YouTube marketers now have another measurement option for their campaigns, with Comscore announcing an expansion of its YouTube measurement capabilities to include YouTube Shorts, as well as YouTube viewership across connected TV (CTV), desktop, and mobile.
Though Shorts is the key focus here, given its rising relevance as an entertainment source.
As explained by Comscore:
“Short-form videos are inherently shareable and YouTube Shorts capitalizes on this by making it easy for users to discover and share content rapidly. The platform's algorithm leverages trending topics and viral content, providing an opportunity for creators to ride the wave of popularity and gain visibility.”
Comscore notes that YouTube Shorts is now averaging over 70 billion views per day, while the number of channels uploading Shorts has grown by 50% year over year.
Which is also providing expanded opportunity for marketers:
“Consider an example from the dynamic realm of retail media. The ecosystem is witnessing a transformative shift as brands look to create e-commerce driving content as an addition to their traditional advertising strategies. Audiences are responding in kind, with Comscore data showing a surge in actions linked to retail media YouTube Shorts content of 188% since the onset of 2021. This trend reflects the seismic shift since the pandemic in the confidence of audiences interacting with short-form retail media content.”
I mean, Shorts was only launched in 2021, so that’s not overly surprising. But still, the numbers show that engagement with Shorts is rising fast.
The new update will enable Comscore customers to measure the performance of YouTube Shorts and in-feed inventory, in addition to YouTube standard video placement. Comscore’s Comscore’s “Campaign Ratings” will also be extended to YouTube’s “Masthead” ads in the coming months.
Essentially, brands will now have additional third-party verification of their YouTube performance metrics, which will provide more assurance, and more options to accurately measure response to their YouTube campaigns.
And as noted, with Shorts continuing to gain more traction, it is worth considering the potential value of Shorts ads in your approach.
