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šŸ“² šŸ„ Brain-Boosting Mushrooms & a Crazy Local SEO Hack

āœŒļø [2 Shorts Tuesday] Breaking down our favorite YouTube Shorts Ads Scaling Now

Want to see some YouTube Shorts ads that are scaling right now?

Youā€™re in luckā€¦

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 - šŸ’° MORE MONEY šŸ’°
YouTube made it easier to earn money with YouTube Shorts in 2024 by letting creators take a cut of ad money from their Shortsā€”a better deal than TikTokā€™s confusing payment system.

This works for both short videos and regular YouTube content, making it safer for creators who want steady income.

#2 - ā›”TikTok Ban Rumors/Realityā›”
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 TikTokā€™s style while giving creators more flexibility.

YouTubeā€™s Big Advantages

#3 - šŸ“ˆBuilt-in audiencešŸ“ˆ 
Shorts get boosted by YouTubeā€™s recommendations and trending lists, helping creators grow faster. TikTok doesnā€™t connect as well to other apps or longer videos.

#4 - šŸ†•Different viewersšŸ†• 
YouTubeā€™s users are often older (25-34) vs. TikTokā€™s teen-heavy crowd, so creators can reach new fans.

#5 - šŸ¤¦ā€ā™‚ļøCreators Are Fed Up With TikTokšŸ¤¦ā€ā™‚ļø
Many say TikTokā€™s rules change too often, and theyā€™re tired of worrying about bans. YouTube feels more stable, especially with Googleā€™s support for targeting the right audiences. The 3-minute Shorts also let them tell better stories without switching apps.

ā€¦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?

Letā€™s take a closer look at 2 YouTube Shorts ads doing well right now:

~ update from our friends at Funnel of the Week ~

15 Step Advertorial Checklist (Eugene Schwartz Inspired)

Our friends at Funnel of the Week just dropped a new funnel breakdownā€¦

Check out the full breakdown inside the Funnel of the Week Members Areaā€¦.

Key to this funnel?

The ADVERTORIAL LANDING PAGE.

And if you want to make sure your next advertorial (and sales page) crushes itā€¦

The Funnel of the Week team put together an easy-to-apply 15-step advertorial checklist you can download here:

Go here to check it out!

šŸ„ Ad #1:  ā€œThe First Smart Mushroom?ā€ ā€“ How a Founder-Led YouTube Shorts Ad Creates Instant Trust & Curiosity

This 24-second long YouTube Shorts ad takes a founder-led, thought-leader approach, using scientific authority (Paul Stamets), direct-to-camera storytelling, and minimal visuals to position Lionā€™s Mane as a must-have for brain health.

Instead of hard selling, it leans on Paulā€™s personal credibility and curiosity-driven messaging to make the viewer feel like theyā€™re getting an inside look at a scientific breakthrough.

Letā€™s now go into more details:

Pattern Interruption Hook 

  • Paul Stamets introduces himself on-camera, surrounded by Lionā€™s Mane mushrooms.

  • He isnā€™t just a random expertā€”heā€™s the founder of the brand, making this an authentic, high-trust endorsement.

  • ā€œIā€™m here with a gorgeous flush of Lionā€™s Mane mushrooms.ā€

šŸ‘‰ Why this works:

  • Founder-led storytelling builds instant trustā€”Paul has a personal stake in the productā€™s quality.

  • Visual cue of fresh mushrooms reinforces natural, high-quality sourcing.

  • The word ā€œgorgeousā€ makes the mushrooms feel premium and desirable rather than just another supplement.

Building Intrigue ā€“ The ā€œSmart Mushroomā€ Angle

  • ā€œThis may be the first smart mushroom, in my opinion.ā€

  • Frames Lionā€™s Mane as a breakthrough discovery.

  • The phrase ā€œsmart mushroomā€is highly shareable and curiosity-inducing.

šŸ‘‰ Why this works:

  • Founderā€™s insight feels exclusiveā€”viewers feel like theyā€™re learning about something undervalued and new.

