Key facts
- YouTube is releasing a new feature to bundle short videos into series or seasons.
- The feature is available to all Shorts creators but is particularly aimed at micro-drama studios.
- Micro-drama revenue is projected to reach $7.8 billion globally this year.
- Views of micro dramas on YouTube increased by over 90% year over year on TVs.
- YouTube's Shorts Series feature is intended to improve the viewing experience for episodic content on TVs.
YouTube is enhancing its short-form video offering with the introduction of Shorts Series, a feature designed to allow creators to organize their Shorts content into episodic seasons. This move aims to improve the viewing experience for serialized content, particularly the rapidly growing micro-drama format.
According to Kurt Wilms, senior director of product at YouTube, the new tool is expected to make the viewer experience of micro-drama content even better. Micro-drama studios often employ a freemium model, offering some episodes for free and gating subsequent ones behind a membership. Wilms indicated that YouTube's existing membership product can support this workflow, alongside in-feed ads that share revenue with creators.
The popularity of serialized short dramas has surged in the US, with global revenue anticipated to hit $7.8 billion this year, 40% of which comes from the US. Streaming platforms like Paramount+ are exploring the format, and TikTok is also investing heavily in short dramas.
YouTube shared data indicating significant growth in micro-drama viewership. In the first half of 2026, the format garnered over 6.5 billion views, with watch time increasing by more than 50% year over year. Notably, views on TVs saw a jump of over 90% year over year, suggesting a growing trend of consuming short-form content on larger screens. Wilms noted that creators are observing people watching episodic Shorts on TVs, and the new tools are intended to streamline this experience.
The platform emphasized that the Shorts Series feature is not exclusively for micro-drama studios, also highlighting creators like Kinigra Deon who are embracing short episodic storytelling. The increasing viewership of micro dramas on living room TVs signifies a blurring of lines between traditional TV and video apps, with YouTube capturing a larger share of TV viewing time and attracting advertising dollars.