If you're a music label or distributor partner, you can promote music discovery in Shorts using DDEX to deliver a preview snippet ahead of a song’s full-length release. When preview details are communicated in your DDEX feed, a preview art track video is created and made available in the Shorts Music Library starting at the date and time you specify in your feed.
The accompanying full length art track won’t be released until the date and time you specify in your feed. The preview art track video and the full length art track video will embed the same sound recording asset.
Once the full-length track is released, we’ll automatically update any Shorts that use the preview to redirect to the full-length track. We’ll also update the associated Shorts pivot page created using the preview.
To create a preview and make it available in Shorts, you must:
- Update your Art Track feed to communicate preview details.
- Update your Content ID feed OR Edit the sound recording asset's match policy.
1. Update your Art Track feed
Specify start and end times
Below are example XML snippets you can use to create a preview based on start and end points or start time and duration amount:
Example XML snippets
Use the following XML snippet to create a preview from a specified segment of a full audio file using start and end points. The full audio file must be delivered to create the preview.
<TechnicalSoundRecordingDetails>
<TechnicalResourceDetailsReference>T1</TechnicalResourceDetailsReference>
<!-- IsPreview is set to false to signal the full audio file is sent we should create preview using start and end point->
<IsPreview>false</IsPreview>
<PreviewDetails>
<StartPoint>30</StartPoint>
<EndPoint>60</EndPoint>
<ExpressionType>Instructive</ExpressionType>
</PreviewDetails>
<File>
<FileName>full-length-track.mp3</FileName>
<FilePath>resources/</FilePath>
</File>
</TechnicalSoundRecordingDetails>
Alternatively, you can specify the segment using a start time point and a time duration in ISO 8601 format.
The following XML snippet specifies the preview should be created 30 seconds from the start of the full track and the duration of the preview should be 45 seconds:
<PreviewDetails>
<StartPoint>30</StartPoint>
<Duration>PT0H0M45S</Duration>
<ExpressionType>Instructive</ExpressionType>
</PreviewDetails>
Specify release date
Below is an example XML snippet you can use to specify when the preview should become available:
Example XML snippet
Partners can use <ClipPreviewStartDate> or <ClipPreviewStartDateTime> to specify when the preview should be available for Shorts sync. The availability of the preview will end at the end of its full-length track.
- We'll only use the start dates specified as
<ClipPreviewStartDate>or<ClipPreviewStartDateTime>. The other start dates (e.g.<ReleaseDisplayStartDate>,<TrackListingPreviewStartDate>,<CoverArtPreviewStartDate>) are required for schema validation and will be ignored. <PreviewDetails>is ignored if<ClipPreviewStartDate>or<ClipPreviewStartDateTime>isn't present in the message.- All provided start dates need to be of the same type (i.e. either "Date" or "DateTime").
<ClipPreviewStartDate>or<ClipPreviewStartDateTime>should be included in any subsequent update messages (e.g. metadata updates) before the product’s go-live date. Omitting this could disable the preview clip from being available in Shorts.- Make sure the
<ClipPreviewStartDate>(or<ClipPreviewStartDateTime>) is earlier than the<StartDate>(or<StartDateTime>) to allow the preview to appear in the Shorts Library.
<ReleaseDeal>
<DealReleaseReference>R1</DealReleaseReference>
<Deal>
<DealTerms>
<CommercialModelType>SubscriptionModel</CommercialModelType>
<Usage>
<UseType>NonInteractiveStream</UseType>
<UseType>OnDemandStream</UseType>
</Usage>
<TerritoryCode>Worldwide</TerritoryCode>
<ValidityPeriod>
<StartDate>2021-12-10</StartDate>
</ValidityPeriod>
<ReleaseDisplayStartDate>2021-01-01</ReleaseDisplayStartDate>
<TrackListingPreviewStartDate>2021-01-01</TrackListingPreviewStartDate>
<CoverArtPreviewStartDate>2021-01-01</CoverArtPreviewStartDate>
<ClipPreviewStartDate>2021-01-01</ClipPreviewStartDate>
</DealTerms>
</Deal>
<EffectiveDate>2022-01-01</EffectiveDate>
</ReleaseDeal>
2. Update your Content ID feed or Edit the sound recording asset's match policy
We suggest that partners update their Content ID feed, but they also have the option to update the sound recording’s match policy to use the Shorts Preview policy created above. Keep in mind that the match policy will apply once the full-length track is released (if you don’t set a scheduled policy).
Update your Content ID feed
Below is an example XML snippet to communicate the match policy to apply to Shorts previews, in addition to your match policy for the full-length release.
