Growth in Shorts views and subscribers over 2 months. "Zmist. Poltava" Case Study

"Zmist" is an independent digital media outlet in the Poltava region with its own YouTube channel. The editorial team produces reports, interviews with military personnel, stories about local people, and covers events across the Poltava region. The channel has been active for several years, has an established audience, and a clear mission: to show Poltava beyond the stereotypes—honestly, engagingly, and with respect for the people. For a regional media outlet during wartime, this is more than just a content strategy; it is documenting living history and supporting the community.

"Zmist" approached us at a time when the channel needed a rethink. Channel views had dipped—in December 2025, there was a 56% drop compared to November. The CTR on videos was hovering at 4%, while the benchmark is 6–8%. 96% of viewers were watching without subscribing to the channel. The team was producing content, but without clear positioning, a consistent publishing schedule, or a clear understanding of who it was for and why.

At the same time, the channel's potential was obvious: a loyal local audience, access to exclusive subjects and locations, and viewer trust. We took on the project to help realize that potential.

Our actions

Step 1. Audit and market analysis

We conducted a comprehensive study. We analyzed regional channels in the long-form video and Shorts niches, comparing the strategies of competitors: Suspilne Poltava, Suspilne Chernihiv, Suspilne Dnipro, Gwara Media, and Ukraїner. The analysis provided several key insights:

• Long-form video views fell by 35% in 2025, while Shorts grew by 15%—the market is clearly shifting toward short-form content.
• Channels that prioritize quality over the volume of posts have a significantly higher median number of views per video.
• The most effective content in the niche is emotional human-interest stories, material about the military, and coverage of the aftermath of attacks.
• Leading channels focus on 2–3 clear, core formats rather than a disjointed stream of videos.

We conducted in-depth interviews with the Zmist team to build a profile of their core audience: women aged 35+ looking for emotional content about people and the war.

Step 2. Formats and positioning

Based on our audit, we relaunched the Zmist channel with a focus on a female audience and the Shorts format. We bet on emotional clips from interviews, poignant stories, and videos about military personnel and their families. We started by posting one video a day, gradually increasing to two.

At the same time, we prepared the launch of two new channels for different formats and audiences—but those are separate case studies.

Step 3. Production and scripts

In terms of content, we developed the structure for Shorts, our scripting approach, and the visual style:

• Duration: 40–90 seconds
• Serial logic: multiple clips from a single interview released as individual videos
• The first 3 seconds: a hook to capture the viewer's attention
• Core topics: emotional stories from military personnel, videos of prisoners of war after exchanges, animal rescues, the aftermath of shelling in the Poltava region, and unique local figures.

We implemented a unified design style: subtitles, thumbnails with accent colors, and standardized titles featuring quotes and intrigue.

Step 4. Analytics and optimization

After the launch, we monitored metrics weekly. We tested posting schedules and tracked peak days and times. We adjusted video topics based on retention analytics.

Results and achievements

After two months of active work, we achieved our primary goal: Shorts views grew by 36%—from 485k to 660k—and active views increased from 227k to 370k, a 63% jump.

The number of new subscribers grew by 35%, from +600 to +800. The average watch time increased from 24 to 34 seconds, and engagement rose from 50% to 63%.

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