YouTube announced it’s adding more TikTok-like features to Shorts — including side-by-side recording, vertical livestreaming format, Q&A sticker and many more. As the platform’s short-form feature is taking TikTok head-on as a direct competitor, the tech giant is adding more options for creators to make more creative Shorts.  

Shorts’ Collab feature

Shorts’ Collab feature allows creators to record a video in a side-by-side format, which is similar to TikTok’s format. Creators can choose from multiple layouts and use the effects on Shorts and normal YouTube videos. YouTube is also adding a Q&A sticker to Shorts so creators can make direct responses in the app.

Image courtesy: YouTube
Image courtesy: YouTube

Livestreaming preview on Shorts feed 

YouTube is also experimenting with adding livestream previews on the Shorts feed, a similar feature of TikTok. According to YouTube, “Viewers in the test [of this new functionality] will see previews of vertical live videos mixed into the Shorts feed. As someone taps into the experience, they’ll be placed in a scrollable feed of other live videos.”

Creators are also going to make money on this feature through paid chatting and memberships. This new feature aims to attract more live viewers from Shorts as well. 

Additional tools

Image courtesy: YouTube

Making Shorts is also becoming easier as YouTube is adding a shortcut that pulls the audio clips and effects from the video being viewed. This is the same tool that TikToks and Reels use, which significantly makes filming time shorter. The user would also get to pick up the audio from the same time stamp as the original video. 

Last month, YouTube announced that select creators could make YouTube Shorts from comments. It’s another way of interacting with the audience, which is a big feature of TikTok. The platform is also working on new “recomposition” tools that turn horizontal videos into Shorts. 

These measures are part of YouTube’s efforts to compete with TikTok. Shorts has seen growth in the past year, with two billion monthly logged-in users as of July 2023, so clearly YouTube sees there’s a lane for Shorts in the market.