Think back to the last video you watched on social media. What made you stop and watch it? Was it short and sweet, or longer and more in-depth? Chances are, it was a shorter video. Short-form content has dominated social feeds for a while now, catering to our ever-shortening attention spans. However, there are signs that long-form video content is making a comeback as users seek more in-depth information and meaningful connections. So, which type of content should you use on your social media platforms? In this article, we’ll explore the rise of short-form video, the resurgence of long-form content, and which format is best suited for your audience.
The rise of short-form video content
It’s no secret that our attention spans are getting shorter—recent research suggests people start to lose concentration after just 8 seconds. With the rise of smartphones, we are constantly bombarded with information at our fingertips. In this era of short attention spans, we've become conditioned to consume short-form video content, which has come to dominate social media feeds in recent years. People want information quickly and easily, and short-form videos meet this need perfectly.
When TikTok entered the social media scene in 2020, its focus on short, snappy videos catered to our desire for quick, bite-sized entertainment and information. Instagram quickly followed suit by introducing Reels, and even YouTube, known for long-form content, launched YouTube Shorts to compete.
What is short-form video content?
Short-form video content refers to video clips that are typically brief, usually ranging from a 5 – 90 seconds in length. These types of videos are designed to be quickly consumed, give quick bursts of information or entertainment, and often give instant gratification. Key characteristics of short-form video content include:
- Length: Usually under 90 seconds but more often even shorter (up to 15 seconds).
- Engagement: Highly engaging and designed to capture attention quickly.
- Format: Largely vertical (9:16 ratio) to fit mobile screens.
- Content Type: Can include tutorials, comedy, demos, highlights, advice, short funny clips, gifs, user-generated content, and more.
- Platforms: Commonly found on social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, Snapchat, and Facebook.
The rise in popularity of short-form video content is attributed to its ability to provide immediate gratification that fits into the fast-paced lifestyle of modern audiences. Psst! We have a whole guide on all you need to know about creating the perfect short-form reel to help you out here.
What is long-form video content?
Long-form video content refers to videos that are anything from several minutes to an hour or even more. These types of videos give users more in-depth information & storytelling, allowing for a more detailed exploration of a subject. It’s worth noting that what is classed as “long-form” may vary from platform to platform. For example, on TikTok, 10 minutes might be be considered “long-form” whereas on YouTube, this is pretty bite sized compared to some videos on there. Key characteristics of long-form video content include:
- Length: Typically, longer than 10 minutes, with some videos extending to an hour or more (what constitutes as “long-form” may vary from platform to platform).
- Depth: Provides detailed information, comprehensive storytelling, or thorough explanations.
- Engagement: Aims to maintain viewer engagement through narrative, depth, and detailed content.
- Format: Can be both vertical or horizontal, depending on the platform and content type.
- Content Type: Includes tutorials, webinars, vlogs, interviews, TV shows, movies, and in-depth reviews.
- Platforms: Commonly found on platforms like YouTube, Vimeo but now becoming more popular on typical short form focused content platforms like Instagram & TikTok.
Long-form video content is favored by some audiences for its ability to delve deeper into topics, provide more value, and build stronger connections with an audience. It caters to viewers who are looking for more comprehensive and immersive experiences, as opposed to the quick, snackable nature of short-form videos.
Is long-form video content making a comeback?
While our social media feeds have been dominated by short-form video content in recent years, there are signs that in 2024, audiences are craving content with more depth and substance. Recent content consumption trends are shifting with platforms like Instagram and TikTok extending the lengths of their videos to cater for this shift to longer-form content. Why? There are several reasons but the main ones are that people love storytelling and making deeper connections with a person or brand, both of which can be achieved better with longer video content. The rise of “TikTok” brain and mindless scrolling is becoming more apparent with some users opting to detox from this type of content to avoid its addictive nature. Long-form video also has a bigger and lasting impact on consumers’ minds in comparison to short and snappy videos which are likely to be forgotten as soon as someone scrolls to the next video. Long-form video therefore has the potential to create deeper, longer lasting connections as well as more loyal followers and customers.
Which is best to use?
We've broken down the differences between long-form and short-form video content, but which is best for your business? There isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer to this, as every brand and audience is unique. Tt largely depends on:
- Your brand: Consider your key messages and voice.
- Your audience preferences: Understand what your audience engages with most.
We recommend revisiting your strategy (more on that here!), conducting market research, and testing different approaches to see what works best for your business. While short-form content remains incredibly popular, most businesses will benefit from a combination of both long-form and short-form videos.
Ideas for creating long-form video content
Here are some ideas on how you can incorporate long-form video content into your social media content strategy:
- Vlogs & BTS - vlogging your day, week, work process is still an incredibly engaging way of sharing more about your business. People are nosey by nature, cater to this by sharing what you get up to and show people some behind the scenes action.
- Podcast – if you have a podcast, consider videoing it and sharing longer clips or entire episodes to social media.
- In-depth tutorials - create comprehensive guides that explain a process or teach a skill related to your niche.
- Webinars & live Q&A sessions - hosting live sessions on topics related to your industry allows for real-time interaction and questions and can be saved and shared as long-form videos for those who couldn’t join to view later.
- Reviews & case studies - UGC content featuring in-depth customer reviews and case studies can be more effective when done in long-form.
- Storytelling – long-form video and storytelling go hand-in-hand. Tell engaging stories that relate to your business or industry (e.g., the history of your brand, your successes and failures, stories about the impact of your product or service on peoples’ lives). You can read more on storytelling and how to apply it to your content here!
- Interviews – why not interview a person or group of people that your audience will find interesting and engaging. People love getting other’s opinions and hearing their stories and coupled with personal interaction, this makes for engaging viewing.
To summarize, while short-form video is going nowhere, a shift in content consumption shows that social media users are craving longer videos and content so don’t get left behind! Explore how long-form video could work for your brand and start experimenting with different lengths of video to see what resonates with your audience. Not sure what kinds of videos would work for your audience and brand? In rapidely you can generate a whole strategy and a bank of personalized content ideas (including long and short-form video!) that your unique audience will love in just a few seconds. Try it out for yourself with a 5 day free trial.
