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# YouTube’s New Shorts Feature Could Be Similar To TikTok
- URL: https://www.hypebot.com/youtubes-new-shorts-feature-could-be-similar-to-tiktok/
- Published: 2020-04-06T16:57:57.000Z
- Updated: 2020-04-06T16:58:01.000Z
- Description: YouTube has had little real competition since its inception, and while there are plenty of other video platforms out there, none of them have seriously threatened YouTube – until TikTok. Continue reading [https://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2020/04/youtubes-new-shorts-feature-could-be-similar-to-tiktok.
- Author: admin
- Tags: Music Business, Music Tech, YouTube & Video, shorts, TikTok, YouTube, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-01-21 09:51

YouTube has had little real competition since its inception, and while there are plenty of other video platforms out there, none of them have seriously threatened YouTube – until TikTok came along that is. YouTube appears to be dealing with this new competition by working on something known as “Shorts,” a clear bid to keep users on the platform.

*Guest post by *Bobby Owsinski* of [Music 3.0](https://music3point0.com/2020/04/03/youtube-shorts-tiktok/?utm%5Fsource=rss&utm%5Fmedium=rss&utm%5Fcampaign=youtube-shorts-tiktok)*

**YouTube** really hasn’t had much competition since it’s started. Sure there are plenty of other user-generated platforms like **Vimeo, DailyMotion** and **Veoh**, but they never seriously threatened the video giant. **TikTok** is a different story though, as it’s a different animal in that focuses on very short videos based around music. As a result, this is the first time that YouTube was ever an also-ran in the social conversation. YouTube is more than aware of the situation, and is reportedly working on a new feature called “Shorts” that it hopes will keep more people on the platform.

The website [**The Information** reported](https://www.theinformation.com/articles/youtube-plans-shorts-to-rival-tiktok?utm%5Fcontent=bufferb1daf&utm%5Fmedium=social&utm%5Fsource=twitter&utm%5Fcampaign=buffer) that YT is working on Shorts to provide TikTok operation within the YouTube app. According to the site:

*“Shorts will include a feed of brief videos posted by users inside the Google-owned app and will take advantage of the video service’s catalog of licensed music, songs from which will be available to use as soundtracks for the videos created by users.”*

![TikTok logo on a black background, representing popular social media platform for short-form videos and digital content creation.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/3a/95/3a957c06-c825-4057-9939-0a274cc16d23/content/images/www-hypebot-com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/65299d601fce6efe7a1dd7535de1503e.png)

YouTube’s new feature would have a few advantages over TikTok. For instance, it already has extensive music licensing agreements in place, which means that there would be a lot more music to choose from for Shorts clips. YouTube also has a much larger daily user base by a factor of about 5, so influencers might find it better to stay on the platform to reach more potential viewers. Even better, YouTube has a better monetization system in place that influencers are already taking advantage of.

For artists and bands, TikTok has been somewhat of a head scratcher. Only short clips are used and only ones that lend themselves to memes at that. Users that stay on the YouTube rather than TikTok have more of a chance to pick a piece of an artist’s song than the current limited exposure on TikTok.

All that said, it’s easier to roll out a feature than it is to get people to adopt it. TikTok is hot now and it should be interesting to see if YouTube can capture some of its thunder.