Shorts and long-form videos serve different roles in a channel's growth strategy.
Shorts for Discovery
Shorts tend to reach new viewers more easily due to their prominent placement in YouTube's Shorts feed.
Long-Form for Depth and Watch Time
Long-form content builds deeper viewer relationships and contributes more meaningfully to watch-hour totals.
Using Both Together
Many successful channels use Shorts to attract new viewers, then convert them into long-form subscribers.