The Hustle's YouTube Team Tells Us Their Favorite Short…

It's 2024, and I want to look back at some of last year's short-form videos with the creatives behind The Hustle's YouTube team. You may ask why? Short-form videos will continue to be key to many marketing campaigns this year.

In fact, 31% of the 1,400 marketers in our most recent survey say short-form videos deliver the highest ROI, and the majority of respondents (26%) say they will invest the most in short-form video in 2024. do.

Plus, I wanted to pick the brains of The Hustle team and hear about their favorites because who can get better advice than the pros? So, without further ado, here are The Hustle's YouTube team's favorite short-form videos and what we can learn from them.

The 4 Best Short-Form Videos, According to The Hustle's YouTube Team

1. “Edge hates the Rated R Spinner Belt!”

“It's a very specific topic, so thank my algorithms,” says John Weigel, senior host and multimedia producer for The Hustle.

The title of the video is Edge hates the Rated R spinner belt! and tells a fun behind-the-scenes story about a piece of wrestling history from the perspective of professional wrestler Edge.

Weigel says, “Subject matter aside, this short grabs you right from the start with a strong opening quote.” “It starts with a thoughtful announcement that grabs attention, and the rest of the video blends the VO with sound effects and a huge list of video and still imagery to grab your attention.”

The video also includes authentic quotes from Edge, giving viewers a small glimpse of the artist behind the iconic wrestler.

This is in line with the findings of our most recent Social Media Marketing report, in which 59% of marketers say videos with authentic, behind-the-scenes content drive the best results on social media.

So, when creating short-form videos for social media, think about authentic storytelling methods and how to enhance the story with engaging quotes, sounds, and imagery.

“The final loop is also a pretty impressive cherry on top,” says Weigel.

And I agree that the end of the loops are smooth as butter.

2. “Simple Cheat Codes for Making Music”

Noel Medina, content creator and host for The Hustle, told me that he came across his favorite short-form videos while searching for a music-mixing tool.

“Some of the things I like about it are the maker component, the how-to component, and the audio component,” she explains. “I love that this creator brings us into her personal recording space and starts with a claim that she quickly explains and supports with visual evidence.”

By taking viewers into his home studio, the video's creator, music producer So Wiley, appears authentic and establishes trust and authority with his audience. And trust me, trust goes a long way.

A recent study found that 71% of Gen Z consumers will remain loyal to brands they trust.

After letting us into his studio, Wiley goes through a tutorial showing his process for layering tracks and vocals.

“All of this – the VO and the visual context – is underpinned by his use of audio storytelling,” Medina. “The way the music unfolds makes the short even more immersive and entices the audience to watch and listen again and again.”

Medina is right; I watched the video several times and even subscribed to So Wylie's page. It was that good a video.

Consider giving your viewers a step-by-step tutorial in your short-form video and film yourself walking through the process. And, if appropriate, enhance the experience of your video with some relaxing or entertaining music.

3. “Bubble Tea Is Making Serious Profits in America”

“This is one of my favorite shorts on YouTube,” says Shade Olasimbo, senior producer of The Hustle. “Yes, I'm biased because it comes from The Hustle YouTube channel, but it was also the beginning of an experiment we did as a team to create content that worked for our channel.”

Olasimbo says the task was to simply go out and make a funny video without any script or production plan, which is what HubSpot host Medina did.

“It felt like I was on FaceTime with her as she worked, and I learned something interesting along the way,” says Olasimbo.

She adds, “And what makes it so great is that Absolutely What our channel is trying to achieve: Content that is entertaining and informative but delivered in an easily digestible manner. Plus, who doesn't love bubble tea?”

Are you paying attention to any topics yet? Like the previous video, this video also feels authentic while sharing interesting and educational content.

Plus, this video proves that you don't need a big budget or fancy production to create valuable content.

4. “I put 20 extension tubes on my camera…”

Taryn Varricchio, editorial manager of The Hustle YouTube channel, says, “There are three things I love about this short that also work well on YouTube – a compelling hook that tells you what to expect in the video, stakes, and a Satisfying ending.”

Viewers immediately learn at the beginning of the video that the host, Nicholas Grant, is testing whether extension tubes can turn any normal camera into a macro lens.

To make things interesting and captivate the audience, Grant does something he has never done before. He collects 20 tubes on one camera.

“He makes it hard to look away by showing us every step he took to set up the camera and his test subject,” says Varricchio.

She explains, “I'm ultimately satisfied at the end of the video because it delivers on its promise, and I get a glimpse of what the individual threads of a microfiber towel look like—something I never imagined I could see.” I'll look into it.”

In short, the video was impactful enough to keep viewers engaged, but also informative enough that viewers left seeing and learning something new.

Tips on Creating the Best Short-Form Videos

So, what I learned from The Hustle's YouTube team about creating excellent short-form videos:

1. Authenticity is key.

Authenticity is definitely the key word for this post, and for good reason too. In each video presented by The Hustle's YouTube team, a host tells an authentic story.

Edge is a real former professional wrestler who gives real details of the story behind his championship belt.

So Wylie is an experienced music producer who gave a play-by-play walkthrough of how to use an instrument to create new music.

Neoclas Grant is a professional content creator and videographer who used his videos to creatively share the importance of extension tubes on cameras.

Noel Medina loves boba so much that she walks nearly an hour across town to her favorite spot and, being the boba connoisseur that she is, she told us some fun marketing facts during her visit.

Each host shared information from a real and authentic place, creating unique perspectives and building trust with viewers.

2. Create education and information value.

Audiences love learning something new, whether it's an anecdote from their favorite wrestler, a fun marketing fact about a favorite drink, the benefits of a piece of equipment, or a tutorial from a famous musician.

So, when creating your own short video, think about what type of information your audience will find valuable and how you can educate them in a creative way.

3. Quick cuts, interesting imagery and music can keep your audience watching.

Quickly cutting between scenes and images in your video will keep your viewers interested. Keeping your video focused on one image for too long can make your video look slow and stale.

Additionally, imagery can enhance the dialogue in your video. For example, B-roll shows Edge holding his spinner belt and images of Edge's original designs allow viewers to imagine the host's story.

And the music in So Wiley's video created a relaxing atmosphere that made me want to watch the video again and again.

4. You don't need a big budget production.

Medina's boba video shows that sometimes all you need is a camera, a story, and a mission. The content creator's mission was to get to his favorite boba spot on time, but along the way he used his phone to tell an informative story,

Footage of her walk in the park and the cute dogs she saw along the way served as B-roll.

Other than the camera on her phone, there wasn't really any fancy equipment or big budget equipment to bring her videos to life. Nevertheless, his video was still entertaining and kept me and Olasimbo engaged.

So, if you're worried that your budget isn't enough to create a high-quality video – don't worry! Your smartphone's camera may be just the ticket to creating great content.

You can learn a lot from your favorite videos. What are some of your favorite videos from last year and what lessons did you learn from them?