H1: What are the best YouTube Shorts formats right now? Intro Creators ask which youtube shorts formats work best, but most testing is vibe-based, not structured. The Shorts feed is unforgiving: weak first frames and unclear packaging get swiped instantly. The fix is picking repeatable formats and diagnosing packaging, not posting more at random. H2: What creators think is happening (debunk common myths) - “It’s random; luck decides.” Outliers are rarely random. They cluster around specific structures. - “Topic beats format.” In Shorts, structure and first frames often decide hold rate more than topic. - “Thumbnails don’t matter.” They matter off-feed (search, channel, suggested). In-feed is autoplay, so on-video packaging matters more. - “Shorter always wins.” Tight pacing wins. Plenty of 25–40s Shorts hold if the payoff is clear and the beats are dense. - “Title CTR drives Shorts.” In-feed, viewers don’t choose via title. Swipe-through vs hold is the gating behavior. H2: What the data actually shows (observations without fake numbers) - Outliers usually share a format: tease-process-payoff, before/after, reaction with proof, or numbered micro-lists. Topic varies; structure repeats. - First-frame clarity and motion correlate with lower swipe-away. Static starts and slow intros underperform. - Early, explicit stakes increase completion and rewatch. Late reveals cause a mid-scroll drop. - On-screen headlines (5–7 words) outperform relying on titles alone. Titles are truncated in-feed. - Thumbnails drive views from non-feed surfaces; track thumbnail ctr separately from Shorts feed performance. - Consistent series signals (visual template, hook line, framing) make it easier for viewers to recognize and watch more. H2: Why this happens (packaging / format reasons) - In-feed autoplay removes the usual click. Packaging is now inside the video: first frame, headline text, motion, and audio hook. - Format reduces cognitive load. Viewers instantly understand what they’ll get and when the payoff lands. - The first 1–3 seconds act as the new CTR. Clear promise + immediate proof earns the hold; ambiguity gets swiped. - Repeated structures help viewers (and systems) detect “this is for me,” improving show-to-hold on future Shorts. H2: What to try instead (3–5 actionable ideas) - Tease → Process → Payoff - Open on the result or bold claim in frame 0. - On-screen headline: “I fixed X in 15s.” - Show 2–4 ultra-tight steps (1–2s each), then a crisp payoff. - Before/After with a visible timer or progress bar - Start on the “after,” then jump to “before.” - Keep a timer/progress visual running; cut every 2–3s. - Add a micro-proof frame (zoom, compare overlay). - Green-screen Reaction + Proof - Lead with your take in 0–1s, then roll the evidence. - Keep face framing stable; punch-in on key words. - Caption keywords only; avoid full-line walls. - 3-in-15s micro-list - “3 tools to speed up X.” Numbered beats, 3–5 words per item. - Lock cadence: item every ~3–4s with a quick visual demo. - Challenge with stakes you can see - Start mid-action with a visible constraint (“$10 budget,” “1 try”). - Show first failure fast, then the solve; payoff by ~70% of runtime. Packaging checklist for each Short - Frame 0: motion + face/subject + on-screen headline under 7 words. - Beat map: a change every 2–3s (angle, overlay, crop, sound). - Proof frames: zooms, side-by-sides, counters, or receipts. - Audio hook: lead with the line that carries the promise. - Thumbnails: design for off-feed; test copy and contrast for search/channel. H2: How GrowIt analyzes this automatically GrowIt runs outlier analysis across your recent Shorts, groups videos with format detection (tutorial, before/after, reaction, list), and compares first-frame packaging. It separates in-feed hold metrics from off-feed surfaces to report thumbnail ctr where it matters. You get packaging diagnosis on hooks, overlays, pacing, and a shortlist of formats to scale next. CTA Drop a link to your channel and we’ll analyze your last 10 Shorts to surface outliers, diagnose packaging, and suggest your next 3 format tests.