How to Get More Comments on Short Videos

The short answer

The simplest way to get more comments on a short video is to ask viewers a question they can answer in one word, ideally a choice between two things they can see on screen. "Blue or yellow?" is easier to answer than "What do you think?" Then keep the conversation going after you post: reply to comments, heart the good ones, and pin a comment that restates the question. On YouTube, hearting, pinning, or replying can notify the commenter, depending on their settings. Below, we break down a 9-second Short from our own work that's built on exactly this idea, and turn it into steps any business can use.

The video we're breaking down

"Pick a car for her: blue or yellow?" is a YouTube Short on the Steven Sells Cars channel, filmed in the Kramer Autoplex showroom. Our work page lists it with the description "Viewers pick the car: a simple hook that drives comments" and shows 23K views on Shorts as a September 2026 snapshot. That's a view count. It isn't a measure of leads or sales, and we're not claiming it as one.

It's a car-dealership example, but the format has nothing to do with cars. It works for anything with two options a viewer can see.

What's on screen

The whole video is about 9 seconds, vertical, and one continuous take. There are no cuts and no on-screen captions. Here's what's in the frame:

A selfie-style shot. The person filming holds the phone at arm's length, so he's in the lower right foreground, talking straight to the lens. You can tell it's the front camera because the logo on his shirt reads backwards.
A clip-on microphone. There's a small lav mic with a fuzzy windscreen on his collar. The room is a big showroom, so this is what keeps the voice clear.
The subject behind him. Amber Renee, the showroom's recurring on-camera personality, stands a few feet back.
The two choices in the same frame. A yellow classic muscle car is directly behind her. A blue classic car is parked farther back. Both are visible the whole time, so the viewer never has to imagine the options.
Natural light. The showroom's big windows light the scene. No visible extra lighting.

What's said, per our transcription: he asks Amber which of the two cars she likes best, then turns the question to the audience, asking which one viewers think she looks better in. The video ends on the open question. There's no answer and no call to action beyond the question itself.

Why the format works

These are our observations and recommendations, not platform rules. YouTube doesn't publish a formula for comments.

The question is answerable in one word. "Yellow." "Blue." A viewer doesn't need to think, type a sentence, or know anything about the topic.
Both options are on screen. The viewer compares what they can see. If the choices had to be described, fewer people would follow along.
There's a person in it. The question isn't "which car is better?" It's "which one does she look better in?" That makes it about a person, which invites opinions and a little playful disagreement.
It ends on the question. No answer, no wrap-up. The only place to finish the video is the comments.
It's short enough to rewatch. At 9 seconds, someone who missed the question can see it again almost instantly.

How to use this for your business

You need two options, a person, and a question. A few ideas:

Restaurant: two plates on the counter. "Which one are you ordering?"
Salon or barber: two finished styles side by side. "Left or right?"
Boutique or gift shop: two outfits or two window displays. "Which one should go up this week?"
Home services: two finish samples, shingle colors, or paint swatches on a real house. "Which would you pick?"
Lake or event venue: two table setups or two views. "Sunset deck or dock?"

The shot recipe, taken straight from the breakdown:

Frame both choices behind the person asking. Check that both are visible before you hit record.
Use a clip-on mic if the room is big or noisy.
Say the question in the first few seconds and end on it. If you want a stronger opening, see how to hook viewers in the first 2 seconds.
Keep it to one take if you can. It feels casual and takes minutes to make. Our guide to filming short-form video with a phone covers stabilizing and light.
Put the question in the title or caption too, so it's there for people watching without sound.

What to do after you post

This is where the platform's own tools come in. From YouTube Help:

Reply. YouTube's tips to build community with comments say replying shows your audience you're listening, and suggest using replies to answer questions or thank people individually.
Heart. The same page says that when you heart a comment, viewers may get a notification that you loved what they wrote.
Pin. YouTube says you can pin your own comment or a fan comment to highlight what people see first, and lists asking your audience a specific question as one reason to pin your own. On mobile, viewers need to expand the comment section to see it. Only one comment can be pinned at a time; pinning another replaces it. Pinning requires advanced features to be turned on for your channel, per YouTube's comments help page.
Notifications go both ways. YouTube's review and reply page says that if you heart, pin, or reply, the commenter may get a notification, depending on their notification settings.

Our practical recommendation: pin a comment that restates the choice ("Team yellow or team blue?"), then spend a few minutes replying in the first day. If you already reply to Google reviews, the habit is similar; see how to reply to Google reviews.

Mistakes to avoid

Asking an open-ended question. "Thoughts?" asks the viewer to do the work.
Showing only one option. If the comparison isn't on screen, the question falls flat.
Answering it yourself. Let the comments do it.
Engagement bait that isn't about the video. "Comment 'yes' for part 2" with no real choice tends to feel cheap. Keep the question about something real in the frame.

If you'd like help planning a month of short videos like this, our social media content service is built for it.

Want a plan for your business? Get a content plan and we'll talk through what to film first.

Using this format for a local business

The either/or question works best when the two choices are things local people actually argue about. For a Livingston restaurant, that might be two dishes; for a Lufkin or Huntsville shop, two products or two colors on the shelf. Replies from people in your own town are the comments worth having, because they are the ones who can walk in. Our social media service plans and films this kind of short-form video creation for East Texas businesses.

Frequently asked questions

What's a good question to ask in a short video?

One with two visible options that a viewer can answer in a single word, like "blue or yellow?" or "left or right?" Make it about something real on screen, and end the video on the question.

Should I pin a comment on my YouTube Short?

It can help. YouTube says pinning highlights the comment people see first and suggests pinning your own comment to ask your audience a specific question. Only one comment can be pinned at a time.

Do viewers get notified when I reply to their comment?

They may. YouTube says that if you heart, pin, or reply to a comment, the commenter may get a notification depending on their notification settings.

Does a short video need captions to get comments?

Not necessarily. The video in this post has no on-screen captions. We still recommend putting the question in the title or caption so people watching without sound can see it.