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If you’re not addicted to short-form videos yet, consider yourself lucky. With TikTok’s monthly users sitting at 1.1 billion and Reels garnering 2.35 billion monthly, if you’re not obsessively scrolling as we speak - you’re one of a few. As a brand, you have the opportunity to utilise this trend, meeting your consumers where they already are and offering them value only you can provide.
The Science behind short-form video viewership
It’s no accident that short-form video has taken off. The snappy audio-visual content appeals to our brains. The videos quickly activate perceived enjoyment which is reinforced when consumption is continued. A feeling of withdrawal is then conjured when viewing ends, negatively reinforcing the behaviour of leaving the app. Short-form platform users are thus encouraged to continue consuming content.
Trends and virality are therefore a natural result of these combined platform attributes, creating a feeling of FOMO for those removed from the world of short-form video.
Leveraging the power of short-form video
As demonstrated, people are consuming short-form videos at unprecedented rates. Ensuring your brand’s content is in the rotation is vital to ensure modern social relevance. The algorithms surrounding this post format differ largely from what we typically see with static posts, allowing greater results when your short-form strategy is on point.
Static Post Algorithms
The majority of static post algorithms like Instagram’s operate in a way that users are only served posts from those they’ve chosen to follow. Users must go out of their way to be exposed to content from users outside of their network.
Short-form video algorithms
The content you’re served is not based on who you’ve explicitly followed, but rather on your perceived interests. Initially, you’re served a bland feed of videos that are currently popular on the platform. By tracking scrolling and engagement patterns, as well as those you interact with regularly, platforms seek to serve you content they think you’ll like. Some platforms get it right more often than others, but the general idea is that you’ll only be served content that excites and engages you specifically - it’s a tailor-made experience. Video popularity is based on engagement, the more likes, comments, and shares, the more your video will be served to users increasing its reach.
As a brand, this means your content is being severed to users outside your regular audience who have been pre-segmented and are known to find value in your content. You’re instantly increasing your reach with an audience most likely to convert.
Creating high-quality short-form video content
For many viewers, your short-form video may be the first touch point they have with your brand - so it’s important to make it count. Like any content, understanding the channel and your audience is the first step. Then you need to create a short-form video that will hook your intended audience to engage, and thus push your content out further. This is the tricky part and takes a lot of trial and error, so patience is a must.
Depending on your industry, high-produced content may hit home, or a UGC format could be a winner. Our advice: take a look at your competitors with similar audiences, seek to understand what is and what isn’t working for them, and start there.
Case Study: The Espy Hotel
One of our Iconic Melbourne clients recently introduced short-form videos into their social strategy with our help. We provided an ongoing Reel Pack on top of their Social Media Management plan, which saw 4 short-form videos posted to their Instagram each month. The change had a major impact on their social performance.
H3: Here are the stats from month 1:
Video Views: Up 208%
Reach: Up 41%
Engagement: Up 19%
Impressions Up: 22%
Their existing Social Media Management strategy didn’t change, with the only difference being a weekly short-form video post, and the results speak for themselves! That’s the power this post format can have.
Want to learn more about how Short-form video could supercharge your brand? Get in touch.
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