3 Short Form Video Trends Businesses Can Capitalize on
Written by Nico Prins | 19th October 2022
Social selling is one way to increase customer base and generate sales. In addition to reaching consumers via conventional social ads and posts, companies can now use short-form videos as consumers prefer them for information and entertainment.
Video marketing has also proven to be valuable for brands. According to Hubspot, 39 percent of marketers reported that short-form videos (within 20 to 60 seconds) generate the best return on cost versus effort versus longer videos. Short-form video content helps to grow your customer base and boost your online presence, brand awareness, and online engagement.
Want to drive social engagements and increase conversions? Here are three short-form video trends to jump on.
Video marketing has also proven to be valuable for brands. According to Hubspot, 39 percent of marketers reported that short-form videos (within 20 to 60 seconds) generate the best return on cost versus effort versus longer videos. Short-form video content helps to grow your customer base and boost your online presence, brand awareness, and online engagement.
Want to drive social engagements and increase conversions? Here are three short-form video trends to jump on.
1. Create user-generated winning strategy content
User-generated content (UGC) increases the reliability of your brand. People are likely to consider a brand when they see other users’ genuine experiences of it. Hence, UGC places a vote of credibility on your business and serves as excellent social proof.
User-generated content comes in different formats; short-form videos inclusive. When users share online videos of your products, they generate testimonials, influencing others to buy. Instagram stories and Tiktok viral challenges are all short-form video formats that promote social proof.
Businesses can capitalize on these video content types by sharing them on their pages, adding them to their content marketing strategy, and running sponsored video ads; ultimately boosting engagement and conversions.
Kickstart your user-generated content strategy by;
User-generated content comes in different formats; short-form videos inclusive. When users share online videos of your products, they generate testimonials, influencing others to buy. Instagram stories and Tiktok viral challenges are all short-form video formats that promote social proof.
Businesses can capitalize on these video content types by sharing them on their pages, adding them to their content marketing strategy, and running sponsored video ads; ultimately boosting engagement and conversions.
Kickstart your user-generated content strategy by;
Creating brand trends
Short-form video trends can easily become viral content when people hop on them. TikTok, for example, has over a billion active users consuming video content — think of what happens when a fraction of this number jumps on your viral TikTok challenge.
You can create your own trend by making filters, sounds, dances, and voiceovers that appeal to your growing community. Then, partner with a few content creators to make the challenge viral and boost view-through rates by their target audience.
Here’s a Linkedin trend on TikTok.
This LinkedIn creator started this trend with his voiceover and had a few other people in the industry hop on.
Alternatively, you can hop on a few existing trends and add your brand twist to them.
These trends usually have pre-recorded voiceovers to which you can add music or vice versa. Sometimes, it might just be a music/sound trend that requires your own voiceover.
Whichever way, “own it” by infusing your custom effects or acting to create a brand-relevant short video.
This video was not an original LinkedIn trend initially, but they hopped on it and made it relevant for their audience. Short-form videos like these are a great way to launch a new product feature, promote an existing one, or simply engage your audience.
You can create your own trend by making filters, sounds, dances, and voiceovers that appeal to your growing community. Then, partner with a few content creators to make the challenge viral and boost view-through rates by their target audience.
Here’s a Linkedin trend on TikTok.
This LinkedIn creator started this trend with his voiceover and had a few other people in the industry hop on.
Alternatively, you can hop on a few existing trends and add your brand twist to them.
These trends usually have pre-recorded voiceovers to which you can add music or vice versa. Sometimes, it might just be a music/sound trend that requires your own voiceover.
Whichever way, “own it” by infusing your custom effects or acting to create a brand-relevant short video.
This video was not an original LinkedIn trend initially, but they hopped on it and made it relevant for their audience. Short-form videos like these are a great way to launch a new product feature, promote an existing one, or simply engage your audience.
Using hashtags
When creating brand challenges, hashtags are a useful tool to increase your content reach. They help users discover your brand and hop on your brand challenges. Hashtags also help with brand awareness and make it possible to curate user-generated videos on the desired platform.
