TikTok-style vertical videos are set to conquer the porn industry

Dating back to the days of VHS and Betamax, there is a long-held (and contested) link between pornography and the widespread adoption of new entertainment formats. If that belief is still relevant more than 30 years later, then proponents of short-form video just got a big win, because an infinitely-scrolling vertical feed is coming to Pornhub.

Pornhub’s take on TikTok-style video is called Shorties (though Mashable joked that Quickies might have been a more apropos title). The typical Shorty is exactly what you’d expect: A fast-paced, vertically-oriented video that delivers a quick jolt of adult entertainment.

The world’s most-visited porn site (according to Similarweb data) rolled out a beta version of Shorties more than a year ago, and the feed is now rolling out to more users — though an official release still has not been announced. The Shorties feed can be found on the main Pornhub menu, and this article provides a direct link to the NSFW hub.

Pornhub has often taken cues from platforms like YouTube, and its reasons for adopting a TikTok-style feed make it sound like any other copycat. It wants draw in users between the ages of 18 and 24, who have accounted for the biggest chunk of Shorties viewership thus far. There are opportunities for creators as well, since an infinitely scrolling vertical feed can lead to increased reach and discoverability.

“Our new vertical platform, Shorties, is currently in beta, but early feedback from both users and creators has been very positive,” a Pornhub spokesperson told Mashable. “We are excited about the creativity and engagement it is already generating, and we look forward to sharing more information when it officially launches later this year.”

The rise of funding platforms like OnlyFans has led to stronger connections between the worlds of pornography and creator content. The latest news suggests that OnlyFans is on its way to a massive sale, and brands have been flocking to the platform in greater numbers. Pornhub could theoretically carve out more ad space via Shorties once the feed officially launches.

The burning question, in my mind, is what YouTube will think about the name of Pornhub’s new format. Shorties sounds a lot like YouTube Shorts, so that might rankle some of the folks at YouTube HQ. Then again, the original name of YouTube Premium was very similar to RedTube, another site owned by Pornhub parent company Mindgeek. So I guess you could think of the Shorties name as a little bit of tit-for-tat.