There are a lot of reasons a YouTube Short can miss out on views: wrong posting time, missing hooks, wrong video format, or content that conflicts with YouTube’s algorithm.
The important thing is that all of these problems are fixable, and you can start getting views on your videos with ease.
As the team behind the #1 social media feed plugins for WordPress, we’ve put together a list of proven tips.
With these, you can see exactly why your YouTube Shorts are hurting and start getting more views today.
- 7 Reasons Why Your YouTube Shorts Are Not Getting Views
- How to Get More Views on YouTube Shorts (9+ Ways)
- 1. Embed YouTube Shorts on Your Website
- 2. Use Contests and Giveaways
- 3. Cross-post to Different Platforms
- 4. Use Engaging Captions
- 5. Create Eye-Catching Thumbnails for YouTube Shorts
- 6. Add a YouTube Shorts Widget on Your Site
- 7. Keep Posting YouTube Videos
- 8. Use the Right Number of Hashtags
- 9. Use Keyword Research for YouTube
- 10. Collaborate With Other Brands and Influencers
7 Reasons Why Your YouTube Shorts Are Not Getting Views
First, let’s see why your YouTube Shorts might not be getting as many views. Based on our tests and feedback from YouTubers, these are the most common causes to look out for.
1. You’re Posting at the Wrong Time
A simple explanation is that you could be posting YouTube Shorts when interested people aren’t online.
To solve this issue, you can use YouTube Analytics to check when your viewers are online. That will be the perfect time to upload your shorts.
Once you find the right time, you can start scheduling your YouTube Shorts when people are most likely to see them.
If your YouTube Shorts stop getting views after a few hours, you can try posting multiple times a day as well.
Want more ways to use analytics for YouTube? Check out this guide on how to use Google Analytics for YouTube.
2. You’re Not Using the Right Hook
When it comes to short videos, people can make their judgments in just seconds.
As a result, you have to hook your viewers right at the start of your videos, or people could lose interest and continue scrolling.
Not sure what kind of hook to use? Here are a few examples that you can try including at the start:
- Intriguing question
- Quick summary of the video
- Interesting fact
- Short scene from later in the video
Give these hooks a try, and you can start grabbing people’s attention and getting more views for your YouTube channel.
3. Your Shorts Suddenly Stopped Getting Views
If your Shorts were performing fine and then views dropped off sharply, that’s a different problem from never getting views in the first place.
The most common causes of a sudden drop:
- Algorithm re-evaluation: YouTube periodically re-tests older Shorts with new audiences. If early retention data was weak, YouTube pulls back distribution. The fix is to improve your hook on future videos and focus on watch-through rate.
- Upload frequency dropped: YouTube rewards consistency. If you went quiet for a few weeks, your channel loses momentum, and YouTube deprioritizes your content in the feed.
- A video got flagged or restricted: One piece of borderline content can quietly suppress the reach of your whole channel for a period. Check YouTube Studio for any flags or warnings.
- Shorts feed rotation: YouTube rotates which creators get pushed. A dip isn’t always permanent. Keep posting, and views typically recover within 2–4 weeks.
If your views dropped to near zero, check YouTube Studio » Analytics » Reach and look at “Impressions” first.
If impressions are low, YouTube isn’t showing your Shorts. If impressions are normal but views are low, your thumbnail or title is the problem.
4. You’re Posting Horizontal Videos
Since YouTube Shorts are formatted for vertical videos, horizontal videos will have to be cropped to fit the screen.
As a result, the video you worked so hard on can end up looking unclear and messy. On top of that, this creates a poor impression of your YouTube channel.
To avoid this problem, you should stick to vertical videos for your YouTube Shorts. Plus, you can expand your horizontal videos and post them as regular YouTube videos instead.
Want to get started with regular YouTube videos? Here’s a list of the best ways to increase watch hours on YouTube.
5. Your Content Isn’t Suited for the YouTube Algorithm
If your content isn’t right for YouTube, then you won’t be able to get viewers or reach new people.
After all, YouTube will automatically hide content that’s controversial. And in some cases, your views can freeze, and your Shorts won’t be shown in people’s feeds.