Example XML snippet
<DealList>
<ReleaseDeal>
<DealReleaseReference>R1</DealReleaseReference>
<!-- Monetize Previews, block otherwise before release date -->
<Deal>
<DealReference>YT_MATCH_POLICY:Block except Shorts Previews</DealReference>
<DealTerms>
<CommercialModelType>RightsClaimModel</CommercialModelType>
<Usage>
<UseType>UserMakeAvailableUserProvided</UseType>
</Usage>
<!-- Add custom territory restriction to saved policy -->
<TerritoryCode>US</TerritoryCode>
<!-- Add custom schedule to saved policy -->
<ValidityPeriod>
<EndDateTime>2018-07-23T16:59:38+00:00</EndDateTime>
</ValidityPeriod>
</DealTerms>
</Deal>
<!-- UNCHANGED: Monetize after release date -->
<Deal>
<DealTerms>
<CommercialModelType>RightsClaimModel</CommercialModelType>
<Usage>
<UseType>UserMakeAvailableUserProvided</UseType>
</Usage>
<TerritoryCode>US</TerritoryCode>
<ValidityPeriod>
<StartDateTime>2018-07-23T16:59:38+00:00</StartDateTime>
</ValidityPeriod>
<RightsClaimPolicy>
<RightsClaimPolicyType>Monetize</RightsClaimPolicyType>
</RightsClaimPolicy>
</DealTerms>
</Deal>
</ReleaseDeal>
</DealList>
Edit the sound recording asset's match policy
- Sign in to Studio Content Manager.
- From the left menu, select Policies
.
- Click ADD NEW POLICY
Add YouTube Shorts preview policy.
- Enter a Policy name and Policy description.
- You can use the example below as a guide to set up a Shorts preview policy.
- Next to Reference match amount, enter the desired allowable length in seconds.
- The maximum length of a Short is 60 seconds.
- To make sure the full-length track is available in Shorts on its release date, the match policy must have a Reference match amount condition that allows for Shorts using 16 seconds or less of the reference file. In other words, the reference match should be set to more than 16 seconds.
- Click SAVE.
Add YouTube Shorts preview policy.- We recommend you add a Reference match amount condition to allow uploads that add the preview outside of Shorts creation tools. For example, if you also provide a preview on other platforms and want to allow cross-posting to YouTube, you should include this condition to allow for usages up to and including the length of that preview. Otherwise, these usages may be blocked.
- There may be limits to the amount of music that users can add. To confirm the music usage duration allowed under your agreement with YouTube, refer to your Shorts amendment or reach out to your YouTube support contact.
Example Shorts preview policy
Example scenario
I want to allow users to sample a 30 second song preview in Shorts for a song with a future release date.
How to set up the policy:
- Sign in to Studio Content Manager.
- From the left menu, select Policies
- Click ADD NEW POLICY
- Enter a Policy name and Policy description.
- Example policy name: “Shorts preview - 30 seconds”
- Example policy description: “Allow for Shorts previews up to 30 seconds”
- Next to Reference match amount, enter 00:30.
- Click SAVE.
- From the left menu, select Assets
.
- Find the relevant sound recording asset and click the asset's title to open its Asset details page.
- From the left menu, select Ownership & Policy
- Click the Match Policy tab
- Search for the Shorts preview policy created in Steps 1-6 above and select the policy in the list.
- Click SET CUSTOM POLICY.
- Click ADD SCHEDULED POLICY and select your desired match policy.
- Enter the full-length track’s release date.
- Click ADD CONDITION
- If you don't add a Viewer location condition, the scheduled policy may not properly apply. For example, if you want to monetize user videos using content from the full-length track in all territories, you would set the Viewer location condition to “Global” and the match policy to "Monetize".
- Click SAVE to save the policy.
- Click APPLY to apply the updated match policy on the asset.
.After completing Step 6 above, you can also schedule the policy using DDEX by following the steps here.
If your policy has a Reference match amount condition and users can access portions of the song from other platforms, then this policy may allow uploads using these portions of the song from other platforms. For example, the following scenario could also happen by using the example policy above:
- Label delivers 30 seconds of a song’s chorus as a Shorts preview to YouTube, but makes a preview of the verse from that same song available elsewhere.
- User uploads video, created outside of Short's creations tools, using the song’s verse.
- Video may be viewable if the length of the song's usage doesn’t exceed 30 seconds.
To limit song usage from other platforms, you can remove the Reference match amount condition when creating your Shorts preview policy.
Frequently asked questions about Shorts previews
Can I deliver multiple Shorts previews for a song?
Currently, we don’t support multiple Shorts previews for a song.
Are there any publishing requirements for Shorts previews?
As with full-length releases, you should work with the song’s publishers to ensure that they embed their composition shares to the song’s sound recording asset. Learn more about removing or adding an embed relationships.
How can artists create Shorts using previews?
Artists can find and use the Preview track from the Shorts Music Library starting at the time of the Preview’s release. Alternatively, partners can share the art track video link generated after the Preview delivery with the artist.
When viewing on mobile, the artist will see a Create option once the Preview is live. They can then use the audio to create a Short.
How should I set the reference match duration to allow for Shorts previews?
To make sure the full length song is remixable upon release date, the match policy must have a reference match amount condition that doesn’t block usages of 16 seconds or less. In other words, the reference match duration should be set to more than 16 seconds.
Is there a recommended length for a Shorts preview?
Currently there's no official recommendation, but there are few things to keep in mind:
- Maximum length of a Short is 60 seconds.
- Consider how your Preview might drive interest for the full-length track.
How do I check a release date after delivering a Shorts preview?
After delivering a preview and/or full-length art track, you can use Studio Content Manager to check the release dates you provided:
- Sign in to Studio Content Manager.
- From the left menu, select Assets
- Click the Art tracks tab.
- Find the art track you’re interested in.
- To find it more easily, click the filter bar
- To find it more easily, click the filter bar
- Click the track title.
- From the left menu, select Availability
.
Can we deliver Shorts previews using a .CSV file?
No, currently we only support delivery of Shorts previews using DDEX.