YouTube Shorts ad maker
Genyad exports 9:16 ads at 1080x1920 for YouTube Shorts, generated from footage you already own. Shorts tolerates slightly longer ads than TikTok, up to about 60 seconds, but the first two seconds still decide whether the rest is watched.
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How to do it in Genyad
- Upload footage and index it.
- Set duration between 15 and 30 seconds for most offers. Shorts allows up to 60, which is rarely the right answer.
- Generate a batch with varied openings and a clearly stated offer before the halfway point.
- Export 9:16 and confirm captions clear the bottom UI band.
- Run alongside your in-stream 16:9 set rather than instead of it.
What good looks like
- Sound-on is more common on YouTube than in social feeds, so the voiceover does real work here.
- The offer is stated, not implied. Shorts viewers arriving from browse have no context.
- One clear subject per ad. Shorts rewards clarity over density.
Mistakes that cost you the test
- Uploading the 16:9 in-stream cut. It gets pillarboxed and reads as a repurposed TV spot.
- Using the full 60 seconds because it is allowed. Completion still matters.
- Skipping captions because sound-on is common. Common is not universal.
Frequently asked questions
What are the specs for a YouTube Shorts ad?
9:16 at 1080x1920, up to 60 seconds, though 15 to 30 seconds performs better for most direct response offers.
Can I use the same ad on Shorts and TikTok?
Often yes, though Shorts tolerates a slower build and more spoken explanation than TikTok does.
Does Genyad export 16:9 for in-stream too?
Yes, 1920x1080 for in-stream placements, laid out for that ratio rather than cropped from vertical.
How many Shorts variations should I run?
The same 8 to 20 range as other placements. Automated allocation needs a set to choose between.