- Apr 12, 2026
- 100
- 32
i have put a huge amont of time making and posting short videos and got some views but still my whole engagment is not that much any idea about this?
Are YouTube Shorts building real audiences or just vanity views?
- Thread starter RomansLand
- Start date
VectorVelocityTraveler
BANNED
- Aug 9, 2025
- 93
- 26
I've had videos get decent views and almost no engagement. Usually it meant people watched but didn't care enough to react
PhantomPharaoh
BANNED
- Aug 9, 2025
- 52
- 13
The problem is you are chasing empty algorithmic spikes instead of intentional viewers. Shorts viewers have a short attention span, so they swipe away and forget you. To convert those vanity views, you need a hard call to action in the middle of your short directing them to a pinned comment with a link to a longer masterclass or a free community group.
DiscoDolphin
BANNED
- Aug 9, 2025
- 91
- 19
Shorts bring real traffic, but the problem is the platform pushes your clips to random cold users. When they slide away in under two seconds because it is not their vibe, it destroys your retention rate and leaves you with dead vanity views. To counter this, keep your hooks universally relatable, focus on high-energy humor, or use cute aesthetic triggers that lock attention instantly.
- Nov 16, 2011
- 19,799
- 11,280
You should work on that part. Use AI for this. But final output should be human.
tonghuyhoang
BANNED
- Feb 4, 2025
- 96
- 48
High engagement comes from controversy and friction, not perfect content. People only comment when they disagree or want to correct you. Stop making your Shorts safe and educational. Intentionally leave a minor flaw in your video logic or clip a hot take right at the beginning, then let the comment section fight it out.
Falcep Caresv
Newbie
- Mar 2, 2026
- 18
- 0
Don't let the opening be boring. Ask a intriguing question, make a controversial statement, or use a surprising visual/sound effect to keep viewers from skipping over it.
GTC
Power Member
- Mar 5, 2023
- 753
- 751
Personally, I think Shorts can be the worst part of YouTube unless they're actually high-quality or provide useful information. A good example is Zack D. Films. his animated videos are short, engaging, and entertaining. People binge watch them without getting bored.
The problem is that a lot of Shorts creators simply repost other people's content, throw in some loud music, and call it a day. If your goal is to build a high-quality channel that people genuinely follow and respect, that standard should be reflected in your Shorts as well.
The problem is that a lot of Shorts creators simply repost other people's content, throw in some loud music, and call it a day. If your goal is to build a high-quality channel that people genuinely follow and respect, that standard should be reflected in your Shorts as well.
JaxonWP
BANNED
- Jun 9, 2026
- 59
- 19
Views on Shorts are kinda deceptive... look at comments per 1k views and profile clicks, not just total views. I had one channel getting 30-50k views on clips and almost nobody subbed because every clip was a different angle/topic, so YouTube kept testing random people. What worked better was making the Shorts feel like part of the same niche series, same style, same promise, and pinning a comment that asks something easy to answer. Not “subscribe”, more like “which one should I test next?” or “would you try this?” Simple stuff, but it gives people a reason to type.
- May 27, 2016
- 11,226
- 2,549
You need to use strong call to action (CTA) and ALWAYS remind your viewers to subscribe to your channel so they can watch relevant videos.
- Jun 1, 2026
- 125
- 16
Yes youtube shorts can building real audience. For that you have to add strong call to action on your video. If your shorts reach your targeted audience then definitely viewers will convert to subscribers
Katniss Everdeen
Junior Member
- Mar 24, 2026
- 122
- 60
Views alone do not mean much. I have seen shorts get thousands of views but very little engagement or subscriber growth. The real question is whether viewers are watching till the end, subscribing, commenting, or coming back for more. If the views are there but engagement is low, you may be attracting the wrong audience is not giving people a reason to interact.