Viral YouTube Shorts strategy with Jeremy Vest - EP6

🔥 Quick Intro
YouTube Shorts can grow your channel - or wreck it. Jeremy Vest breaks down why both stories are true, and how to make Shorts a “surgeon approach” instead of a shotgun. You will learn the YouTube Shorts strategy behind niche-first virality, the 3 metrics that matter, and the hook + payoff patterns used in viral YouTube Shorts and long-form YouTube shows.

👉 Episode in a Nutshell
Jeremy Vest explains why YouTube is shifting from “lean forward” to “lean back” viewing, especially on TVs (verify). He argues creators must rethink long form YouTube show formats, but start by mastering short form storytelling first. He shares the 3 signals for viral YouTube Shorts: niche fit, watch time, and swipe-away rate. You also get a simple anatomy for short form videos (showing vs talking), plus repeatable interview hooks like the “Golden Nugget” formula. Finally, Jeremy shows how Creator Unlock uses competitor data to generate strategic ideas and audits.

⏰ Timestamps
00:00 - Shorts can help or hurt your channel - and why both camps think they’re right
01:08 - YouTube watch time shifting to TV screens (verify) and why it changes long form
03:19 - Why 45-minute episodes can beat 6-8 minute videos on watch time
07:30 - Deep dives vs podcasts - the real driver is YouTube hooks and storytelling
09:20 - Turning “how-to” into story: the leaky toilet title rewrite
12:53 - The big myth: YouTube Shorts “hurt your channel” - when it’s actually true
14:02 - Start with Shorts first: master 15-45 second short form storytelling
17:24 - The 3 viral Shorts signals: niche, watch time, swipe-away rate
19:14 - Two types of Shorts: showing a thing vs talking about a thing
21:08 - Hook + payoff: anticipation is the engine of a viral short
22:14 - Talking head example: “no prenup” hook and why captions matter
26:33 - Creator Unlock: niche detection + top competitor videos + transcripts
32:47 - The real edge: make 100 videos, get 1% better, keep going
35:15 - “I” and “You” - the two most powerful words in hooks
37:33 - The Golden Nugget formula for podcasts: “Did you see that? Pull that up.”
44:53 - Shock and polarization: how to open with a contrarian idea
47:06 - Long form YouTube show advice: good headlines are not clickbait if true
51:37 - 2026 playbook (verify): deep conversations + deep dive videos in your niche
54:08 - Where to start: free channel audit + coaching options + Niche King program

💡 Key Takeaways
- YouTube Shorts strategy starts with niche alignment - go viral outside your niche and you can fragment your audience.
- Viral YouTube Shorts are measurable: watch time + swipe-away rate + niche fit.
- Under 30 seconds: aim for 100% watch time (Jeremy’s rule). Over 30 seconds: aim for 80% watch time (Jeremy’s rule).
- Swipe-away rate target: under 40% swipe-away (meaning 60% keep watching).
- Short form storytelling is hook + anticipation + payoff. The payoff is the moment viewers wait for.
- Two short formats win: “showing a thing” (visual payoff) and “talking about a thing” (instant clarity + strong idea).
- Long form YouTube show growth now favors deep dives and podcast-style conversations, built around repeatable formulas.
- “Clickbait” is not the headline - it’s whether the headline is true.
- Repeat what works. Don’t reinvent the wheel every upload.

🔗 Resources
- Creator Unlock | Free channel audit and AI video strategist mentioned in the interview | https://creatorunlock.com
- Colin and Samir (YouTube) | Example of long-form creator interviews Jeremy references | https://www.youtube.com/@ColinandSamir
- MrBeast (YouTube) | Example of repeatable show formulas and idea-first storytelling | https://www.youtube.com/@MrBeast
- vidIQ | YouTube education channel Jeremy references | https://www.youtube.com/@vidIQ