Want to grow as a video creator in 2025 and monetize your channels? Here’s our breakdown of YouTube Shorts vs TikTok and how to dominate both.
Short video is undeniably the most popular form of content in 2025. Not only do short videos cater to shorter attention spans, but they’re also quick and convenient to consume, accessible on mobile devices and easy to share, making them perfect for today’s fast-paced, digital culture.
When it comes to the most popular platforms, particularly among younger demographics, TikTok and YouTube Shorts are currently the video-sharing giants.
With over 1 billion monthly users, TikTok was the original inspiration for short-form video, leading Instagram and YouTube to integrate ‘Shorts’ and ‘Reels’ into their platforms to capitalize on this trend.
Now, over 2 billion people around the world also use YouTube Shorts, attracting over 15 billion views daily. But which platform is best for content creators, and is it possible to dominate both?
In this article, we’ll compare YouTube shorts vs TikTok for content creators looking to grow their online video presence. We’ll also look at the best time to post on YouTube Shorts and TikTok, and show you how to maximize visibility and engagement on both platforms using AI agents.
First, let’s explain what we mean when we refer to ‘AI agents.’
AI agents are a key tool for content creators who want to excel on multiple platforms without over-investing their time and resources. They are essentially virtual assistants that can handle routine, time-consuming tasks like data analysis, video editing, scheduling and even the creation of video scripts and image assets.
If you’re looking to cut through on YouTube, an AI agent could help you determine the best time to post on YouTube Shorts by analyzing audience data, including peak watch times for your demographics.
An AI agent could also search the platform for trending topics and themes to provide you with viral video ideas. As you grow, AI can also help you improve your output by analyzing performance data such as watch times, churn rates and peak engagement points in your videos.
AI tools like Argil can also streamline the entire video production process, helping you to create high-quality videos in minutes.
We’ll help you generate an engaging script, edit your videos professionally and add automatic features such as dynamic B-roll, visual transitions and captions. To try Argil for free, sign up here.
Now let’s look at the two most popular short video platforms – YouTube Shorts vs TikTok. How do they differ, and how can you leverage these differences to expand your online presence and maximize engagement as a new or growing content creator?
TikTok has a strong presence among younger generations, with the majority of users aged 18-24. They’re also predominantly female (54.8%), with the platform’s top earners being under 30 years old.
YouTube Shorts has a broader demographic range, encompassing users from 16-65+ years of age. The largest percentage of Shorts viewers are 25-34 years old, and the user base is almost evenly split by gender, swaying slightly more male.
TikTok has a global presence, with content in various languages including English, Chinese, Korean and French.
YouTube Shorts is primarily an English platform, although you can find content in various other languages such as Spanish, Hindi, German and French. YouTube also provides auto-dubbing for some videos.
TikTok emphasizes short-term virality and engagement, encouraging continuous engagement through trending videos.
YouTube Shorts focuses on long-term visibility and steady channel growth.
TikTok videos can be between 15 seconds and 10 minutes long, with various aspect ratios.
YouTube Shorts are up to 60 seconds long, with a vertical aspect ratio (9:16).
TikTok provides monetization opportunities through Creator Brand Partnerships, as well as through sponsorships, collaborations, affiliate partnerships and gifts. Creators can typically earn between $0.04 and $0.04 per 1000 views.
YouTube Shorts offers monetization opportunities through ads, sponsorships and the YouTube Partner Program. Creators can earn between 0.01 and $0.10 per 1000 views.
TikTok algorithms favor rapid exposure, prioritizing trending content.
YouTube Shorts provides gradual exposure over time, with search playing a significant role.
TikTok emphasizes real-time engagement, collaborations and trending “challenges”.
YouTube Shorts favors creators with existing channels and high audience engagement.
The best time to post on YouTube Shorts will depend on your niche, audience demographics, timezone and a number of other factors.
AI agents can help you maximize visibility by using past and predictive data to show you the best time to post on YouTube Shorts and TikTok.
AI-driven analytics will analyze the behavior of your users, as well as video engagement patterns and trending platform topics to help determine the best posting schedule.
More generally, the best time to post on YouTube Shorts is typically between 2 PM-4 PM and 8 PM-11 PM on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays – although different types of content have different peak hours.
On TikTok, some say the best time to post is on Tuesdays and Fridays at 6 PM, although posting early in the mornings on weekends also leads to good engagement.
It’s important to keep in mind the frequency of your posts, as this can be more important than timing when it comes to how well your videos perform.
Using an AI agent, you can generate ideas as well as written content like video scripts and visuals tailored to your platform.
Argil will help you create and edit videos in minutes without the need for a camera. Simply input your script (or the URL of a blog post you want to turn into a video) and we’ll automatically create an engaging short video for YouTube or TikTok complete with B-roll, visual transitions, branded elements and captions.
AI tools like Argil can also help you repurpose written content like blog posts into short-form videos, saving you time coming up with new ideas and helping to maximize your existing content.
You can even create a lifelike AI avatar to perform your video script, so you won’t even need to appear on camera, saving you hours of filming and editing time.
Leveraging AI will also help to grow your channel by determining the most effective times to port for maximum visibility and engagement.
With scheduling automation, you won’t have to worry about keeping a content calendar or forgetting to post – your AI agent can take care of all of that for you, freeing you up to focus on more creative tasks.
You can also improve the performance of your videos with AI-driven insights, helping you adapt your videos to better suit your audience. AI can also predict which content will perform well at specific times, based on historical data and audience trends.
When it comes to deciding whether to post on YouTube Shorts vs TikTok, you’ll need to weigh up many factors – including how quickly you want to grow and who your audience demographic will be. However, thanks to AI tools like Argil, there’s no reason why you can’t dominate both platforms.
Leveraging AI will help you create short, engaging videos for the platform of your choice, as well as identifying the best time to post on YouTube Shorts and TokTok, and trending topics for you to capitalize on.
Not only will a tool like Argil help you create videos, but it will also help you boost your visibility on both platforms, generate engagement and grow your audience.
In 2025, there is no limit to what AI can do for your content creation career. To see for yourself how AI could completely revolutionize your video creation process, try Argil for free today.
