Any communicator worth her salt knows that video is the best medium for marketing to today’s consumers, but some video styles and platforms are better than others, depending on your audience. After analyzing millions of video hours from over 500K content professionals worldwide, new research from social media automation platform Munch provides key insights into the utilization of short-form video content for marketers, and how businesses can effectively leverage this medium in marketing strategies to maintain a robust social media presence.
According to the firm’s annual State of Short-Form Video 2024 report, consumers today watch more videos than ever before and the demand for short-form content has rapidly increased, with 66 percent finding this type of content to be the most engaging. For marketers, this shift has brought short-form videos to the forefront of content creation due to its ability to capture an audience’s attention and drive engagement. This surge in short-form content highlights how imperative it is for businesses and brands to master this style of video as a key strategy for thriving in today’s digital landscape.
Top challenges in video marketing:
The report showcases that video content is no longer just an option, but a necessity for business and brands aiming for success. The report unveils a surprising trend in the social media platform preferences for video content distribution and how it differs between businesses and creators. While businesses favor Instagram and Facebook with 42 percent and 26 percent respectfully leveraging these platforms for their marketing needs, content creators show a different pattern with 43 percent preferring YouTube and 30 percent Instagram.
Surprisingly, only 11 percent of creators are using TikTok to share content and for businesses, TikTok doesn’t even rank among their top three platform choices. This points to a notable gap in TikTok’s effectiveness, underscoring the platform’s challenges and its lower perceived value in contrast to more established platforms like Instagram and YouTube.
Out of the businesses using short-form content in their marketing strategies, the researchers found that only 8 percent are large enterprises, with the majority comprising small businesses (70 percent) and medium-sized businesses (22 percent)—demonstrating how video marketing has become an integral tool for businesses across the board in reaching and engaging diverse audiences. However, despite its growing popularity, many struggle to make viral clips and often rely on time-consuming solutions to help create short-form content.
The report found the key to successful clips lies in a pacing of 150 words per minute and featuring 2-3 speakers to ensure a variety of perspectives and discourse. Furthermore, the optimal length for maximizing viewer engagement while remaining concise is around 40 seconds.
Additional key findings in the report include:
- Evolving industry landscape: The wellness industry has overtaken eCommerce in adopting short-form videos, representing 21 percent of overall usage compared to eCommerce’s 7 percent.
- Business user growth: The firm found a +49 percent growth in the business segment QoQ.
“It is becoming increasingly clear that organizations that do not have a clear grasp on how to leverage short-form content to retain a strong online presence will fall behind. This report aims to empower marketers and businesses alike with the knowledge and tools to navigate this challenging terrain,” said Oren Kandel, CEO and co-founder of Munch, in a news release. “With attention spans shrinking and the amount of content growing, consumers are increasingly demanding high quality, engaging, personalized videos that truly resonate. We’re seeing more and more technological solutions available helping companies of all sizes create short-form content in an accessible, timely manner. Harnessing such technology is crucial for marketers to create short-form clips to engage with their audience, drive conversations, and build lasting brand awareness.”
