The Complete Guide To Short-Form Video Content in 2022
Oct 13, 2022
It’s official — short-form video content has taken over the internet! You can’t go very far on the internet without being presented with a short-form video, whether you realize it or not. In fact, it was predicted that short-form video would make up 90% of all internet traffic in 2022.
TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, Facebook Reels, and more have revolutionized the marketing game. So if you want to keep up, you’re going to have to learn the rules! Here’s everything you need to know about short-from video content and how to tap into its power to catapult your business’ success.
What is short-form video content?
Because this takeover of short-form video content online is still quite fresh and it differs on each platform, it can be a bit tricky to define. But essentially, short-form video content is video content up to about 2-3 minutes (but again, it’s a loose definition).
Short-form video content isn’t as new as you might think. Think back to platforms like Vine back in 2013. While these platforms were popular among consumers, they didn’t quite manage to make a dent in the business world. Enter TikTok… TikTok proved the power that short-form videos have for business — and why it’s a marketing strategy you need to implement NOW.
Why your marketing strategy needs short-form video content in 2022
Because short-form video content is so short (surprise!), it means that creators can’t go into too much detail, but rather give just bite-sized chunks that are easy to consume, accessible, intriguing, and addictive.
So what does this mean for your business? There are so many reasons why your marketing strategy needs short-form video content:
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Insane brand exposure
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Highest ROI (return on investment)
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Better SEO results
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Very effective at generating leads
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Easy to make and easy to repurpose
What short-form video content looks like on each platform
TikTok
Video length: You can record up to 60 seconds (but you can now upload videos up to 10 minutes)
The app that started it all! TikTok is made up entirely of short-form content (however, they recently made a change to allow for videos up to 10 minutes). This short-form video formula was the key to TikTok’s success in capturing viewers’ attention and was what made it the marketing powerhouse for businesses it is today. And with over 1 billion monthly users, if you’re looking for your audience, you’ll find it on TikTok.
TikTok presents some fun and effective opportunities for your short-form content, like TikTok trends, challenges, duets, lives, plus you can monetize your account.
Instagram reels
Video length: up to 90 seconds
Instagram walked so that TikTok could run. This OG social media platform was one of the first to jump aboard the short-form video train after TikTok’s initial success. It’s spent over a decade building up a platform, reputation, and user base, catering to one of the widest demographic of users.
By prioritizing Reels with its algorithm and Reels tab, Instagram has opened the door for businesses to take advantage of short-form video content and watch their business grow. Instagram has also been adding more features to Reels, unlocking content creators’ creativity and what they can do with short-form videos.
YouTube shorts
Video length: up to 60 seconds
YouTube shorts was one of the more recent platforms to jump on the short-form video content bandwagon. While its algorithm may not be as refined as TikTok’s, YouTube has always been king at video content.
Shorts have shown to give you more exposure than regular YouTube videos. This presents a great opportunity to repurpose your content by cutting up your videos into Shorts and using them to drive traffic to your channel.
Plus, YouTube recently announced that in 2023, creators will be able to monetize their shorts with 45% of the ad revenue (that’s better than TikTok). It’s also slowly adding more and more features to Shorts. The bottom line — if you’re already on YouTube, Shorts are a necessity.
Facebook reels
Video length: up to 30 seconds
Facebook may not be the hotspot for short-form video content compared to the other contenders, don’t count it out yet. Facebook is still a powerful marketing tool, and with the addition of short-form video content, it could be a key part of your marketing strategy.
Not only can you share Instagram Reels directly to Facebook, but your Facebook Reels also appear on users’ feeds whether they follow you or not. Plus, you can select your default audience and directly target your audience with your effective short-form video content
Conclusion
All platforms offer lots of potential for short-form video content, so no matter which platform you choose, you can’t really go wrong. But if you want to focus on one platform, remember to think about 3 things: Think about where you’ll find your audience, the type of content your audience wants, and the length of that content.
It’s clear that short-form video marketing is here to stay and a definite must-have for any marketing strategy in 2022. Through my clients' businesses and my own, I have witnessed first-hand how investing in your short-form video content can take your business to the next level.
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