has extended the editing window for posts from 5 minutes to 15 minutes. For users with fediverse sharing enabled, their posts will now appear on federated servers like Mastodon 15 minutes after they are published.

Additionally, users with fediverse sharing can now see who follows them and likes their content from other servers.

Why It Matters: This extended editing window gives users more time to correct typos or modify their posts. While 15 minutes offers greater flexibility, it is shorter than X's one-hour window, effectively balancing the need for timely edits with the prevention of misleading conten.

Furthermore, the ability to view follows and interactions from other servers enhances integration between Threads and the fediverse. As the fediverse remains unfamiliar to many, Threads’ involvement can help increase awareness and drive adoption.

TikTok

TikTok Introduces Flip Stories to Allow Creators to Share Unlockable Content

TikTok introduced Flip Stories, a new feature that allows creators to add a second side to their Stories, which can be unlocked with a simple flip. Viewers can access Flip Stories by pressing a "Hold to Flip" button on the first slide, revealing hidden content on the second slide. Additionally, creators will have the ability to see which viewers engaged with this feature.

Why It Matters: Flip Stories offer creators a fun, interactive way to engage with their followers through TikTok Stories. This feature supports various creative use cases, such as before-and-after photos, announcements, sneak peeks, and reveals.

Brands can incorporate Flip Stories into their influencer marketing campaigns. For example, creators could share limited promo codes hidden on the second slide of their content. A creator might showcase a product on the first slide and then reward their followers with a promo code on the second slide, encouraging interaction and increasing the likelihood of conversions.

Flip Stories also draw inspiration from Instagram’s Frames and Reveal stickers. While Frames allow users to reveal photos by shaking their device, similar to a Polaroid developing, Reveal enables users to post hidden Stories that followers can unlock by sending a direct message. While these features operate differently, they both engage a creator’s network by requiring interaction to unlock content.

Pinterest

Pinterest Unveils New AI & Automation Tools for Advertisers

Pinterest announced new AI and automation tools for advertisers during Pinterest Presents 2024, its annual advertiser summit:

• Pinterest Performance+: A suite of AI and automation tools designed to drive lower-funnel results. It includes Performance+ campaigns, which automatically set up, monitor, and optimize campaigns, and Performance+ creative, which leverages generative AI to generate backgrounds for product Pins, creating personalized lifestyle imagery.

  Promotions: Users will receive personalized promotions and sales across Search and Home Feeds based on their search history and pinned content. Additionally, a new Deals ads module will make ads more prominent.

Why It Matters: Pinterest is aligning with the trend of other advertising platforms by integrating more AI into its offerings. Performance+ will streamline campaign setup, simplify campaign management, and drive desired results, while Promotions will help shoppers discover and take advantage of enticing deals. Timed perfectly for the holiday season, Pinterest is reinforcing its commitment to becoming a full-funnel platform for advertisers.

You can find more news, trends, and insights on my blog, including Instagram developing a sorting filter for Reels, Amazon rolling out Collages for Influencer Storefronts, LinkedIn experimenting with an Explore More experience, and Apple Podcasts spotlighting serialized podcasts with new features.

WHAT I’M READING

Google Recognizes Content Creators: A Breakthrough for E-E-A-T and SEO (Search Engine Land)

Google is now recognizing creators as trusted sources in search results. Creators like Dr. Casey Means and Carmen Edelson now have Knowledge Panels that label them as "Content Creators," highlight their niche, and link to their websites and social media. This shift places creators within Google’s E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) guidelines, elevating their credibility to match that of legacy institutions and traditional media.

Social Influencers Say Opaque Pay Deals Create Unfair Disparity (Bloomberg)

Despite the influencer marketing industry's massive growth—projected to reach $24 billion this year—many creators face a lack of transparency in compensation and few legal protections. Bloomberg’s Alicia Clanton spoke to a dozen creators who have encountered pay disparity issues due to insufficient compensation structures and protections for creators.

Podcast Trends: In Established vs. Emerging Marketers (Acast)

Acast celebrated International Podcast Day with a new report highlighting key trends across established and emerging markets for podcasting. The findings reveal that podcast ads significantly drive consumer behavior, with over half of daily listeners making a purchase after hearing a podcast ad. Additionally, the report states that 70% of podcast licensors globally follow hosts on social media. These add proof that more brands should partner with podcasters, and when they do, they should also extend their campaigns to social media.

THANK YOU

Thank you for reading! If you've enjoyed this, please consider sharing it with a colleague or friend. If you have any feedback, ideas, tips, or questions or would like to advertise in the newsletter or collaborate, please don't hesitate to reply to this email, reach out here, or send me a DM.