Want to see some YouTube Shorts ads that are scaling right now, using our VidTao YouTube spy tool.
You’re in luck…
Because today is 2 Shorts Tuesday. Why YouTube Shorts ads?
Because YouTube Shorts ad inventory is only going to keep growing:
5 Reasons Why More Creators Are Choosing YouTube Shorts Instead of TikTok
#1 - 💰 MORE MONEY 💰
YouTube made it easier to earn money with YouTube Shorts in 2024 by letting creators take a cut of ad money from their Shorts—a better deal than TikTok’s confusing payment system.
Image source: Google
This works for both short videos and regular YouTube content, making it safer for creators who want steady income.
#2 - ⛔TikTok Ban Rumors/Reality⛔
Rumors (and a quick reality) of a TikTok ban in the U.S. made many creators start posting on YouTube Shorts just in case. YouTube even let Shorts videos be 3 minutes long starting October 2024, copying TikTok’s style while giving creators more flexibility.
YouTube’s Big Advantages
#3 - 📈Built-in audience📈
Shorts get boosted by YouTube’s recommendations and trending lists, helping creators grow faster. TikTok doesn’t connect as well to other apps or longer videos.
#4 - 🆕Different viewers🆕
YouTube’s users are often older (25-34) vs. TikTok’s teen-heavy crowd, so creators can reach new fans.
#5 - 🤦♂️Creators Are Fed Up With TikTok🤦♂️
Many say TikTok’s rules change too often, and they’re tired of worrying about bans. YouTube feels more stable, especially with Google’s support for targeting the right audiences. The 3-minute Shorts also let them tell better stories without switching apps.
...And critically, most DTC & Direct Response advertisers are still under-leveraging YouTube Shorts as an ad placement.
(and the upside is huge)
So, what are some ways you can succeed with YouTube Shorts ads?
Let’s take a closer look at 2 YouTube Shorts ads doing well right now:
The tracking metric you've never heard of that 4x'd a $750M business 
99% of DTC Subscription brands miss this
Duolingo was stuck in 2018.
Yes, $750M in revenue & 40 million+ daily users…
But growth?
Flatlining.
Hundreds of tests running… Nothing moving the needle.
They were trapped optimizing metrics everyone tracks: conversion rates, retention rates, acquisition costs.
Then they used a framework that flips traditional tracking on its head…
…exposing the ONE metric that mattered most...
…buried in every DTC subscription brand's biggest blind spot.
When they tested it against everything else — new user acquisition, reactivation campaigns, onboarding flows — this one metric had 10x more impact than all of them.
The result?
4x growth.
Not from better ads. Not from new traffic sources. Not from a rebrand.
From tracking one transition that 99% of subscription brands completely ignore.
Want to see how you can uncover your DTC subscription business’s “magic metric”?
VidTao Co-Founder Brat Vukovich just wrote an article inside his weekly newsletter, The Dashboard, walking you through exactly how to dig into your own subscription business and uncover this golden insight.
PS — The Dashboard is where Brat shares weekly notes on building BraTrax, buying media, and making sense of performance data - without the fluff.
PPS — Send this link to a friend who needs it: blog.bratrax.com
Ad 1: Kill the ‘umm’ with a pause (free live class promo)
Check out our first ad pick for this week:
Observational intro: Confident stage clip sets the frame, then a calm podcast pitch closes it. Feels like a coach handing you a fix, not a guru yelling tips.
Structure:
- Hook: “When you get comfortable with the pause, all your filler words disappear.” Clear, high-status promise in 3 seconds.
- Demonstration: Vivid metaphor - a wrong piano key = an “um.” Instantly memorable.
- Authority transfer: On-stage teaching + studio delivery. Two contexts, same expert, compounds credibility.
- Offer: Free live class + workbook. Specific benefit: “3 powerful communication lessons” and a step-by-step self-awareness guide.
- CTA: “Click to save your spot.” Direct, single action.