  • ā€œSmart mushroomā€ = category creationā€”makes it feel unique, not just another supplement.

  • Curiosity-driven phrasingā€”Viewers want to learn more about what makes it ā€œsmart.ā€

Science-Based Benefits

  • ā€œThis mushroom has compounds that support nervous system health, specifically neurogenesis.ā€

  • Uses a scientific claim (neurogenesis = brain cell growth) to reinforce credibility.

  • No fluffā€”just one powerful, high-impact benefit.

šŸ‘‰ Why this works:

  • Founder-led authority + science = high believability.

  • One clear benefit (neurogenesis) = no overwhelm, just impact.

  • Feels educational, not salesyā€”making it easier to trust.

The Longevity Hook ā€“ Why It Matters

  • ā€œThis is a mushroom I think we all should pay closer attention to.ā€

  • ā€œIt could be absolutely essential as you age.ā€

  • Frames Lionā€™s Mane as an anti-aging, long-term brain health solution.

šŸ‘‰ Why this works:

  • Founderā€™s personal belief statement makes it more persuasive.

  • Future-casting = makes the viewer think about long-term health.

  • Scarcity effectā€”If something is ā€œessential,ā€ people fear missing out.

Static Closing Frame

  • Ends with a static image of the brand logo + disclaimer.

  • The Paul Stametsā€™ Fungi Perfecti logo reinforces credibility.

  • The FDA disclaimer adds transparency (common in supplement ads).

šŸ‘‰ Why this works:

  • Founder branding reinforces trustā€”this isnā€™t a faceless supplement company.

  • Subconscious trust-buildingā€”FDA disclaimers, while legally required, also make claims feel ā€œofficial.ā€

  • A clean, non-salesy close leaves the viewer thinking about the message.

YouTube Shorts Ad Free Brainstorm

Want to brainstorm with us on new ways to scale your business with
YouTube Shorts Ads (and other performance video platforms)?

Join us for a free YouTube Shorts Ad brainstorming session here:

Key Takeaways from this Ad

1ļøāƒ£ Founder-led authorityā€”Paul Stamets isnā€™t just an expert, heā€™s the founder, which makes the endorsement feel authentic and high-trust.
2ļøāƒ£ Curiosity-driven messagingā€”ā€œSmart mushroomā€ creates intrigue and boosts shareability.
3ļøāƒ£ Minimalist but powerful science claimsā€”ā€œSupports neurogenesisā€ feels legitimate without over-explaining.
4ļøāƒ£ Longevity framingā€”Subtly makes Lionā€™s Mane feel essential for aging.
5ļøāƒ£ Soft CTA approachā€”Instead of pushing a sale, the ad lets curiosity drive action.

This brand has a quite cool landing page in use too, letā€™s take a quick scroll:

Besides landing pages, use VidTao to check out all other interesting ads by Host Defense Mushrooms! Hereā€™s a sneak peek:

šŸ“² Ad #2: ā€œThe #1 Tree Cutterā€”Thanks to Voice Search?ā€ ā€“ An Ad That Sells a Service Like a Get-Rich-Quick Hack

Next up, we found this 55-seconds long YouTube Shorts ad that follows a classic ā€œresults-firstā€ storytelling structure, using a relatable business owner, social proof, and a step-by-step tutorial to sell an automated voice search ranking service.

Check it out:

Instead of technical explanations, it frames the service as a secret growth hackā€”making it feel like an unfair advantage for small businesses.

Letā€™s break the ad down:

Pattern Interruption Hook 

  • Opens with the business owner holding a cut tree, saying:
    ā€œThis is how we became the number one tree cutters in our local area.ā€

  • Instant credibility drop:ā€œI got ranked number one on voice search.ā€

šŸ‘‰ Why this works:

  • Grabs attention immediatelyā€”makes the viewer think, ā€œWait, how does a tree cutter rank on voice search?ā€

  • ā€œNumber oneā€ social proofā€”people trust rankings and assume #1 = success.

