Short Video Marketing Moves Are Raging At The Moment, But Will Long Videos Sustain In The Long Run?

Long Vs Short Video Marketing: There has been an explosion of videos in the internet world (Thank you short attention span) and unlike the blog phase, videos are here to stay. The question that lingers however is, what is going to really turn my brand around? Is it blogs? Short videos? Long videos? Podcasts? Let’s take a second to sit back and analyse what your business is all about and what content route should you be undertaking.

Let’s assume that each form of content is an employee that your business is currently hiring. Before you set out on your hiring spree, you define certain job roles and responsibilities and most importantly how he/she is a perfect match for your organisation’s goal, culture and the future. Similarly, every form of content brings value to your business online and you have to track this value from every angle.

Short Video Marketing

The TikTok revolution gave birth to this short video format that brands happily leveraged to tune into their audience’s rhythm (Musically speaking). Instagram further contributed to the short video revolution and boom, there was an explosion of 1-minute hacks, recipes, tutorials, News etc.

In the Chinese world, it is TikTok and IQIYI that define the long vs short video marketing strategy and the Chinese are already making the move from long videos to short videos and live streaming.

Why Are Short Videos Doing So Well?

Our attention span online has reduced from 12 seconds to 8 seconds with the inception of videos (By our Alma Mater YouTube). Over the years, YouTubers consciously reduced the length of their videos and fought hard to keep their audience engaged (Thanks to the ever-changing algorithm) because of their dwindling attention span. Brands now have to pick up their creativity pace and woo their audience within the first precious 8 seconds of the video.

How Can You Employ Short Videos In Your Marketing Strategy?

Short videos tell you a long story within a reduced timeframe. It has to squeeze in the brand message while encapsulating the goal and objective at the same time, but who said we should limit it’s capabilities to that itself?

• You could use short videos as ‘click bait’ for your longer videos in the form of catchy intros

• They could be used to bring written blog content to life
• You could reinforce your brand’s message in the form of teasers

The challenge is to get your message across in a short amount of time without diverging from the topic and draw focus to the momentary message. Short term videos may act as perfect catalysts to your business for the time being, but we’re not sure if these little nuggets are enough to give you the bigger brand story.

Long Video Marketing

YouTube laid the foundation for long videos back in 2005 when the internet was still a very new place with low-quality and pixelated uploads. Today YouTube sees high-quality videos that speak volumes in the form of webinars, interviews, Webisodes etc. Media houses and content creators have gone all ham on video content, giving rise to a generation of YouTubers and Vloggers.

What Kind Of Long Videos Work For You?

As a brand, you need to understand how you want to package yourself digitally. Short videos are going to co-exist with long videos and are going to act as teasers for the bigger story. Long videos give you the core identity of the brand and the reason it exists in the first place. To put it simply, is it easier to strike a conversation with A who just makes small talk? Or do you prefer B, who can hold a conversation on a particular topic and give you insightful facts? You will probably end up exchanging business cards (Subscribed) at the end of the conversation with B and even catch up with him in the future because he brings value to the table. That’s exactly how long videos work.

How Can You Employ Long Videos In Your Marketing Strategy?

Platforms like Facebook and Instagram have been focusing on long-form videos since early 2017. Google has also started ranking longer videos higher in its search engine results which increases your SEO visibility. Clearly. Since video marketing is an additional member on the table, it involves more resources, so you might want to first define the strategy that suits your brand the best and then execute it accordingly.

• You could schedule interviews (formal/informal)
• Webinars to educate and interact with your audience
• Testimonials as a powerful proof of your services
• Live-stream events

Conclusion

Short videos and long videos basically balance each other out. Short videos will make little sense without the backing of the longer videos and longer videos need short videos to drive attention to the bigger brand picture. Consider trimming in-depth, longer videos into bite-sized pieces that you can easily share across social media platforms. You don’t have to choose between the two as long as you repurpose your videos for each platform. Many organisations are realising the importance of a global presence on digital platforms and that is how Brands like Pepsi and Micheal korrs have successfully leveraged TikTok and captured their audience. IQIYI lets users stream international movies, Chinese brands like Huawei has its own YouTube Channel and the list can go on.