It seems like short-form content is everywhere now, from TikTok videos to Instagram reels to YouTube Shorts. Short-form content is able to tell a story, sell a product, entertain and educate—sometimes all at once—in 60 seconds or less. At a time when most people lead busy lives and attention spans are decreasing, it doesn’t ask for much of the viewer’s time.
73% of consumers prefer to watch short-form videos, and brands are eager to invest in short-form video marketing as a result. But what makes these short and sweet videos so appealing? Is it simply that they’re quick and fun to watch, or are there deeper psychological reasons going on behind the surge in short-form content creation?
As a full-service creative marketing agency, Anchor Digital is familiar with content creation in all its forms both short and long, as well as the benefits it has for your business. This is our guide to the psychology behind short-form content and how you can use it to benefit your brand.
What Is Short-Form Content Creation?
Web content is the name for all the text, visual and audio elements on a website used to inform, entertain and engage. It provides web users with the information they’re looking for and helps your brand’s search engine optimisation strategy.
Short-form content is any web content that’s brief and concise, and it typically lasts from one to three minutes. Though the term is most commonly used to refer to videos, it can also include social media posts, articles and even podcasts. The key is to get the viewer’s attention, make an impression, and deliver a message in a fast-paced, easy-to-digest way. Short-form content has rapidly risen in popularity in recent years due to the popularity of social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).
Short-form content creation is the art of making short-form videos and other forms of content to tell stories, sell services, entertain, motivate, build brand authority or offer advice. The interactive features of social media platforms, such as comments, likes and shares, allow brands and marketers to get accurate real-time feedback about what is and isn’t working. Short-form content isn’t going anywhere. And for brands looking for effective ways to keep their audiences engaged, it’s a strategy they can’t ignore.
The Psychology Behind Short-Form Content’s Popularity
Short-form content didn’t take the world by storm by accident. There are several ways in which this form of content appeals to the psychology of web users. The main reasons for the surge in popularity of short-form content include:
Shorter attention spans
Psychologist Dr Gloria Mark wrote a book called ‘Attention Span: A Groundbreaking Way to Restore Balance, Happiness and Productivity’. According to Dr Mark’s research, our attention spans have been in decline over the last 20 years. A decades-long experiment involving tracking participants with stopwatches showed that the average time a person spends looking at a screen before turning to check email has reduced dramatically, from an average of two and a half minutes in 2004 to a mere 75 seconds now.
Recent studies have found most web users will only watch a video if it’s 60 seconds long at the most. Short-form videos cater to busy modern audiences who are easily distracted and have limited time during the day to watch videos.
Cost-effective
It’s fortunate for brands that, as well as being more engaging, shorter videos are easier and more affordable to produce. The longer the video, the more elements such as music, scripting and cinematography are required. You can make a viral video on a smartphone for next to nothing, and often, the simplest approach is the most memorable one. For young brands and start-ups, this is great news.
Instant gratification
Short videos and other pieces of content offer the potential for humour or interesting facts without the commitment of delving into something longer. The instant burst of dopamine that a useful piece of short-form content delivers can provide web users with some much-needed instant stress relief.
Viral potential
The briefer the content is, the more shareable it is, and the easier it is for it to go viral. The less time a video or other piece of content demands from a web user’s day, the more time they have to send it to family or friends who may appreciate it.
Mobile-friendly formatting
Short-form content is designed to catch users’ attention while they’re scrolling through feeds on their smartphones. Designed to look good on smartphone screens, this content is optimised in every way to get users to stop scrolling and start watching and sharing.
Valuable information in less time
According to a recent survey, nearly one in 10 Gen Z users is more likely to use TikTok as a search engine than Google. Social media platforms allow users instantaneous access to tips, tutorials and other information that can help them in their day-to-day lives.
How to Incorporate Short-Form Content into Your Strategy
Here are some tips for incorporating the power of short-form content into your own marketing strategy effectively:
Pay attention to the trends
For example, you might notice particular sound bytes or songs coming up again on different platforms. Jumping on trending topics and elements at the right time can help you reach the right audience and take advantage of viral moments.
Hook users in
Include something snappy and interesting to grab people’s attention at the very start of the video so they pay attention instead of just scrolling on.
Create relevant, helpful content
Make sure your content suits the needs of your target audience and answers the questions they’re likely to ask. Examples include tips and advice, how-to videos and fun facts.
Repurpose longer videos
You can take the most helpful and interesting parts from longer videos and splice them down into shorter videos. If your short-form video is good, you can intrigue users to watch the full version and interact further with your brand.
Keep it short
The most effective short-form videos are less than 60 seconds in length, and it’s impressive if you can get your message across even quicker than that. The briefer the video, the more likely viewers are to give it (and your brand) their time.
Share often, share consistently
To help your content spread far and wide, produce new content on a regular basis and share it across different platforms.
Creative Marketing Strategies with Anchor Digital
Anchor Digital can help you communicate your brand identity in dynamic, powerful ways, including short-form content. If you’re a purpose-driven brand on the rise, we can identify the right creative solutions to help you grow and how you can implement them.
Our creative assets and services include brand identity and communication, direct and digital marketing campaigns, graphic design, web design and development, social media content and more.
We can identify the right target audience and come up with a well-thought-out marketing strategy and content that encourages user interaction. Experienced in the realm of social media marketing, we drive social solutions that build awareness and spark conversions. We know what platforms your short-form content needs to be on to connect with the right people, and our cross-functional teams take on all aspects of your brand to create conversions. We carry out audits to assess your social media strategy, implement the right strategy measures to get you where you want to be and use social media management to deliver regular content to your audience.
Whether you need short-form video marketing or the right social media snippets, contact the Anchor team. We’ll help you find the shorter and easier way to succeed.