  • Frames the product as a shortcut to leads & revenue, rather than a complicated marketing tool.

Building Desire ā€“ The Before & After Effect

  • ā€œSo when anyone searches on their phone in Siri or Alexa, I come up as the number one tree cutter.ā€

  • ā€œNow my phoneā€™s ringing off the hook, Iā€™ve never had more leads, and Iā€™m hiring like crazy.ā€

šŸ‘‰ Why this works:

  • Paints a compelling ā€œbefore and afterā€ pictureā€”from struggling business to overwhelmed with leads.

  • Reinforces scarcity mindsetā€”ā€œnumber oneā€ ranking sounds exclusive (only one business gets it).

  • Social proof angleā€”he implies success by talking about hiring more staff.

The Tutorial Shift ā€“ Making It Seem Easy

  • Camera switches to a phone screen tutorial

  • ā€œLet me show you real quick how you can do it.ā€

  • Walks through a 60-second quiz that ā€œchecks if you qualify.ā€

šŸ‘‰ Why this works:

  • Quick pivot from curiosity to solutionā€”keeps the viewer engaged.

  • ā€œSuper simpleā€ = low frictionā€”removes the fear of complex tech setup.

  • Gamifies the processā€”a ā€œquizā€ sounds fun and interactive instead of a boring signup form.

  • Scarcity triggerā€”not everyone ā€œqualifies,ā€ making it feel exclusive.

Authority & Urgency Stack

  • ā€œI qualified for all voice search platformsā€”Alexa, Siri, Google Home, Bixby, all of them.ā€

  • ā€œSo this is how you get registered for voice search, guys.ā€

šŸ‘‰ Why this works:

  • Authority stackingā€”listing multiple platforms makes it feel more official and legitimate.

  • Subtly implies that qualifying means instant success.

  • No technical detailsā€”just a strong call to action.

CTA ā€“ Urgency & FOMO

ā€œTap down below if you want to supercharge your business and start getting thousands of new leads today.ā€

šŸ‘‰ Why this works:

  • ā€œSuperchargeā€ = fast results, minimal effort.

  • Fear of missing out (FOMO)ā€”who wouldnā€™t want thousands of new leads?

  • CTA is clear and directā€”no distractions.

Key Takeaways from this Ad

1ļøāƒ£ Social proof first, explanation secondā€”The ad starts with results, then explains how it works.
2ļøāƒ£ Before & after transformationā€”Viewers see a struggling business turn into a success story.
3ļøāƒ£ ā€œQualificationā€ gamifies the CTAā€”A quiz makes signing up feel like unlocking an opportunity.
4ļøāƒ£ Scarcity mindsetā€”Only one business can be #1 in voice search, increasing urgency.
5ļøāƒ£ Strong emotional triggersā€”The ad sells the feeling of being overwhelmed with leadsā€”not just ranking higher.

Did you know you can use VidTao to check out ANY advertiserā€™s landing pages in use? Hereā€™s what this advertiserā€™s landing page looks like:

šŸ•µļø Want to ā€œSpyā€ on over 21 million YouTube ads (and landing pages)?

Go here to claim your free trial of the VidTao Premium YouTube Ad LibraryšŸ‘‡

And there you have it, weā€™re all done analyzing out 2 shorts ads for this week! šŸš€

We hope this weekā€™s selection of high-performing YouTube Shorts ads has sparked new ideas to test yourself!

Want more insights like these?

Stay tuned for next weekā€™s VidTao 2 Shorts Tuesdayā€¦

ā€¦where weā€™ll continue breaking down winning YouTube Shorts Ads you can break down + model for your own creatives & campaigns.

And btwā€¦ 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 21 Million YouTube Ads (Including 14 Million Unlisted) & Their Landing Pages!

PPS - Are you spending $1k/day+ on Paid Ads? šŸ‘‰ Go here to set up a free YouTube Ad brainstorm chat.