Short-form video is dominating social media platforms, from Instagram and Facebook Reels to TikTok, and YouTube Shorts. Video has been considered the king of content for years, but now we’re consuming more video content in quick and easy consumable bites. This game-changing shift in how video content is produced and consumed is a trend you need to include in your social media strategy.
The rise of short-form video popularity aligns with shortened attention spans. In today’s digital world, you have more time to capture a goldfish’s attention than the average social media user. The average human attention span is 8.25 seconds, over a half a second less than a goldfish. Viewers are captivated by short, engaging videos that offer instant value and entertainment.
What’s in it for your brand?
Algorithm Advantage
Social media platforms favor short-form videos with increased visibility to audiences beyond your account’s base following. While algorithms are everchanging, leveraging short-form videos is advantageous for your brand to stand out from the competition, increase discoverability and attract new customers.
Higher engagement
Short-form videos are ideal for sharing, liking, saving and replaying multiple times. The quick nature of these videos encourages repeat viewing. Each share, save and replay is a boost in engagement.
Cost-effective production
Have you noticed that when you log into Instagram it offers turning your latest posts into a reel? In-app editing for your already existing content saves time and money in creating short-form videos. Engaging videos can easily be captured with a smartphone.
Higher ROI
According to a HubSpot survey, short-form videos have the highest return on investment, outperforming other marketing trends. The delivery of quick, useful information in short videos influence buying behavior. Fifty-five percent of consumers watch videos before making a buying decision.
How to Create an Effective Short-form Video
Know Your Objective
Before you even pick up a camera to begin recording, you need to know your objective. What is the message you want to deliver? It needs to be clear and concise. One of our recent Instagram Reels leaves no room for guessing what the message is, opening with a voiceover and captions that say, “Website accessibility creates the best user experience for all”
Hook them in, quickly!
Our reel opening example also leads to the next step in creating an effective short-form video; hook the viewer in. The concrete statement about the best user experience captures their attention to learn how to create the best user experience with accessibility. Remember, you have seconds to grab the viewers’ attention. A good hook tells your viewers it’s worth stopping to watch for 12-30 seconds.
Some popular and effective hooks:
“What if I told you ___”
“If you’re [insert customer’s pain point], listen up!”
“The BEST way to ____”
“Imagine if you could ____”
“Here’s how to _____”
“This will change the way you ____”
Optimize for mute-viewing
Many viewers can’t or don’t watch videos with the sound on. On-screen text and captions will enhance the delivery of your message. For videos without a person speaking, on-screen text and immersive visuals keep viewers engaged.
Keep it short and fun
Short-form videos range from 7 seconds all the way up to 3 minutes in duration. Because shorter, punchier content grabs viewers’ attention, we recommend staying within 15-30 seconds. Clip out unnecessary pauses and make sure every frame has value to the message you want to deliver.
Include a CTA
After you’ve captured their attention, circle back to the first step in effective short-form video creation- the objective. What do you want the viewer to do? Shop Now? Book Now? Sign-up for your newsletter? Be direct with what you want visitors to do whether it’s in a visual cue, on-screen text, a voiceover or a person concluding the video with the CTA.
Short-form video is an essential component of your digital marketing strategy. In today’s digital world, where attention spans are fleeting, this format is advantageous for brands who want to boost visibility, increase engagement, improve SEO rankings and drive higher conversion rates.
If you need help in swiftly capturing your audience’s attention through short-form video, Greenleaf Media can help! Send us an email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call us at 608-240-9611