There was a time when YouTube videos were often about 10 minutes long because long videos provided more detailed content. However, things have changed. Shorter videos are now more popular, and it’s not just YouTube that is where this trend is happening.
The trend of short videos isn’t new. It began in 2013 when Twitter (now X) launched Vine, a mobile app that allowed users to capture and share short, looping videos. Just like Tweets, Vine’s 6-second videos encouraged people to be creative within a limited time.
Vine is now archived, but many platforms now allow users to upload short videos, and the numbers show that these videos attract more engagement and views. This makes it easier for users to go viral with short-form videos on social media.
However, uploading short-form videos alone won’t guarantee going viral. Many factors help boost a video’s chances of becoming popular. In this article, we’ll explore what makes short-form videos go viral and share tips on creating content that stands out. Stick with us until the end to learn the secret recipe for going viral with short videos.
What are short-form videos?
The definition of short-form videos can vary by platform. With the rise of TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts, short-form videos are becoming even shorter, typically ranging from 60 seconds to two minutes. For instance, a 30-second Instagram video might show how to make a smoothie quickly, providing all the steps in a concise format that viewers can easily revisit.
Videos under 60 seconds are considered short-form, with the ideal length between 31 and 60 seconds. However, short-form videos can extend up to 3 minutes, but most creators stick to the 60-second limit due to shrinking attention spans.
Short-form videos deliver quick, easy-to-understand content, allowing viewers to consume information on the go or rewatch it whenever needed.
According to the 2024 State of Marketing Report, opinions on the ideal length for marketing videos vary: 36% of marketers believe the sweet spot is one to three minutes, 27% prefer four to six minutes, and 15% think seven to nine minutes is best. Regardless of duration, one thing is clear: shorter videos are dominating the 2024 marketing trends.
What Makes a Short-Form Video Go Viral? (The Psychology Behind It)
A short-form video goes viral when it triggers strong emotional reactions like joy, surprise, or curiosity. Our brains are wired to share things that make us feel something deeply, and short videos are perfect for this because they deliver a quick, impactful message. When people find a video funny, exciting, or relatable, they’re more likely to share it with others, causing it to spread rapidly.
For example, the viral “Charlie Bit My Finger” (56 Seconds) video became a sensation because it was cute, funny, and easy to relate to. The short, playful interaction between two young brothers sparked feelings of amusement and affection, leading millions to share it with friends and family. This emotional connection, combined with its short length, made it easy to watch, enjoy, and pass along.
Why Businesses should use short-form videos in their Content Strategy?
People are busier than ever, but they still want content—they just want it faster. Short-form videos offer a quick, engaging way to deliver that content, making them an ideal tool for businesses.
HubSpot’s 2024 Marketing Trends Report highlights that short-form video is now the most popular media format in marketers’ content strategies. It delivers the best return on investment (ROI), and 56% of TikTok marketers plan to increase their spending on it next year.
Additionally, 30% of marketers who aren’t using short-form videos yet are planning to start in 2024. This format works well because it grabs attention quickly and aligns with popular trends, especially on platforms like TikTok. By considering your audience and staying on top of trends, short-form videos can give your brand a competitive edge.
Here’s how creating short videos can benefit your business:
High Engagement Rates
Short-form videos have high engagement rates because they quickly capture attention in today’s fast-paced world. Their brief, direct format makes it easy for viewers to watch the entire video without losing interest. This leads to more interaction, such as likes, shares, and comments, as people find them quick, engaging, and easy to consume.
Enhanced Brand Recall
Short videos are easy to remember because they use a combination of visuals, sound, and text to engage different parts of our brains. This multisensory experience helps viewers retain the information better. Video editing tools with ready-made templates can help you create such impactful content, which makes your brand more memorable after multiple exposures.
Increased Reach and Visibility
Social media platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok are designed to promote short videos. Algorithms on these platforms prioritize quick, engaging content, making it easier for your videos to reach a broader audience. Shorter videos are also easier to share, which increases brand awareness.
Higher ROI (Return on Investment)
Short-form videos tend to offer the best return on investment compared to other marketing methods. This is because audiences prefer quick and useful content. By meeting this demand, short videos can help you get better results from your marketing efforts and drive more profits.
In simple terms, short-form videos help your brand engage more people, become more memorable, and reach a wider audience—all while providing a great return on investment.
