Short videos should now be a vital part of your brand’s content strategy. When executed correctly, your audience gets to consume information quickly without spending a huge time commitment.

It is undeniable that our attention span for content has shortened over the years. Due to modern advancements in social media, consumers today prefer video formats to any other type of content.  

Younger consumers especially would rather seek entertainment and obtain information through short-form videos. In recent years, there has been a boom in social media tools which enable users to easily produce short-form videos with specific functions that exclusively feature these snappy contents. 

Brands too are in the middle of pivoting and navigating through the sea of trends, transitions, and execution. While content such as dancing to heavily mixed songs may be seen to be trivial and disconnected compared to more traditional strategies, it is just part of an ever-changing trend in marketing, and in building brand and customer relationships. 

Rather than resist change and simply dismissing it, you can instead widen your perspective to adapt this format while putting your own little spin to it. 

Read on to learn how your business can benefit from short-form video features and how you can utilise them to grow your brand.  

Why short-form videos 

There are various understandings of the duration of the short-form video format. Google considers 10 minutes and under to be short-form videos. TikTok too has recently allowed for 10-minute video content when originally only up to three minutes was allowed. Other platforms like Instagram Reels only allow 60 seconds. 

Regardless of the duration, short-form videos require content creators to share information, convey messages and package content dynamically and in a condensed form, cutting out the frills and speaking quickly to squeeze as much as they can into the brief period.  

Short-form video platforms to look out for 

1. TikTok 

Currently the most popular platform and one of the platforms that kick-started the short-video format movement. From campaigns to daily updates or even just for laughs, brands are flocking to TikTok due to its high conversion rates. 

AdWeek states that TikTok generates the highest number of downloads for apps compared to other platforms. Furthermore, according to Shopify, 45% of brands place emphasis on TikTok for influencer marketing, and the average engagement rate for influencers with followers under 15,000 is 17.69%. Do not miss the chance to boost your brand influence and potentially convert casual viewers to loyal customers. 

2. Instagram  

Instagram produced Reels and Stories as a response to competitors such as TikTok and Snapchat. Like both platforms, it allows for 15 to 90 seconds of video clips set to an audio clip. As Instagram has both video and static format, its consumers can explore both formats on the ‘Explore’ feed at the same time or filter out the videos by simply accessing the Stories or Reels feature. 

Posting on Reels has proven to be effective for overall Instagram engagement due to its algorithm. According to a study conducted by Hootsuite, their account experienced a spike in followers and engagement following the posting of a Reel. Moreover, 86% of consumers in this study say that they would be more likely to purchase, try or recommend a product or service from Instagram if the content provided is “shareworthy”. 

Best practices and tips 

Despite the short duration, a good practice is to plan and ensure there is content ready to upload on a frequent basis. Due to the easily consumable nature of this format, consumers will be on the lookout for more, so try to post regularly according to ideal posting times.  

Always ensure that the format adheres to your brand’s identity by setting up guidelines and checklists on copy, messaging, and design. Being consistent is key to possessing a brand identity that is memorable and noticeable, which builds consumer loyalty and general reputation. 

The content served up by your business must be catered to your target audience — this includes the audience that actively consumes your content. Currently, there is a mixture of younger and older demographics on social media platforms. With that comes different preferences in content and execution. Rather than blindly following trends, be selective and identify the channels that are most popular with your customers. 

Here is the main takeaway: add short-form videos to your content strategy. Overall, the undeniable popularity of videos makes it a movement that businesses cannot afford to miss due to the value it brings to your brand. This format is particularly ideal for increasing reach, building reputation, and sales conversion.  

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