PM Interview Question → Should YouTube Shorts be separated from the YouTube app? If yes, why? If no, why?

7 min readSep 19, 2024

The surge in popularity of short-form video content has reshaped the digital media landscape. Platforms like TikTok have demonstrated the immense user engagement potential of bite-sized, easily consumable videos. In response, YouTube introduced “YouTube Shorts” as a feature within its main app to capitalize on this trend. The strategic question is whether YouTube Shorts should be separated into its own standalone app or remain integrated within the primary YouTube platform. This decision carries significant implications for user experience, market positioning, monetization strategies, and overall brand coherence. This analysis will exhaustively evaluate all scenarios to provide a comprehensive recommendation.

Background on YouTube Shorts and Market Dynamics

YouTube Shorts allows users to create and view vertical videos up to 60 seconds long. Launched to compete with TikTok and Instagram Reels, Shorts leverages YouTube’s vast user base while aiming to attract a younger demographic increasingly drawn to quick, engaging content.

Market Trends:

User Behavior Shifts: There’s a growing preference for short, snackable content, especially among Gen Z and Millennials.
Competitive Landscape: TikTok dominates the short-form video space, with Instagram Reels and Snapchat Spotlight also vying for attention.
Platform Strategies: Competitors have varied approaches — some integrate features within existing apps (Instagram Reels), while others maintain separate apps (Facebook and Messenger).

Arguments for Separating YouTube Shorts into a Standalone App

Focused User Experience:

Specialization: A dedicated app can be optimized exclusively for short-form content, offering a streamlined and intuitive interface.
Reduced Clutter: Separating Shorts can declutter the main app, improving navigation for users seeking traditional YouTube content.

2. Brand Differentiation:

Targeted Branding: A standalone Shorts app can develop its own identity, appealing directly to the short-form audience.
Competitive Positioning: It allows YouTube to position Shorts as a direct competitor to TikTok, potentially capturing users who prefer specialized apps.

3. Innovation and Agility:

Faster Iterations: A separate app can adopt new features and updates rapidly without affecting the stability of the main YouTube app.
Experimentation: It provides a sandbox environment to test innovative features tailored to short-form content.

4. Monetization Opportunities:

Tailored Advertising Models: Unique ad formats and revenue streams can be developed specifically for the short-form audience.
Creator Incentives: Customized monetization options can attract creators focused on short-form content.

5. User Engagement and Retention:

Dedicated Community: Building a community around the Shorts app can foster higher engagement through focused content and interactions.
Personalization: Enhanced algorithms can provide more accurate recommendations without interference from long-form content data.

6. Global Market Penetration:

Localized Versions: The app can be tailored to specific regional markets, complying with local regulations and cultural preferences.

Arguments Against Separating YouTube Shorts from the Main App

Leverage Existing User Base:

Massive Reach: The main YouTube app has over 2 billion logged-in monthly users, providing immediate exposure for Shorts content.
Seamless Integration: Users can effortlessly switch between short-form and long-form content, enhancing overall engagement.

2. Unified Ecosystem:

Cross-Pollination of Content: Users discovering Shorts may transition to longer videos and vice versa, increasing time spent on the platform.
Simplified Creator Management: Creators can manage all their content in one place, streamlining uploads and analytics.

3. Brand Cohesion:

Strengthened Brand Identity: Keeping Shorts within YouTube reinforces the platform’s position as a comprehensive video destination.
Avoiding Fragmentation: A separate app risks diluting the brand and causing user confusion.

4. Cost Efficiency:

Reduced Development Overhead: Maintaining a single app lowers operational costs related to development, maintenance, and updates.
Consolidated Marketing Efforts: Marketing can focus on promoting Shorts within the existing user base rather than acquiring users for a new app.

5. User Convenience:

Eliminating Barriers: Users are more likely to engage with Shorts if no additional download is required.
Enhanced User Experience: Integrated features can provide a more cohesive and satisfying user journey.

