How important is short-form content for long-term growth?

Short-form and long-form are two different beasts. The audience you gain from Shorts won't always care about your long-form content. So it's not a must-have, but it's a good bonus. Shorts can bring in subscribers fast and create momentum. But if you're focused on long-form, those subscribers might not stick around. So it depends—do you want quick reach, or deeper engagement with fewer people? Ideally, you balance both, but know what you're aiming for.