Top 6 Platforms for Short-Form Video Content
Here are four short-form video platforms that marketers and business owners love because they draw in large audiences:
TikTok
TikTok allows videos as short as 3 seconds and up to 10 minutes, but the ideal length is between 21 to 34 seconds. TikTok is projected to reach over 1.8 billion users by the end of 2024, with short videos driving its growth. With over 2 billion views, TikTok is popular among younger audiences. Its editing tools let users add filters, adjust speed, and more. Marketers love TikTok for its ability to reach wide audiences, engage viewers, and boost brand visibility. Brands also collaborate with influencers for product reviews and testimonials.
Instagram Reels
Instagram Reels lets users post videos up to 90 seconds long. Meta reports that over 200 billion reels are viewed daily on Facebook and Instagram. Reels are highly engaging, covering topics like fashion, food, and travel. Many marketers repurpose TikToks for reels and vice versa. Reels allow brands to edit, record, and post engaging content directly to their Instagram feed.
YouTube Shorts
Originally known for long videos, YouTube has embraced short-form content with YouTube Shorts. It’s estimated that YouTube Shorts has around 164.5 million users in the United States. Both B2B and B2C brands use Shorts to reach new audiences. For example, businesses can share customer testimonials or product reviews as short, engaging videos.
Pinterest is popular among a female audience seeking inspiration in fashion, home decor, and lifestyle. B2C brands can use short videos on Pinterest to target this demographic. Pinterest videos also allow descriptions with links to websites, making it easy for users to explore more.
LinkedIn is a professional networking platform where businesses can share short-form videos to highlight their expertise, showcase their company culture, and share insights about their industry. Companies often use LinkedIn to post videos about their latest projects, behind-the-scenes looks at their work environment, or share valuable advice in their field. These videos help build credibility and create connections with other professionals, potential clients, or job seekers.
With its short video feature, B2B companies can easily share quick video updates, industry news, or helpful insights to engage their audience. Whether it’s a short announcement about a new product, a trending topic, or a brief tip related to their industry, Twitter videos help businesses stay connected with their audience in a fast and efficient way.
Short-form Video Trends to Look Out For
Here are 8 short-form video trends you should know about:
Brand Challenges
Short-form videos initially soared in popularity with viral dances and catchy tunes, but now they’ve evolved into powerful tools for brands. Creating your own branded challenge can make waves!
According to Hubspot’s Social Media Marketing report, 20% of marketers are using these challenges, and 42% of them say the results exceed their expectations. Fashion brand GUESS was the first in the U.S. to team up with TikTok for a six-day campaign using the TopView ad format. Whenever U.S. TikTok users opened the app, they were directed to the brand’s #InMyDenim hashtag challenge. The campaign was a huge success, reaching over 38 billion views.
User-Generated Content (UGC)
UGC is a game-changer for brand engagement because it feels genuine and relatable. According to HubSpot, 92% of marketers believe UGC boosts brand visibility, and 40% see it as highly effective.
Additionally, a survey by UGC agency EnTribe with over 1,000 people revealed that 86% trust brands that use user-generated content (UGC) more, and 83% are more likely to buy from brands using UGC.
For example, Superside created a 45-second ad featuring Supersiders filmed on an iPhone to promote their guide on marketing and advertising team issues. This approach led to over 4,600 clicks, 590,000 impressions, and nearly 1,200 leads within just one month.
Soundless Optimization for No-Audio Scrolling
Research shows that a lot of videos on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram are watched without sound, so it’s crucial to grab attention visually. For example, recipe videos like Tasty’s use clear visuals and text to keep viewers engaged, even when there’s no sound. Tasty’s approach has led to billions of views and millions of followers, proving that soundless videos can be very successful.
To make your videos effective in this quiet environment, focus on strong visuals. Use text overlays, subtitles, and eye-catching graphics to tell your story.
More Explainer or Educational Videos
In 2024, expect a surge in educational short-form videos. They’re perfect for providing valuable information quickly and engagingly. A 2024 Wyzowl report found that viewers want brands to make more of this type of video.
For example, Soy Yo Candle used a short video to explain how to make their candles last longer, delivering both a solution and a product promotion. Focus on creating short, informative videos that solve problems or answer questions to capture your audience’s attention and enhance brand loyalty.
Influencer Ads
Influencer marketing is gaining fresh traction with short-form videos. According to Hubspot’s Social Media Marketing report, we mentioned above, Nearly 88% of companies find this approach effective, and 55% plan to boost their investment next year. For example, Suzanne Kalan sought out professionals who were active on social media and aligned with the brand’s values. This approach led to a 5,124% boost in TikTok views within three weeks.
Product Teasers
Short-form videos are ideal for building hype around new products. They fit perfectly into the brief window of a typical commercial and can create buzz before a launch. Crumbl Cookies, for instance, uses short videos to tease their weekly cookie flavors, keeping fans eagerly waiting. Keep your teasers consistent and exciting to maintain interest and drive anticipation for your new products.
