> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://ordinal.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# YouTube Shorts

> Schedule YouTube Shorts (vertical, under 3 minutes) with titles, descriptions, categories, and visibility settings. Long-form videos aren't supported.

YouTube Shorts tap into YouTube's massive audience with quick, vertical videos. In Ordinal, you can schedule Shorts with titles, descriptions, categories, and visibility settings - getting your content in front of billions of users.

![YT Shorts Mintlify](https://mintcdn.com/ordinal/_Ivdm3moguxdrt4i/images/YT-Shorts---Mintlify.jpg?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=_Ivdm3moguxdrt4i\&q=85\&s=4f0e70c2476e8b7add2eddeba6b37732)

> [!WARNING]
>
> Ordinal only supports YouTube Shorts. Standard long-form YouTube videos (horizontal videos or videos over 3 minutes) are not currently supported.

## Overview

YouTube classifies a video as a **Short** when it's vertical (9:16 aspect ratio) and under 3 minutes. Videos that don't meet these criteria are considered standard long-form videos and won't work in Ordinal.

Your channel must be **verified** (phone verification) with no active strikes. If you manage multiple channels, you can connect each as a separate profile.

> [card] [Connecting YouTube](#connecting-youtube)
>
> Connect your YouTube channel

> [card] [Drafting a Short](#drafting-a-youtube-short)
>
> Title, description, and video

> [card] [Video Settings](#video-settings)
>
> Visibility, category, and more

> [card] [Analytics](#analytics)
>
> Track video performance

## Connecting YouTube

Go to [**Settings → Profiles → Scheduling**](https://app.tryordinal.com/settings/profiles/scheduling/youtube), select YouTube, and sign in with Google. Choose your channel and authorize Ordinal.

| Requirement | Details |
| - | - |
| Account type | YouTube channel with Google account |
| Channel status | Verified (phone verification) |
| Standing | No active strikes or restrictions |
| Role | Channel Owner |

## Drafting a YouTube Short

### What you can post

| Feature | Supported | Notes |
| - | - | - |
| [Shorts](#video-requirements) | ✅ | Up to 3 minutes, vertical |
| Standard videos | ❌ | Not currently supported |
| Community posts | ❌ | Not currently supported |
| Playlists | ❌ | Not currently supported |

### Title & Description

Every Short needs a title and can include an optional description:

* **Title**: Up to 100 characters. Include relevant keywords. Shorts are searchable on YouTube.
* **Description**: Up to 5,000 characters. Add hashtags, links, and calls to action.

> [!TIP]
>
> Including `#Shorts` in your title or description helps YouTube categorize your video correctly, though it's not strictly required for videos that meet the format specs.

> [card] [Drafting Posts](https://ordinal.mintlify.site/posts/drafting-posts.md)
>
> Full guide to formatting, mentions, slash commands, and keyboard shortcuts.

### Video Requirements

| Spec | Limit |
| - | - |
| Formats | MP4, MOV |
| Duration | Up to 3 minutes |
| Aspect ratio | 9:16 (vertical required) |
| Resolution | 1080×1920 recommended |
| File size | 500MB maximum |

Vertical video is required - videos must have a height greater than or equal to their width. Files over 125MB are automatically compressed before upload.

> [!TIP]
>
> While YouTube allows Shorts up to 3 minutes, shorter videos (under 60 seconds) often perform better in the Shorts feed.

## Video Settings

Configure your Short's settings before scheduling. You'll find these options below the description editor:

* **Visibility**: Choose who can see your Short - Public (anyone on YouTube), Unlisted (only people with the link), or Private (only you)
* **Notify Subscribers**: Choose whether to notify your subscribers when the Short publishes
* **Category**: Select a category (Gaming, Music, Education, etc.) to help YouTube recommend your content
* **Embedding**: Allow or prevent others from embedding your Short on external websites
* **Made for Kids**: Mark if your content is made for children (required for COPPA compliance)

> [!NOTE]
>
> The "Made for Kids" setting affects what features are available on your video. Videos marked as made for kids won't have comments, notifications, or personalized ads.

## Analytics

Analytics are not currently available for YouTube Shorts, but are coming soon. Send us an email at [support@tryordinal.com](mailto:support@tryordinal.com) if you're interested in early access.

> [card] [Analytics overview](https://ordinal.mintlify.site/analytics/overview.md)
>
> Learn more about tracking performance across all your connected profiles.

## Learn more

> [card] [TikTok](https://ordinal.mintlify.site/social-profiles/tiktok.md)
>
> Similar short-form vertical format.

> [card] [Instagram Reels](https://ordinal.mintlify.site/social-profiles/instagram.md)
>
> Another short-form video platform.


This documentation is built and hosted on [Mintlify](https://mintlify.com), a developer documentation platform.