[FAQ]

My main focus on YouTube is my long-form content, but I know Shorts are huge for discoverability.

What are the most effective ways in 2025 to strategically use Shorts to act as a funnel and drive viewers from my Shorts to my full-length videos? I’m looking for tips on what kind of clips to create and how to properly link or direct viewers.

Thanks for any advice!

[Jeff Bullas]

That’s an excellent question.

Quick Answer: The best way is to create compelling, standalone clips from your long-form content and use YouTube’s “Related Video” feature to directly link the Short to the full video, supported by a clear call to action.

Using Shorts as a top-of-funnel discovery tool for your long-form content is one of the most powerful growth strategies on YouTube today. The goal is not just to post a random clip, but to create a high-impact teaser that makes a viewer curious enough to seek out the full-length version.

Here is how to do it effectively. First, you need to identify the “golden nuggets” in your long-form videos. Review your content and find the most interesting, funny, surprising, or valuable moments that are between 15 and 60 seconds long. These will become your Shorts.

Second, you must edit each clip to be a standalone hook. A clip taken from the middle of a long video often lacks context. You should add an on-screen text hook at the beginning, such as “Here’s the biggest mistake people make when…”, to grab attention and quickly set the scene. Always add burned-in captions, as many people watch Shorts without sound.

Third, and this is the most important technical step, you must use the “Related Video” feature. When you upload your Short, or later in YouTube Studio, you can link it directly to one of your long-form videos. This creates a clickable link right on the Short’s watch page that says “Created from [Your Full Video Title]”, making it very easy for interested viewers to find the source.

And fourth, you should also include a verbal and written call to action. At the end of your Short, you can say, “For the full story on this, check out the full video linked in this Short.” You can also pin a comment on your Short that directs people to the full video on your channel.

In summary, the strategy involves creating self-contained, high-impact teaser clips and using the built-in “Related Video” feature combined with clear calls to action. This guides viewers from the short-form discovery experience directly to your more in-depth, long-form content.

Cheers,

Jeff

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