Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — YouTube is extending the maximum duration for its short-form video feature, Shorts, in a direct move to compete with TikTok. Starting October 15, 2024, users will be able to upload Shorts up to three minutes long, significantly expanding the current time limit. The company made the decision in response to user demand, according to a report by The Verge on Thursday, October 3.
This move aligns YouTube Shorts with TikTok’s longer video format. TikTok, which initially built its platform on short-form content, now allows users to post videos up to 10 minutes in length, and plans are in place to raise that limit further.
Shorts was launched as YouTube’s answer to TikTok, offering a platform for creators to produce short, engaging videos. YouTube has worked to enhance its Shorts experience, incorporating several TikTok-like features to keep pace with its rival. These include a familiar interface where users scroll down to move to the next video, a feature already popular on TikTok.
Videos on Shorts, like those on TikTok, are fed to users based on algorithmic recommendations, a departure from YouTube’s traditional model of choosing specific videos from a list. This helps users quickly discover new content without leaving one video to search for another, as is common on YouTube’s main platform.
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In addition to extending video length, YouTube is introducing a new template feature for Shorts, allowing creators to reuse popular formats for their videos. This capability, already available on TikTok, enables users to craft content based on previously successful video structures.
YouTube is actively encouraging creators to embrace Shorts as an alternative to TikTok, but it also recognizes that its user base still values longer-format videos, which have long been the hallmark of the platform. In response, YouTube has added options for users who prefer longer videos, including a feature to limit the number of Shorts that appear on their home feed.
(Raidi/Agung)
