Shorter Movies Are In Demand. Here is How Completely different Social Media Platforms Are Reacting.

As TikTok and Instagram Reels are slowly conquering social media marketing, there is no mistake: Short videos are in demand.

The average length of most, if not all, business videos is only six minutes. And that number will go down as consumers look for shorter videos.

With this in mind, why are short videos in demand? Which platforms implement short videos best? And most importantly, how can they benefit your company?

TikTok – changing consumer behavior, one video at a time

When it comes to shorter videos, TikTok has always been a leader in the industry. What started as a merger with Musical.ly quickly became one of the most powerful social media platforms in the world. And what made it so famous? The same concept that made Vine short videos viral.

TikTok has over 1 billion active users, twice as many as Snapchat and Pinterest. For reference, Twitter only has 397 million users. With such a large user base, the only thing that keeps the platform alive are the 15-second videos.

But why are short videos so popular? It’s simple – people don’t have time. When they open apps like TikTok and Instagram, they’re more likely to spend time watching shorter videos. And companies are already catching up.

The effect of Instagram reels

With the invention of stories by Snapchat, other platforms like Instagram caught up with short videos. Instagram Reels provides an easier way for adults and young users to tell others about their day. It uses quick photos and videos that are only available for 24 hours instead of being posted permanently. Now engagement is encouraged, especially after Instagram added the “Swipe” option. This has enabled ecommerce sites to both promote their products and make instant messaging easier.

Related: That’s why companies should focus on video content

Youtube has joined the train

While YouTube is more or less a platform for long videos, the latest update features shorter vertical videos. Known as YouTube Shorts, the feature allows YouTubers to interact with their audience in less than 60 seconds.

But YouTube has another trick up its sleeve, and this one is aimed primarily at advertisers. It is “YouTube TrueView” and is the main advertising technology for YouTube. This allows advertisers to promote long or short videos, some of which can be skipped after five seconds.

As most people do, however Longer ads are unlikely to be clicked, YouTube now offers 6-second non-skippable ads. The click-through rate for shorter 15- and 30-second ads is around 70%, a whopping number for any business.

It’s time to say goodbye to IGTV

Since Instagram’s IGTV is less engaging than its reels and video posts, it has decided to remove IGTV. Instead, there is a separate section for videos. These videos appear on a person’s profile and can be viewed through the Instagram app.

The change made here is that videos posted to the Instagram feed can be up to 60 minutes long. The exact reason for this is not confirmed. But it seems like Instagram wants a seamless platform where short and long videos coexist.

This makes long videos more accessible to users using the Instagram app. And it helps promote video tutorials that people don’t normally consume on social media apps.

Another significant change is that Instagram videos that are longer can be monetized, a feature not available on Reels. This shifts the focus significantly on YouTubers who don’t sell a service and want to make money on Instagram.

Related: The 8 most popular and effective uses of video marketing

Does this mean that long format videos are out of the picture?

With short videos will be better known Will long format videos die out among consumers? While it is highly recommended for any business to make videos as short as possible, the answer is not that black and white.

While short videos drive new user traffic, long videos are better for brand loyalty. Shorter videos drive engagement and appear in new user feeds. But longer videos will be the backbone of your business.

Of course, that depends on what service you offer. Ecommerce businesses will want to turn their attention to short videos and ads. However, long format videos are more suitable if you want to dig deep into product details. Of course, this only works after you have drawn the user’s attention to yourself with a short video.

Companies that offer webinars will Benefit from longer videos. And so will companies that publish interviews. However, promos and how-to videos should be kept under a minute or two, depending on how long you want the tutorial to be.

Basically, ask yourself two questions:

• Can the video content be summarized in a short video first?
• Are you just looking to grab the consumer’s attention or build brand loyalty?

The right formula is neither short nor long, it is a mixture of both.

What all of this means for an entrepreneur

Short format videos have significant market value, especially for new businesses. Take the example of the Dollar Shave Club. What started as a viral video on YouTube grew into a giant of a brand.

And the examples don’t end there. There are tons of success stories like this one that prove the value of short videos.

Short videos have a higher click-through rate, and for an entrepreneur, that’s all you need. Short videos are especially interesting for people with e-commerce businesses. For example, 84% of people say they are more likely to be forced to buy a product by watching a video. And the statistics keep showing a friendlier short video market.

There’s no doubt that short videos are gradually creeping up the graph. And while long videos are great for information and brand loyalty, shorter videos are better for PR.

This begs one final question: are videos beneficial for you? The answer is yes!

Related: Connect with your target audience through video