6. Data Integration and Insights:

Holistic Analytics: Combining data from short-form and long-form content offers deeper insights into user preferences and behavior.
Improved Recommendation Systems: A unified dataset enhances personalization algorithms.

Risks and Challenges of Separation

User Adoption Hurdles:

App Fatigue: Users may be reluctant to download and use another app amid an already crowded app ecosystem.
Competitive Disadvantage: Entering as a new app against established players like TikTok may hinder market penetration.

2. Increased Operational Costs:

Development Resources: Building and maintaining two apps require more resources and coordination.
Marketing Expenses: Significant investment would be needed to promote the new app and attract users.

3. Potential for Brand Dilution:

User Confusion: Two apps may confuse users about where to find certain types of content.
Weakened Brand Equity: The strength of the YouTube brand may not fully transfer to a new, separate app.

4. Fragmented User Experience:

Disjointed Engagement: Users may find it inconvenient to switch between apps, leading to reduced overall engagement.

Risks and Challenges of Integration

Overcomplicating the Main App:

Interface Clutter: Adding more features can overwhelm users and make navigation more complex.
Performance Issues: A heavier app may lead to slower load times and technical glitches.

2. Content Competition:

Algorithmic Balance: Ensuring both short-form and long-form content receive appropriate visibility can be challenging.
Creator Disparities: Short-form content might overshadow long-form content or vice versa, affecting creator satisfaction.

3. Limited Specialization:

Feature Limitations: Integrating within the main app may restrict the ability to implement specialized features unique to short-form content.

Industry Examples and Insights

Instagram Reels: Successfully integrated into the main Instagram app, leveraging the existing user base and increasing overall engagement.
IGTV: Launched as a separate app but failed to gain traction, leading Instagram to reintegrate IGTV content into the main app.
Facebook and Messenger: Separation of Messenger from Facebook’s main app received mixed reactions, with some users frustrated by the need to switch apps.
TikTok: Operates as a standalone app but lacks a diversified content offering compared to YouTube.

Comprehensive Evaluation

Integration Benefits Outweigh Separation:

User Retention and Growth: Integration keeps users within the YouTube ecosystem longer, increasing opportunities for engagement and monetization.
Cost-Effectiveness: Resources can be focused on enhancing the existing app rather than spreading efforts thin over two platforms.
Competitive Advantage: Leveraging YouTube’s established brand and user base provides a stronger position against competitors.

Mitigating Integration Risks:

User Interface Optimization: Regularly update the UI to ensure clarity and ease of navigation between Shorts and traditional content.
Algorithmic Personalization: Employ machine learning to tailor content recommendations based on individual user preferences for short-form or long-form content.
Feature Customization: Introduce optional settings allowing users to customize their experience, such as toggling Shorts visibility.

Conclusion

After an exhaustive evaluation, keeping YouTube Shorts within the main YouTube app emerges as the strategically sound decision. The integration leverages YouTube’s extensive user base, reinforces brand identity, and offers a seamless user experience that encourages cross-engagement between short-form and long-form content. While separating Shorts into its own app presents opportunities for specialization and targeted marketing, the risks related to user adoption, increased operational costs, and potential brand dilution outweigh these benefits.

Recommendation:

Retain YouTube Shorts within the Main YouTube App.
Enhance User Experience:
Optimize Navigation: Ensure that users can easily access and distinguish between Shorts and other content.
Personalized Feeds: Improve algorithms to serve content that aligns with individual user interests.

Support Creators:

Monetization Tools: Develop robust monetization options for Shorts creators to incentivize high-quality content production.
Analytics Access: Provide detailed insights to creators for both short-form and long-form content performance.

Marketing Strategy:

Integrated Campaigns: Promote Shorts through the existing YouTube channels to maximize reach without incurring the costs of launching a new app.
User Education: Inform users about the benefits and features of Shorts to increase adoption and engagement.

By focusing on enhancing the integrated experience, YouTube can capitalize on the short-form video trend while maintaining its position as the leading platform for diverse video content.

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