Whether you’re an SMB that’s just starting out or a big firm looking for better results, video is king in every brand’s marketing and advertising strategy today. According to a report by Demand Metric, 83% of marketers have said that video is more important than ever. Additionally, there are statistics to prove that about 86% of businesses use video as a marketing tool.
But the million-dollar question is if the road to success is paved with videos under 60 seconds or those that span over 10 minutes. This battle between short- and long-form videos has been an ongoing one for a long time. While short-form videos grab attention, long-form videos earn it.
On average a person spends about 100 minutes of their day watching online videos. As a marketer, one is always looking to leverage the best strategies to reach a larger audience, and choosing the right length for your videos is a huge step forward.
Before we move along, let’s get some basic definitions out of the way.
Short-form videos are anywhere under 10 minutes long. This could range anywhere from a 30-second reel on Instagram to a 4-and-a-half-minute music video.
In contrast, any video over the 10-minute mark is classified as a long-form video. They come in the form of live Q&A sessions, TED Talks, Youtube vlogs, and much more.
Benefits of short-form vs long-form videos
At eye level, both short- and long-form videos are winners in their own right. Here are a few benefits of both:
1. Short-form videos are fast, easier to absorb, and react to ongoing trends the best.
2. They further engage shorter attention spans
3. The rise of social media platforms has made short-form content a must to survive.
4. Short-form videos can be posted on many platforms – they are flexible.
5. These videos can be produced faster, easier, and on a large scale.
On the other hand,
Long-form videos have more of a storytelling approach.
– They provide information in a much more detailed fashion.
– Long-form videos capture every step of the journey and produce value.
– With more time comes more opportunities to connect with your audience, resulting in a greater ability to create stronger brand awareness.
– With greater risk comes greater reward.
The current scenario
Research has revealed a lot about the human brain and one recent discovery is that as of today, the average attention span of a human being is actually less than that of the humble goldfish.
According to a presentation by Microsoft Canada, our attention span has drastically decreased from about 12 seconds in 2000 to around 8-8.25 seconds in 2013. That’s a huge drop! No wonder it gets tricky as marketers – you’re trying to sell to goldfish after all.
With human attention spans growing shorter and shorter, how does one effectively get their brand and campaign across?
The answer may just be…
Short-form videos
At a time when everyone is always in a hurry, it is only the fastest content that wins. If numbers are anything to go by, 68% of users will be happy to watch a business video that is less than a minute. Also, almost 93% of businesses have actually acquired customers through short-form social media videos.
Unsurprisingly, according to Vidyard’s 2019 video benchmark report, it was noted that about a third of viewers lost interest halfway through videos up to 10 minutes.
This says a lot about the kind of video content that runs today. With attention spans decreasing and schedules becoming more hectic, it is important for video marketers to keep up and bring out content that actually works.
Short-form videos can easily grab attention. They are also more likely to be shared. It makes it easier for your audience to digest the information being put out to them as well as to connect with them.
This may come as a surprise to some, but short-form videos also give out the message of being authentic and relatable. Consumers tend to see a brand as genuine if they’re able to communicate more within a lesser time frame.
What are some current trends in short-form videos?
- Product teasers
These are really nice ways to build suspense and anticipation for your upcoming products and services.
- Explainer videos
Everyone has problems, and they’re actively looking for solutions. Providing practical solutions in the form of DIY or how-to videos is what lures people in. Brands also sprinkle in some of their brand messages through these videos.
- Behind-the-scenes videos
Customers love anything behind the scenes. It is always a fun way to look into the workings of something that nobody usually gets to see on the regular. It also builds curiosity and trust.
- User-generated content
In a world where it is so hard to trust, people look for authenticity. And user-generated content and videos are something that brings in much more transparency and trust. UGC is actually 2.4 times more likely to be trusted as compared to other kinds of marketing videos.
- Behind the brand videos
Although this isn’t given much importance, marketing campaigns do actually have a lot of effort going in behind the scenes and despite the results. Videos that show the work environment and the inside journey actually help to connect customers with the brand in a much higher way.
How can marketers leverage short-form videos today?
Now that you have the necessary data available to really see the importance of short-form videos, marketers who are keen on making valuable and innovative short-form videos their mantra can use these tips and tricks:
– Be authentic
– Always engage with trends. But remember to be thoughtful in the process.
– Tailor your video content to fit each platform.
– Don’t lose focus on the goal of your video.
– Make a strong intro.
– Be clear and relevant.
– Make it interactive
– Get to the point quickly.
And most importantly,
– Keep it short!
