Understanding Short-Form Video

Short-form videos, often defined as clips lasting under a minute (though some even stretch to three minutes), are in high demand. They’re typically around the sweet 15-second mark. But why have they gained such immense popularity?

Key Attributes of Short-Form Videos:

• Digestibility: They offer quick, bite-sized content that audiences can easily consume.
• **Entertainment Value: **These videos frequently encompass humor, trends, or captivating stories.
• Scroll-Driven Nature: Platforms present these videos in an infinite scroll mode, resulting in extended viewer engagement.

Platforms like Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts have emerged to challenge TikTok’s dominance in this vertical video arena, leading to a diversified market for short-form video content.

Why Marketers Cannot Ignore Short-Form Videos

For marketers striving to engage with audiences or penetrate new market segments, short-form videos are the weapon of choice. The data speaks volumes:

• HubSpot’s 2023 report reveals that short-form videos are seen as the most promising marketing trend. Additionally, 33% of marketers are planning to capitalize on short-form videos in 2023.
• A staggering 90% of marketers currently using short-form videos aim to sustain or boost their utilization in 2023.
• TikTok remains the favorite platform, with 42% of marketers using it and a projected 56% planning to augment their engagement in 2023.
• Seeking virality? Almost half (47%) of video marketers believe that short-form videos hold the highest potential to become viral.

These insights compile an irrefutable case for the integration of short-form videos into…

The platforms’ short-video craze will cool. Reels is now revenue-neutral, but reports hint that Meta is struggling to convince advertisers that Reels can drive performance. In Q3 earnings, Meta suggested it will pivot its strategy from Reels to video more holistically. Meanwhile, Alphabet’s Q3 earnings implied that YouTube Shorts had trouble growing beyond the 2 billion users it announced in Q2. Even TikTok is toying with 15-minute videos. And by ending its Creator Fund, the app will pay creators only for videos longer than 60 seconds—another sign of short-video monetization problems.

Direct messages (DMs) and group chats will heat up. Users spend over half their social time watching videos, but they’re increasingly accessing that content and engaging with each other through DMs. That’s likely one reason why Meta folded Messenger back into Facebook.

• Sharing videos via DM is problematic for short-video advertisers. Short-video ads are served primarily between videos, limiting where users can see those ads. Content shared via DM, for example, appears in isolation.
• Marketers have few paid options to reach users in DMs overall. Meta is banking on AI-driven business messaging tools to monetize WhatsApp, Messenger, and Instagram DMs, but it’s still a nascent business in the US.

3 Short-Form Video Trends you should know in 2024

What kinds of video should you create for promoting your brands?

1. More User-Generated Content Without using up too many resources, brands can publish videos that evoke emotion. Another benefit? It’s budget-friendly.

2. More Behind-the-Brand Videos Consumers seek out authenticity and transparency in brands. With short-form video, you only have a few seconds to connect with your audience. In one Sprout Social study, 70% of consumers said they felt more connected to brands whose CEO is active on social media platforms. So, brands should engage with their audiences on a more personal level.

3. More Explainer or Educational Videos A 2020 Wyzowl report found that viewers want to see more of this video style from brands. Educational videos are great added-value content because they help audiences in their day-to-day lives. Similarly, explainer videos target users who are at the decision-making stage of the buyer’s journey and, if done right, they can turn decision-makers into customers.