The popularity of TikTok is influencing new trends in video, specifically driving companies in creating videos for social media that are super short. Does that mean you should stop putting effort into longer videos? Not necessarily. Here are a few ways that social media is handling the new trend and why you may want to do a few longer videos too:
TikTok Dominates: The increasing use of TikTok started the trend of shorter videos dominating the social media scene, but you might be thinking, just how popular could this platform be? Isn’t it still kind of new?
TikTok has over a billion active users, and to put that into context, Twitter has 397 million users. Growth has been fast, and its impact on video length is not surprising. To post on TikTok, videos must be under 15 seconds.
Instagram and the Swipe Feature: Alongside TikTok’s astronomic growth, Instagram Reels has offered its users a way to share in a more dynamic way than just using images. Instagram Reels disappear after 24 hours and the Swipe feature lends a sense of urgency to Reels that are designed to encourage followers to make a purchase. Pretty genius.
YouTube Introduces YouTube Shorts: YouTube doesn’t want to be known only for long video, so they have introduced YouTube Shorts, an under-60 second video option. In addition, they offer advertising technology called “YouTube TrueView,” a place where brands can share both long and short videos, with some giving users the option to skip after five seconds.
But YouTube is also matching the trend of creating shorter videos for social media, with the option for brands to create six-second, unskippable ads. With over 70% clickthrough rates for short ads between 15 and 30 seconds, this option is an attractive one for advertisers.
Should You Give Up on Long Video? Short ads are a great way to introduce your brand to new audiences on social media or to connect with leads that may be at the introductory phase of considering your brand. When it comes to existing customers or leads at the final decision phase of the buy cycle, a longer video is better. It’s ideal for subjects like how-to’s, product unveiling or answering frequently asked questions.
Creating videos for social media that fall into that 15-second range is a perfect way to introduce your brand or to throw some humor into your marketing, but a strategic approach helps you determine when it may be better to share a little more. Contact us at SJC Marketing for some new ideas on how to best make your brand shine.