You can check out other cool ads by this advertiser using VidTao! Here’s a sneak peek:
Why it works
- One fix, big payoff: Remove filler words → gain authority. A single behavior change sells transformation.
- Pattern of escalation: Stage energy → intimate podcast reassurance → free value. Momentum without shouting.
- Sensory anchor: Piano metaphor encodes the lesson, so the viewer “hears” their own ums.
Steal this
- Open with a single behavior promise (“Do X, eliminate Y”) tied to authority.
- Use a metaphor that sticks to compress teaching into one mental image.
- Stack two proof contexts in 15 seconds: public stage + controlled studio.
- Offer a no-brainer next step (live session + tangible workbook).
~ update from our friends at Funnel of the Week ~
Air Fryers, ‘Dark Posting’ & Category Creation for a $4B Market
Our friends at Funnel of the Week just released a new funnel breakdown…
… This time it’s a DTC beauty brand using dark posting + smart benefit repositioning to turn a decades-old niche product into a mainstream hit.
The product? Shampoo bars. The angle? No longer “eco-friendly” - now it’s hair transformation stories like:
“My hair grew 4 inches in 2 months”
“Finally found the solution for my thin, lifeless hair”
And the growth opportunity is huge:
- US shampoo bar market: $4.13B, growing 7.7% annually
- Only 35% of consumers know this category exists
- Only 8% have tried solid shampoo bars
Go here to see more at Funnel of the Week….
Inside this breakdown, you’ll see:
✓ All “dark post” influencer accounts running now - and how they target different demos
✓ Creative strategy that shifts from eco benefits to personal transformation
✓ The awareness stage moves that take someone from “never heard of it” to “ordering today”
✓ How this exact framework has created billion-dollar markets before (electric toothbrushes, plant-based meat, and more)
Ad 2: “Egg test insoles” (Steppers brand)
Now, let’s check out the next ad we chose for today:
It has over 8M views on YouTube!
Let’s see why & how this ad works:
Observational intro: Kitchen counter lab test. Eggs smash on competitors, bounce off Steppers. Cuts to lifestyle walk and a punchy sale close.
Structure:
- Hook/demo: Eggs on insoles. Visual proof beats copy.
- Mechanism hits: “Shock absorption” and “massage points.” Names the tech without a lecture.
- Outcomes list: Plantar fasciitis, flat feet, pronation, posture, all-day standing. Broad claim set, fast cadence.
- Risk reversal: “90-day money-back.” Removes hesitation.
- CTA + offer: “Shop now, save up to 60%.” Urgency without yelling.
Why it works
- Kinetic proof: The egg test compresses cushioning into a single, shareable image.
- Problem roll-call: Rapid-fire pains ensures self-identification.
- Risk relief before price: Trust first, discount second.
Steal this
- Lead with a 1-shot stress test anyone can replicate or imagine.
- Name the mechanism in two nouns max. Then jump to outcomes.
- Insert risk reversal before the discount to frame value, not cheapness.
- Close on brandable cadence: “Step into comfort. Step into Steppers.”
To finish off with, here’s a quick look at their landing page in use:
"Spy" on 34.3 Million YouTube Ads
(and Landing Pages)!
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That's all for this weekm folks!
We hope this week’s selection of high-performing YouTube Shorts ads has sparked new ideas to test yourself!
Want more insights like these?
Stay tuned for next week’s VidTao 2 Shorts Tuesday…
…where we’ll continue breaking down winning YouTube Shorts Ads you can break down + model for your own creatives & campaigns.
And btw… If you have questions about YouTube ads or YouTube Shorts ads in particular?
Go here to schedule a free chat with our friends at Inceptly. Inceptly is a top Direct Response video ad agency, specializing in high-performing YouTube ad creatives & media buying.
Have a great week!
PS - Go here to Claim Your Free Trial of VidTao Premium: Access 34.3 Million YouTube Ads & Their Landing Pages!
PPS - Are you spending $1k/day+ on Paid Ads? 
Go here to set up a free YouTube Ad brainstorm chat.