2. Produce Behind-The-Scenes (BTS) videos
Behind-the-scenes videos can help brands to showcase their originality and authenticity. Though BTS videos were initially used as bloopers or movie previews to show viewers the movie shooting process or promote a new film, brands now use them for marketing.
With BTS videos, your audience gets an idea of your production process, the team behind the brand, and how much work goes into it.
But what BTS videos are ideal for engaging users? Anything works. Think of it as a “day in the life of…” video and create simple tour clips of your work area, beauty store, team collaboration activity, or office space.
To produce stellar BTS videos, include the following elements:
With BTS videos, your audience gets an idea of your production process, the team behind the brand, and how much work goes into it.
But what BTS videos are ideal for engaging users? Anything works. Think of it as a “day in the life of…” video and create simple tour clips of your work area, beauty store, team collaboration activity, or office space.
To produce stellar BTS videos, include the following elements:
- Still images
- Branded graphics/logos
- Interesting footage
- Audio/voiceovers
- Music
- Time-lapse
Alternatively, if you’re without a physical store or perhaps a service-based enterprise, you can use simple explainer videos to make interesting illustrations about your services.
In this case, a SaaS business offering marketing services can incorporate straightforward BTS video content in its SaaS marketing guide and case studies. Eventually, these shorter videos will help demonstrate your product’s value and uniqueness to prospects.
In this case, a SaaS business offering marketing services can incorporate straightforward BTS video content in its SaaS marketing guide and case studies. Eventually, these shorter videos will help demonstrate your product’s value and uniqueness to prospects.
3. Share brand message in an authentic manner
People love authentic content. They want to know you and your brand are not just honey and roses.
Short-form videos that display a brand’s authenticity, tend to win the hearts of consumers. It’s why 70 percent of consumers feel more connected to brands whose CEOs have an active social media presence.
So, how do you authentically share your brand’s message using short videos? You must be relatable, not stoic. Strive to create short form videos that speak directly to users. The messaging shouldn’t be hard to grasp.
You can creatively share your message and engage users via short-form videos. Pick your unique message and transform it into simple, fun videos that users will love. But if you’re unsure what content they’d like, research competitor brand’s videos or hire content creators to create compelling video content for you.
Also, consider toning down formalities and relate personally with your audience. You could reply to videos you were mentioned in, for instance. This may seem insignificant, but you’re watering the ground for brand engagement and possible conversions.
Short-form videos that display a brand’s authenticity, tend to win the hearts of consumers. It’s why 70 percent of consumers feel more connected to brands whose CEOs have an active social media presence.
So, how do you authentically share your brand’s message using short videos? You must be relatable, not stoic. Strive to create short form videos that speak directly to users. The messaging shouldn’t be hard to grasp.
You can creatively share your message and engage users via short-form videos. Pick your unique message and transform it into simple, fun videos that users will love. But if you’re unsure what content they’d like, research competitor brand’s videos or hire content creators to create compelling video content for you.
Also, consider toning down formalities and relate personally with your audience. You could reply to videos you were mentioned in, for instance. This may seem insignificant, but you’re watering the ground for brand engagement and possible conversions.
In closing
Short-form videos are worth investing in when it comes to social selling. While there are several ways to incorporate them into your strategy, you should pay attention to trends.
Remember, consumers have shorter attention spans, so including user-generated videos and BTS in your social media marketing will help engage them fast and boost your view-through rates.
Make short-form video content a part of your strategy and see great results in your marketing campaigns in no time.
Remember, consumers have shorter attention spans, so including user-generated videos and BTS in your social media marketing will help engage them fast and boost your view-through rates.
Make short-form video content a part of your strategy and see great results in your marketing campaigns in no time.
Author's Bio
Nico is the founder of Crunch Marketing. The company works with enterprise SaaS clients, helping them scale lead generation globally across EMEA, APAC, and other regions.
Marc Bartolome is the Head of Business Development at SEO Services Australia, a strategist, and enabler of hundreds of successful digital marketing campaigns. Always looking out for the little guys, he specializes in helping SMEs create a bigger impact online – which is why he writes blog posts like this.
