TikTok vs. YouTube Shorts: Breaking Down the Basics

With all of the recent uncertainty surrounding TikTok, and with more advertisers incorporating YouTube Shorts into their ad strategies every day, it’s time we clear up some burning questions about the high-level similarities and differences between these two leading short-form platforms. 

Let’s first discuss some of the features that TikTok and Shorts have in common. One major plus is their creative compatibility. Creators can use the same exact creative assets for both platforms, making the transition from one to the other pretty seamless. Standard in-feed TikTok ads range from 5 to 60 seconds, while Shorts ads are nearly identical, running from 6 to 60 seconds. However, TikTok best practices suggest videos be 21-34 seconds, while Shorts recommends a wider range of 5-60 seconds. Both platforms also utilize the same exact 9:16 vertical format and 1080×1920 resolution size.

While elements like creative and length are similar, there are several differentiators between Shorts and TikTok that should be noted. First up – targeting capabilities. TikTok allows advertisers to target users aged 13+. YouTube Shorts, on the other hand, focuses on an older demographic, only targeting users 18+. Shorts also has the added benefit of being part of the Google ecosystem, and therefore providing access to a wealth of behavioral data signals – insights TikTok does not have access to. This includes the ability to target audiences based on their Google searches and other online activity, leading to more precise targeting capabilities.

Ad placements and exclusions are other areas where we see some differing parameters. TikTok and YouTube Shorts both enable contextual targeting for brand suitability, but they differ in how they display ad placement information. TikTok’s placement reporting is fairly broad, while Shorts offers more detailed insights into where exactly your ads have appeared. When it comes to content exclusions, TikTok allows you to block broad content categories. Shorts, on the other hand, provides a more granular approach, allowing advertisers to block specific channels, giving them greater control over where their ads are shown. 

Another important distinction is how each platform reports on a “view.” TikTok registers a view after 6 seconds of viewership. YouTube Shorts, in contrast, counts a view after the first 10 seconds, or upon completion if the video is shorter than 10 seconds. This means you’re potentially getting more engaged views for your spend on Shorts. While there are some more subtle differences in tracking and reporting, it’s helpful to know that both platforms can be bought on either a CPM or CPV, allowing for flexibility in reporting on both. However, when comparing key measurements like awareness, it’s important to note that we’re often seeing Shorts outperform TikTok in metrics like awareness lift.

Given the evolving landscape of TikTok, and the significant growth of YouTube Shorts, every advertiser should be considering how to leverage both platforms effectively, either together or separately, in their advertising strategies.