To make sure your videos are suited for YouTube, you can check the YouTube Community Guidelines and see for yourself.
“YouTube has always had a set of Community Guidelines that outline what type of content isn’t allowed on YouTube. These policies apply to all types of content on our platform, including videos, comments, links, and thumbnails.”
– YouTube Community Guidelines
Some examples of content that YouTube removes include:
- Sensitive content
- Spam & deceptive practices
- Violent or dangerous content
- Misinformation
- Educational, Documentary, Scientific, and Artistic (EDSA) content
- Regulated goods
To solve this, you can avoid including video topics that are controversial and focus on content that the YouTube algorithm is going to prefer.
6. Your Video Is Marked “Made for Kids” or Age-Restricted
This one is easy to miss, and it kills reach fast.
If your video is marked “Made for Kids” — either by you or by YouTube automatically — it’s excluded from personalized recommendations entirely.
No notifications, no suggested videos, no Shorts feed placement. YouTube does this to comply with COPPA, but it catches creators off-guard when YouTube auto-applies the label.
Age-restricted videos have a similar problem. They’re hidden from users who aren’t logged in and excluded from most recommendation surfaces.
To check, go to YouTube Studio » Content and click the video » Details. From here, scroll down to “Audience.”
If it says “Yes, it’s made for kids” and your content isn’t actually for children, change it to “No, it’s not made for kids” and save.
7. You’re Not Posting Consistently
A big part of getting views for your YouTube Shorts is to keep posting consistently.
Your audience has tons of channels that they can choose from, and if you’re not posting new videos, they’ll go and watch other videos instead.
If you’re just starting out, you’ll have a hard time getting views and going viral. But after consistently posting new videos, you can get subscribers who regularly watch your content.
This means more views for your YouTube Shorts as well as regular YouTube videos.
Now that we’ve gone through some reasons YouTube Shorts don’t get views, let’s see how you can start getting more views in the next section.
How to Get More Views on YouTube Shorts (9+ Ways)
Below, we’ve listed some tried-and-tested ways to get more views for YouTube Shorts with ease, even if you’re new to YouTube.
Let’s get started!
1. Embed YouTube Shorts on Your Website
By embedding YouTube Shorts on your site, you increase views for your videos in no time.
After all, people on your website are already interested in your content. So, they’ll be likely to watch your YouTube Shorts as well.
Just like that, you can get more views, likes, and subscribers for your YouTube channel.
And when it comes to embedding YouTube content on your site, the best option is to use YouTube Feed Pro.
As the #1 YouTube aggregator on the internet, you can use it to create, customize, and embed YouTube video feeds on your site in just minutes.
That means you can showcase your YouTube Shorts in beautiful feeds right on your website.
On top of embedding YouTube Shorts, the plugin lets you embed your YouTube channel, livestreams, playlists, and more.
Ready to embed YouTube feeds with ease? Get your copy of YouTube Feed Pro.
To get started, check out this easy guide on how to embed YouTube Shorts on your WordPress website.
2. Use Contests and Giveaways
Another great way to get more views for YouTube Shorts is to use contests and giveaways.
You can run contests or giveaways with simple rewards like gift cards, discount codes, free samples, and more.
Then, you can ask people to check out your YouTube Shorts and subscribe to your channel for a chance to win the prize.
The best part? RafflePress makes it quick and easy to organize contests and giveaways, even if you’re a beginner.
In fact, this giveaway plugin has a template that’s designed to help you get more views and subscribers on YouTube.
All you have to do is select the template, then enter your details, and RafflePress will handle the rest. The plugin automatically will begin the giveaway, block fake entries, pick the winner, and end the giveaway for you.
Want to get started with RafflePress and get more views on YouTube Shorts?
Check out this step-by-step tutorial on how to do a giveaway on YouTube.
3. Cross-post to Different Platforms
If your YouTube Shorts views have slowed down or stopped entirely, cross-posting is one of the fastest ways to get momentum back.
By sharing your Shorts on other platforms, you bring in views from outside YouTube.