More Behind-the-Brand Videos
A Sprout Social study found that 70% of consumers feel closer to brands when their CEO is active on social media. For 2024, brands should be more open and connect with their audiences personally.
Today’s consumers crave authenticity and transparency. Short-form videos are a fantastic way to give them a peek behind the curtain. Formula One excels at this by sharing behind-the-scenes content that makes viewers feel connected to the sport. Show your audience what goes on behind the scenes at your company, from interviews with your team to day-to-day operations, to build a deeper connection with your brand.
AI-Generated Content
AI is transforming short-form video production by making it faster and cheaper. Instead of spending weeks on video creation, AI helps by automating tasks like writing scripts, filming, and editing.
This means you can produce high-quality videos quickly and at a lower cost. For businesses, this could lead to big savings, more engagement, and easier video production. However, while AI helps with technical tasks, human creativity, and oversight are still needed to ensure the content is accurate and engaging.
Since we can create content with just a tap, we should avoid spamming social media platforms with AI content. Josh A. Goldstein from CSET told NPR that AI-generated posts often get boosted by algorithms, gaining significant traction on platforms like Facebook. The same article mentions a paper by Renee DiResta and Josh A. Goldstein, which points out the rise of AI-generated spam on Facebook, featuring odd and hyper-realistic content aimed at driving traffic to websites for profit.
8 Best Practices to Help Your Short-Form Videos Go Viral
If you’re ready to create short-form video content, following these best practices will help your videos reach a larger audience and potentially go viral:
- Utilize the reach of Multiple Platforms: You don’t need separate strategies for TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts. Repurpose your videos for all these platforms to maximize your reach. You can even share them on Instagram Stories, Facebook Stories, or Twitter for wider exposure.
- Start with a Hook: In the world of short-form videos, users scroll quickly, so you need to hook them within the first few seconds. Use bold visuals, catchy music, or an interesting statement to pull them in right away.
- Follow Popular Trends: Spend some time watching trending content on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. Popular sound bites, songs, or visual effects are often part of these trends. Incorporating them into your video can increase engagement, as viewers are more likely to watch and share trend-based content.
- Use Fast Cuts and Dynamic Editing: Use quick transitions and avoid long, static shots. Add animations, text overlays, and visual effects to highlight important points and keep things lively.
- Keep It Under 60 Seconds: While some platforms like TikTok allow longer videos, shorter videos (usually under a minute or even just a few seconds) tend to perform best. Quick, engaging clips grab attention more effectively and keep viewers watching.
- Repurpose Long-Form Content: If you have long-form videos, repurpose them by trimming them down for short-form formats. Use a video editing tool to resize and select key moments for vertical video. It’s a great way to create fresh content while refining your short-form video strategy.
- Maintain Quality: Quality content means having clear video, good lighting, and clear audio. Bad audio and video can distract viewers and lower engagement. Invest in a decent camera, proper lighting, and a microphone before filming.
- Include Clear CTA: Without it, viewers might enjoy the video but not take any action. Be direct and specific about what you want them to do, like visiting your website, following your account, or making a purchase. Use phrases like “Shop now” or “Click the link in the bio,” and make sure the CTA fits naturally into the video, whether through on-screen text, a visual cue at the end, or a verbal prompt.
With these tips, your short-form videos will stay relevant and engaging, helping you connect with audiences on multiple platforms.
Conclusion
Short-form videos are a powerful tool for digital marketing. They engage viewers quickly and are easy to create and share. To go viral, keep your videos under 60 seconds, start with a catchy hook, follow trends wisely, and stay true to your brand.
Additionally, use engaging visuals and clear messages to make a strong impact. By balancing trends with authenticity, you can connect with a wider audience and make your mark on social media.
I would like to conclude this article with a quote. “These videos are a great way to engage your audience quickly and easily. They’re easy to create and share, making them perfect for connecting with viewers and standing out from the crowd. However, it’s important to find your unique voice and stay authentic, rather than jumping on every trend.”
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I make a strong opening or Hook for my short-form video?
To create a compelling hook for your short-form video, grab attention within the first few seconds. Use eye-catching visuals, ask an interesting question, or make a surprising statement to keep viewers interested.
What should a good call to action (CTA) include in a short video?A good CTA in a short video should be clear and direct. Tell viewers exactly what you want them to do, like visiting your website or signing up, and highlight what they’ll gain from it.
How can I maintain brand consistency in short videos?
To maintain brand consistency in short videos, use the same colors, fonts, logos, and images that match your brand. This helps viewers recognize and trust your brand more easily.
