Hello everybody! My name is Nikita, I work at SMMPrime, and today I want to discuss a topic that is especially relevant for creators of travel content: which is better to promote a travel channel on YouTube – short vertical videos or full—fledged long videos?
YouTube Shorts or long videos
With travel becoming an increasingly visual product, it’s important to understand how YouTube’s algorithms work in different formats and what exactly maximizes audience growth.
How YouTube promotes travel content
The first thing to figure out is the different algorithms for Shorts and classic videos.
Shorts is a separate vertical ribbon, in fact, an endless stream of small travel sketches. The algorithm here is almost entirely based on virality: quick attention grabs, vivid shots from locations, dynamics.
- The viewer watches the content “automatically”
- The first 1-2 seconds are important: showing the beach, a tropical location, and a vivid shot from a trip
- Inspection of 40-60% is the norm
- Subscriptions with Shorts are usually low: 0.3–1.2%
That is, even if your video “5 best beaches of Antalya” gets a million views, it will not necessarily lead to a sharp increase in the channel.
Long videos work differently:
they get into the search (“what to see in Istanbul”, “how to arrange a trip to Sri Lanka”), recommendations and form a deep connection with the traveler.
- The average 15-25 minute video gets 3-8 thousand views
- Subscription Conversion: 4–7%
- People come back for new reviews, routes and tips
For travel channels, it is long videos that more often become the “face” of a brand or expert.
Depth of engagement: what keeps a tourist better
The Travel audience likes to watch:
- country reviews,
- route guides,
- price analysis,
- tips on housing, transportation, and local cuisine.
It is impossible to cover these topics in 30-40 seconds. Therefore, long-form retention is much higher.
If a viewer watches 10 minutes out of 20— this is already a powerful YouTube signal.
And from the point of view of emotions: it’s like a person is traveling with you, and this builds trust.
Shorts are “eye-catching”, long—form is “I’ll keep watching this author.”
What Shorts provides for the travel channel
Shorts is fast coverage. The travel industry is particularly advantageous because the visual content here is stronger than in most niches.
Shorts are well suited for:
- mini beach reviews;
- quick travel hacks (“how to buy an Istanbul card”, “how to get from Antalya airport for 100 lira”);
- recommendations of local food;
- beautiful shots of locations.
A channel with 10-20 thousand subscribers can receive 50-200 thousand views per short video — just due to the bright picture.
But! The loyalty of such an audience is low — people often don’t even remember the author.
What long videos do
Full-fledged travel videos form the core of the audience. These are:
- route reviews for 7-14 days;
- explanation of visa requirements;
- travel budget;
- resort reviews;
- country comparisons;
- hidden places that only experienced travelers can reach.
This format sells better:
- author tours,
- guide services,
- advertising integrations,
- affiliate programs.
In short: Shorts give coverage, long-form gives money and loyal viewers.
Which formats should the travel channel choose
The optimal strategy is a hybrid
The most effective scenario:
- 3 Shorts per weekto expand reach
- 1-2 long videos to increase subscribers and monetization
Or even better, make Shorts out of long videos.:
One big release contains 3-5 vertical teasers:
“Top places in Alanya”, “How much does food cost in Sri Lanka”, “Secret beach in Phuket”.
This way you save time and make the most of your content.
Technical recommendations for travel videos
Shorts:
- 9:16 format
- 1080×1920 and above
- subtitles are required (many watch without sound)
The first frame should be a visual highlight (beach, city view, unusual food)
Long videos:
- horizontal 16:9
- attractive previews (beach/prices/hotel review)
- SEO: keywords like “what to see in…”, “how much does a trip to…”
- timecodes to make YouTube index topics better
Monetization of the travel channel: where is the money?
Shorts are poorly monetized:
$0.05–0.15 per 1000 views.
One million views = only $50-150.
Long videos give a CPM of $1 to $15, sometimes higher (if the audience is from Europe/the USA).
Besides:
- integrations in travel editions are 10-20 times more expensive than in Shorts;
- tour operators are more likely to be placed in large commercials;
- personal tours, courses, and consultations are better packaged through long-form.
How to implement a strategy for the tour channel
- Audit current videos
- Define goals (reach, tour sales, subscriber growth)
- Run the tests: different durations, different countries, different feeds
- It is necessary to analyze:
- retention,
- traffic sources,
- subscriptions from each format,
- which countries/locations give the best indicators.
Mistakes made by travel authors:
- they cut Shorts without adapting to the vertical format;
- they make frames too long without dynamics;
- they forget about subtitles;
- they publish only one type of content.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it possible to grow up on Shorts alone?
Yes, but growth will be “shallow” and monetization will be weak.
Long-form is a mandatory base for tourist channels.
How many Shorts should I publish?
3-7 per week, if you can maintain the quality.
When should I expect the result?
4-6 weeks with regular publications.
Bottom line
Shorts is a powerful coverage generator for travel topics: beautiful locations, beaches, streets of old towns, food — all this works great in a vertical format.
But long-term growth, monetization, and audience trust are built on long videos.
Conclusion: the travel channel needs a combination of both formats.
