Short-form video content is fun, quick, and effective in showing your brand’s personality. If you’re a marketing professional looking to stay ahead of the curve, it’s time to dive into this trend.
This post will explore short-form video content, its benefits, how to create videos from idea to production, and some examples of how brands leverage it.
What is short-form video content?
Short-form video content refers to videos that are typically under 60 seconds long. These bite-sized videos are designed to quickly capture the viewer’s attention and deliver a concise message. Popular platforms for short-form videos include TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels. These platforms have made it easier for brands to create and share engaging content that resonates with their audience.
Here’s a collection of YouTube Shorts about short-form video content for you to get an idea:
Collect short-form video content on a social wall
The benefits of short-form video content for brands
Short-form video content isn’t only for doom scrolling. Brands can benefit incredibly from adopting the format. The following are some of the benefits associated with such videos.
- High engagement rates: Videos under 90 seconds retain 50% of viewers. As short-form video content is quick to consume, viewers are more likely to watch the entire video, like, comment, and share it.
- Easy to create and share: Creating short-form video content doesn’t require a big budget or extensive production skills. With a smartphone and a creative idea, you can produce videos that captivate your audience.
- Enhances brand personality: Short-form videos are a great way to showcase your brand’s personality. Whether through behind-the-scenes footage, quick tips, or fun challenges, these videos allow you to connect with your audience on a more personal level.
- Boosts SEO: Search engines index YouTube Shorts, TikTok, and Instagram Reels, which means your content can appear in search results.
- Perfect for smartphones: With more people consuming content on their phones, short-form videos are ideal for reaching this audience!
How to create short-form video content for TikTok, YouTube and Instagram
Creating compelling short-form video content requires creativity and an understanding of your audience. Focus on delivering value quickly through humor, information, or inspiration. Utilize popular trends and music, but always ensure it aligns with your brand’s voice and message.
Step 1: Get to know your audience!
Get to know the people you want to connect with! This is crucial for identifying your main platform and developing better video content ideas. Here are some good tactics to find out about your target personas:
- Analyze your customer base and carry out Interviews.
- Perform a competitor analysis.
- Create buyer personas.
- Check Google Analytics.
You probably have an idea of who you want to target, but it’s always a good idea to go the extra mile and identify where your audience spends the most time and what their interests/needs are.
Step 2: Research trending audio
The same premise works for each platform. Choose your main social media platform, research the best-performing videos, and create one to publish across all platforms. We recommend focusing on TikTok and sharing the same video as a Reel and Short.
- TikTok: Open the TikTok app and scroll through your For You Page (FYP) to notice the recurring sounds. Notice the music and formats creators are using.
- Instagram Reels: On Instagram, explore the Reels tab and observe the audio used in popular videos. You can also search for specific hashtags to find trends related to your industry.
- YouTube Shorts: Visit the Shorts shelf on YouTube and see which videos are gaining traction. Notice the background music and sounds used frequently.
Step 3: Create one video and publish it everywhere
- Plan your content: Decide on the message you want to convey. It could be a tutorial, a behind-the-scenes look, a challenge, or any content that aligns with your brand.
- Record the video: Use your smartphone to shoot the video. Ensure it’s in a vertical format to suit all platforms. Keep it under 60 seconds (the shorter, the better!) to fit the TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts criteria.
- Publish it on all three platforms with a catchy caption and relevant hashtags. Remember that for YouTube, you must include the hashtag #Shorts so the platform can identify the right format.
Examples of brands making short-form video content
Many brands are already harnessing the power of short-form video content to engage their audience and promote their brand. Here are a few standout examples:
Duolingo
This wouldn’t be a short-form video content guide without mentioning Duolingo’s legendary social media strategy. The language app personified its brand through a big green owl threatening users with emoji knives if they don’t keep up with their learning streak. Check their socials for some inspo!
KIKO Milano
KIKO Milano leverages short-form video content by embedding a social feed with its TikTok content on the homepage. This tactic boosts brand awareness, engages the audience with trendy makeup content, and fosters a sense of community.
Why it works: They use the social feed to showcase products creatively, encouraging user-generated content and building brand loyalty.
City, University of London
City, University of London has been using TikTok to engage with its community and showcase its campus life. Esen Bozdagli, the university’s Social Media Officer, emphasized in an interview with Walls.io the importance of authentic, student-led content.
Why it works: TikTok videos are displayed on social walls across the university’s website and during key events like graduation and welcome week, bringing digital content to physical spaces.
Walls.io
We’ll toot our horn since we are proud of our short-form video content strategy. We publish short videos on all platforms supporting it, but we don’t stop there. We aggregate all these videos into specific landing pages to boost engagement and a touch of fun.
Jack.org
Jack.org, a Canadian mental health charity, uses short-form video content to connect with young mental health leaders.
Why it works: Emma Middlestadt, Digital Community Lead, highlights how their TikTok content is created by and for young people, making it highly relatable and engaging. They recently showcased this content on their social wall during the National Jack Summit, adding vibrancy and authenticity to the event.
Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)
RIT has been on TikTok since 2019, using the platform to highlight the university’s unique aspects. Dave Tyler, Director of University Social Media, shared with Walls.io during an interview how a viral video featuring glass-making instructors garnered 11.2 million views organically!
Why it works: RIT now includes short-form videos on its social walls for events like the “Imagine RIT” festival and commencement to transcend the digital space.
Short-form video content is a powerful tool that marketing professionals can’t afford to ignore. Its high engagement rates, ease of creation, and ability to enhance brand personality make it a must-have in your marketing arsenal. By taking inspiration from Walls.io customers and leveraging platforms like TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels, you can create compelling content that resonates with your audience and drives results.