That outside traffic signals to YouTube that your content is worth promoting again, which can help restart your reach in the Shorts feed.
A great platform to repost your YouTube Shorts is TikTok. After all, TikTok was created just for short-form video content.
In case you don’t have a popular TikTok profile yet, here’s a simple way to supercharge your TikTok and get tons of followers to get started.
You can use TikTok Feed Pro to embed your TikTok videos on your website.
In just minutes, you can create, customize, and embed beautiful TikTok video feeds on your WordPress website.
That way, anyone visiting your website can see your TikTok videos, getting you more views, likes, and followers.
To learn more, check out this beginner’s guide on how to embed your TikTok profile on your website.
4. Use Engaging Captions
Fun fact: 69% of people watch videos without sound in public.
As a result, tons of people will just scroll past your YouTube Shorts if you haven’t prepared captions.
On the other hand, using subtitle captions means your YouTube video can stand out above so many competing videos.
In fact, 80% of viewers say they’re more likely to finish videos if there are subtitles.
When done right, captioning not only does NOT detract from brand messaging, but leads to greater ad recall, memory quality, and brand linkage.
– Helen Lin, Chief Digital Officer, Publicis Media
Plus, YouTube Shorts are only a minute long at most, so it won’t take a lot of time and effort to set up your captions.
As a bonus, captions will also make sure viewers understand technical terms, brand names, or any important words.
5. Create Eye-Catching Thumbnails for YouTube Shorts
Shorts thumbnails work differently from regular YouTube videos, and most creators treat them the same, which is a mistake.
Here’s what actually works for Shorts thumbnails:
- Use a frame with a clear face or reaction. YouTube’s own data shows that faces with visible expressions perform best in the Shorts feed. Pick the most expressive frame in your video, not just a representative one.
- Add bold, short text. Shorts thumbnails display small on mobile. If you use text, keep it to 3–5 words max with high contrast. Anything longer gets lost.
- Avoid cluttered backgrounds. A busy background competes with your subject. If the background is distracting, crop tight or use a blur effect in a tool like Canva.
- Set a custom thumbnail, not a YouTube auto-grab. YouTube will auto-select a frame, but it’s rarely the best one. Upload a custom thumbnail in YouTube Studio every time.
To create Shorts thumbnails quickly, tools like Canva and Adobe Express have free Shorts-specific templates sized correctly at 1080 x 1920px.
Here’s a list of the best visual content creation tools to help get started.
6. Add a YouTube Shorts Widget on Your Site
If you want to get more views using your website, an easy solution is to add a YouTube Shorts widget to your website.
Just like that, anyone on your website will see the videos on your sidebar or footer. And if they’re interested, your visitors can subscribe to your YouTube channel as well.
As you can see, it’s a great way to get tons of new views as well as subscribers.
Plus, if you’re using YouTube Feed Pro, your YouTube widget will automatically show your newest Shorts on your site as well.
You even get a beautiful customizer to design how your YouTube Shorts widget will look.
What’s more, the plugin was designed with speed in mind. As a result, you can embed as many Shorts as you want, and your website will load as fast as ever.
Plus, having a faster website means you can get better SEO and rank higher in search engine results as well.
For more details, check out our tutorial on how to embed YouTube widgets in WordPress.
7. Keep Posting YouTube Videos
As great as YouTube Shorts are, regularly posting YouTube videos can be a great way to grow your channel.
Since YouTube videos are longer, you’ll have more time to build a relationship with your audience and get dedicated subscribers.
Luke Sherran, Co-founder of Falkon Digital & Video marketer.Both long-form and short-form content offer value to your channel, and if you’re not using both, then in my opinion, you don’t have a complete strategy. At best, it’s just a missed opportunity.
After building a dedicated audience with the help of YouTube videos, you’ll have even more people who can check out your Shorts.
Not sure where to get started with YouTube videos? You can simply expand your YouTube Shorts or combine different clips into a single detailed video.
What’s more, you can embed YouTube videos on your website and get more views with ease.
