Want to see some YouTube Shorts ads that are scaling right now, using our VidTao ad intelligence software.
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: “Zip-tie belt” Demo Ad
Our first ad pick for this week is this demo-style ad, check it out:
Format: POV product demo + contrast shots
Hook: “Only people with IQ 150+ will appreciate how ingenious this is.”
Core idea: Transfer a familiar mechanism (zip tie ratchet) to a belt to promise perfect fit, clean look, easy micro-adjustments.
This ad gained over 1M views on YouTube in a month… 
Why this ad works:
- Immediate curiosity spike: playful IQ tease sets status stakes without bragging.
- Visual proof > claims: audible ratchet clicks, closeups of teeth, quick size trim with buckle release.
- Hard contrast: ugly stretched holes vs sleek track = binary choice.
- Clear outcomes: exact fit, no belly-digging, won’t warp.
- Urgency & price anchor: “less than a frozen pizza,” “before the price changes.”
Swipe this
- Start with a transfer-of-tech metaphor your audience already trusts.
- Use a binary visual: side-by-side “old vs new,” then ask the either-or question.
- Add a sound cue that sells the mechanism (clicks, snaps, locks).
- End on a micro-price anchor tied to a common purchase.
Watch-outs
- Keep the IQ line playful. Don’t insult viewers.
- If you claim durability, show a fast stress test.
Reminder that inside VidTao, you can check out other ads + relevant stats on this advertiser!
Here’s a sneak peek:
~ 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: “We burned $3M on our MVP” Office Skit Ad
The next ad we chose to analyze is this skit-style, office setup ad:
Format: scripted satire, boardroom chaos
Hook: On-screen caption: “POV: CEO spent $3M on an MVP AI could’ve built…”
Core idea: Overbuilding is absurd when a tool like Lovable can ship an MVP in seconds.
This advertiser has many other cool ads, with millions in ad spend!
Check them out:
Why it works:
- Pain turned comedy: cost bloat, pedigree hires, VR sideshow, “we’ll just raise more money.”
- Category insight: most founders fear wasting runway before PMF.
- Simple solution frame: “next time use Lovable” = obvious relief valve.
- Power ending: “you’re fired” delivers consequence and punchline.
Swipe this
- Cost-of-inaction sketch: exaggerate the waste your product eliminates.
- Use prestige name-drops to heighten the absurd spend, then cut it down with your one-line solution.
- Close with a status reset: who looks smart after using your tool.
Watch-outs
- Keep jokes punching up at waste, not at customers.
- Add 1 on-screen line that clarifies what Lovable actually outputs to avoid vagueness.
Swipeable lines to test
- Belt: “Hear the click. Feel the fit.”
- Belt: “From pizza money to tailored fit.”
- AI tool: “Ship in seconds, not Series A.”
- AI tool: “Less headcount. More product.”
Quick edits we’d test next
- Belt: a 2-second sit-down demo to show the buckle not digging into the abdomen.
- Belt: a 5-sec durability pull vs a hole-punch belt.
- AI tool: a split-screen stopwatch showing “idea → working MVP” inside the app.
- AI tool: end card with 3 concrete outputs (web app, backend, auth) to cement credibility.
To finish off with, here’s a quick look at this advertiser’s landing page in use:
"Spy" on 34.3 Million YouTube Ads
(and Landing Pages)!
Unlock proven strategies for success with the VidTao Premium YouTube Ad Library. Get instant access to your FREE VidTao trial today 
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That's all for this week, 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.