Silly kitty antics. Wildly synchronized dance challenges. Jaw-dropping trick shots. Once it was clear the world was gung-ho about short-form videos online, it was only a matter of time before marketers jumped in on the craze. Today, the less-than-90-second video has proven to be one of the most effective ways to drive product discovery. Understanding how this happened is a good place to start for marketers wanting to learn how they can turn short-form videos on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube into long-term success for their sales.

Why Short-Form Works for Consumers

Let’s begin with human nature, à la the 21^st century. The average attention span of online viewers has dwindled to just 8 seconds, leaving short videos as the frontrunner for effectively grabbing and holding interest.

Now, let’s get really scientific. According to U.S. Department of Education research, the human brain processes visual information 60,000 times faster than text. Couple that with the notion that viewers retain 95% of a message conveyed through video (Vidico), and it becomes apparent that we humans were just built for video-based communications. Condolences to all you English teachers; 73% of people prefer to learn about a product via short video rather than text (Forbes).

But wait… visual appeal is just half the story. Interactivity is also a major hook, as short-form content generates nearly 2.5 times more engagement (i.e. likes, comments and shares) than longer form content. (Forbes)

Shifting gears to human shopping habits, approximately 55% of consumers now watch videos prior to purchasing a product (Vidico). Whether it be taking in product reviews, demos or user-generated content, short-form video allows consumers to more easily evaluate product qualities, enabling a more informed purchase decision. According to Sprout Social, users are twice as likely to purchase after viewing a product in a YouTube video, making this platform essential for brands looking to impart their unique selling propositions.

And talk about building trust! GlobalWebIndex reports 70% of U.S. consumers actively follow influencers whose short-form videos effectively sway people’s purchase decisions through their authentic nature.

Why Short-Form Works for Marketers

Now that we’ve covered why consumers are buying into short-form video, let’s get to the part you’ve been waiting for: why marketers love it and some tips on how to best use the platform.

Effective Targeting

Short-form video is proven to be a surefire way to directly connect with audiences. Facebook (Meta) and YouTube offer extensive targeting options, allowing marketers to channel highly relevant content to distinct audience segments.

Viral Potential

Short-form video lends itself to quick and easy sharing, meaning it can easily go viral, reaching a massive audience.

“Built for Discovery” Algorithms 

Social platforms push trending short videos to huge new audiences, in addition to existing followers. Brand awareness can skyrocket overnight.

Bottom Funnel Booster 

Platforms allow viewers to buy directly or quickly access information, accelerating the timeline from discovery to purchase. 

Telltale Metrics

Comments, shares and likes are just a few of the ways short-form video can provide instant engagement metrics, enabling marketers to evaluate the success of their content in real time and make informed adjustments.

Let’s End on Trends.

Here are some noteworthy trends to consider when planning your short-form video projects.

AI Makes it Affordable

Advances in AI are making videos far less costly to produce. Existing audio, imagery and text can be repurposed to generate fresh content. AI can also be a huge time-saver, used for concepting, scriptwriting and storyboarding.

Down With Sound!

There is a great deal of evidence out there suggesting that most videos posted on leading social platforms are played without audio. More bad news for audio: AI makes it possible to automatically generate captioning and translation on screen.

Long Story Short

More than 500 million people use Instagram Stories, and 300 million use Facebook Stories daily. Because these videos are often removed after 24 hours, it creates a sense of urgency to hit the play button.

Looking to improve your short-form video?

Whether you’re looking to build awareness, increase engagement, drive sales or deepen customer loyalty, Adcom can help you maximize your short-form video ROI. Let’s talk about how smarter video planning and production can best drive results for you. Contact us to get started. 

About the author:

Mike Derrick is Executive Creative Director at Adcom, where he has led audio/video project strategy, messaging, and execution for the past 29 years.