8. Use the Right Number of Hashtags
Hashtags help YouTube categorize your Shorts and surface them to the right audience. But more isn’t better. In fact, YouTube has said that adding too many hashtags can actually hurt your reach.
The sweet spot is 3–5 hashtags per Short. Here’s how to use them:
- 1 broad hashtag for your category:
#YouTubeShorts,#Shorts - 1–2 topic-specific hashtags that describe your content:
#SocialMediaTips,#WordPressTips - 1–2 niche hashtags relevant to your specific audience:
#SmallBusinessMarketing,#ContentCreatorTips
Add hashtags to your video description, not the title. YouTube pulls them automatically and displays the first three above your video title in the Shorts feed.
Avoid spamming unrelated trending hashtags. YouTube’s algorithm is good at detecting when hashtags don’t match content, and it can reduce your distribution.
9. Use Keyword Research for YouTube
On top of being a video-sharing website, it’s also a search engine for videos. In fact, it’s the biggest search engine after Google itself.
As a result, you can use Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to make sure people can find your videos more easily.
The best way to do that is to conduct keyword research before you make your videos. Here’s a quick guide on keyword research for YouTube:
- Look for keywords that are relevant to your YouTube video
- Add your selected keywords to your video’s script
- Include the keyword on your video title, description, and tags
As a result, you’ll have an easier time reaching people on YouTube with your videos. Plus, better SEO will let your regular videos and livestreams rank higher in search results as well.
If you want to learn more, take a look at this list of the best social media tips for better SEO.
10. Collaborate With Other Brands and Influencers
By working with other brands and influencers, you can expand your audience and find more interested viewers.
At the same time, you can build a partnership with the other YouTube channels for long-term growth.
For example, you can provide a popular influencer with a product so they can make an unboxing video. Then, you can ask them to link your YouTube channel or videos in that video description.
If the influencer is talking positively about your products, more people will also be interested in buying your content.
And that’s just the start. You can collab with influencers to make videos together, ask them to make videos for your channel, or share each other’s videos on different social media platforms.
Plus, if you use affiliate marketing, you can have other people promote your YouTube channel for you.
For more details, just check out our guide on using social media for affiliate marketing.
And that’s it!
Now you know what to do if your YouTube Shorts are not getting views. As you can see, there are a lot of easy solutions that you can try and get tons of views and subscribers in no time.
If you want the easiest way to promote your YouTube channel, you can simply use that YouTube Feed Pro plugin and turn your site traffic into views and followers.
Ready to promote your YouTube content? Get the YouTube Feed Pro plugin here.
While you’re here, check out this guide on how to improve your brand’s social media marketing with ease.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did my YouTube Shorts suddenly stop getting views?
A sudden drop usually comes down to one of four things: a drop in your posting frequency, a video getting flagged or restricted, YouTube’s algorithm pausing distribution to re-test your content, or a “Made for Kids” label being applied automatically. Check YouTube Studio > Analytics > Reach and look at your impressions. If impressions dropped, YouTube stopped showing your Shorts. If impressions are normal, your title or thumbnail is the problem.
How long does it take for YouTube Shorts to get views?
Most Shorts get their initial push within the first 24–48 hours of posting. If a Short is going to perform well, you’ll usually see strong view growth in that window. Shorts can also get a second wave of views weeks or months later if YouTube re-tests them with a new audience, so don’t delete underperforming Shorts too quickly.
Do hashtags help YouTube Shorts get views?
Yes, but only when used correctly. Stick to 3–5 hashtags per Short and make sure they’re relevant to your content. Using too many hashtags — or unrelated trending ones — can actually reduce your reach. Add hashtags to your description, not your title, and include at least one broad Shorts hashtag like `#Shorts` or `#YouTubeShorts`.
Why are my Shorts getting 0 views?
Zero views usually means YouTube hasn’t finished processing and distributing your Short yet — give it 24–48 hours. If views are still at zero after that, check whether the video is age-restricted, marked as “Made for Kids,” or flagged against Community Guidelines. Also make sure you’re uploading in a vertical format (9:16) — horizontal videos get less placement in the Shorts feed.
