YouTube Shorts can have a significant but indirect impact on growing a channel’s regular video views. Here’s how:

1. Increased Channel Exposure & Subscriber Growth

• Shorts are heavily promoted by YouTube in the Shorts feed, which means higher reach and discoverability.
• If your Shorts get good engagement, they can drive a surge in new subscribers who may then check out your longer content.
• A viral Short can introduce thousands (or even millions) of new viewers to your channel quickly.

2. Higher Click-Through to Long-Form Content

• While not everyone who watches a Short will transition to regular videos, some will—especially if your Shorts are teasers, highlights, or related to your main content.
• You can pin long-form video links in the comments or mention them in the Short to drive traffic.

3. Better Algorithm Signals

• Shorts that get high engagement (likes, comments, replays) tell YouTube that your content is interesting.
• If YouTube sees strong performance in Shorts, it may push your regular videos to more people in recommendations.

4. Not a Direct Watch-Time Booster

• Shorts watch time does not count toward monetization requirements for regular videos.
• However, if Shorts help grow your subscriber base, that can eventually lead to more watch time on regular videos.

5. Shorts Viewers vs. Long-Form Viewers

• Some people only consume Shorts, meaning not all new subscribers will engage with longer videos.
• You may need to train your audience by creating Shorts that naturally lead into longer content.

Final Verdict

YouTube Shorts can be a powerful growth tool, but they should be used strategically. The best approach is to use them as a funnel—hook viewers with engaging Shorts and guide them to your main videos through calls to action, pinned links, and related content.