In the world of online content, video has become increasingly popular. And as attention spans seemingly get shorter and shorter, you might wonder if short videos are more effective at grabbing viewers’ attention and getting more views.
The answer seems like an obvious yes.
But do shorter videos get more views? Is there really a connection between video length and view count or watch time?
One thing’s for certain, the demand for video content is growing rapidly. And content creators like you are constantly searching for ways to optimize their videos for maximum engagement and more views. With platforms like YouTube and TikTok dominating the landscape, it’s important to understand how video length impacts viewership and what people really want when it comes to videos.
Video length has even become a hot topic among content creators. Some argue that shorter videos are more effective at capturing attention. Others believe longer videos provide more in-depth content and keep viewers engaged for a longer period of time, benefitting the creator in the long run.
We’ll explore the truth about shorter videos and see whether they truly are better at attracting viewers. This way you can stay on the cutting-edge of video and content trends.
The TikTok Revolution
It really did start with TikTok. TikTok has revolutionized the way we consume and create content in the digital age. The app, developed by the Chinese company ByteDance, burst onto the scene in September 2016 under the name Douyin, exclusively targeting the Chinese market.
However, it was the global launch of the rebranded TikTok in 2017 that truly set the stage for the trend toward short-form videos.
TikTok’s success is largely because of its unique approach to content creation and consumption. Unlike social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and YouTube—which primarily focused on sharing text, images or longer videos—TikTok emphasized snappiness and brevity.
The app introduced a maximum video length of 15 seconds, later expanding it to one minute—effectively challenging users to express their creativity and capture attention in a super short amount of time. (As of 2023, TikTok has been experimenting with allowing users to post videos up to three minutes long and even up to 10 minutes.)
TikTok also made it super easy for users to edit their videos and produce visually engaging content. People could seamlessly piece together multiple clips, add music, apply filters and effects, and engage in popular challenges or trends. The accessibility and simplicity of these tools enabled anyone with a smartphone to become a genuine content creator.
The rise of TikTok highlighted the immense popularity and appeal of bite-sized content that could be consumed quickly and shared easily. This led Instagram and YouTube to introduce their own short-form video features (Reels and Shorts, respectively) in response.
TikTok’s algorithm-based content recommendation system also played a significant role in popularizing short-form videos. By analyzing user behavior, preferences, and engagement patterns, TikTok’s algorithm gave users entertaining and relevant content, and encouraged them to spend more time on the platform. This emphasis on personalized content curation further propelled the demand for short-form videos. Users became more conditioned toward easily digestible and engaging content.
But setting aside the history of short-form videos, are they still popular? And do shorter videos really get more views?
Do Shorter Videos Get More Views?
There’s no question, short-form videos are here to stay. But if you’re building a YouTube channel—looking to increase subscribers, views and your overall audience—should you chase the bite-sized trend?
The answer depends partly on your business, what type of content you create and what industry you’re in. Some content creators have been very successful with long-form videos that really dig deep into a niche topic. This might be a good strategy for you, but there will still be a lot of value in also offering shorter-form videos.
With the rise of short-form videos, you should always have some content that’s on the shorter side to appeal to an audience that’s used to short videos.
But you should also experiment with different lengths. See which videos perform best. Which ones have the best engagement, watch time and other key metrics? This will tell you a lot about what video length your target audience prefers. Ultimately, you’re making content for a specific group of people with certain tastes. Not all of them will appreciate 5-second videos. Again, experiment with different lengths and see what works best for you.
If you’re a business owner, most people recommend creating videos that are as short as possible. Some sources estimate that “average length for most, if not all, business videos is only six minutes long,” with that number expected to keep going down.
Different lengths can do different things for your channel. For instance, short-form videos can function kind of like a short advertisement—driving more traffic from new users to your channel.
Long-form videos, on the other hand, can help build brand loyalty and increase retention of existing subscribers. Longer videos can also help if you’re breaking down the details of a product or talking about a topic in-depth for educational purposes.
Have Fun With It!
If you’re not already, it’s time to lean into the power of short-form videos. Short-form videos have the power to engage viewers quickly, leaving a lasting impression in a fast-paced digital world.
Don’t miss out on this trend!
Instead of being intimidated or annoyed by shorter videos, take advantage of the immense popularity of short-form content and use it to grow your YouTube channel.
Have fun with shorter videos. Brainstorm ideas and develop a content strategy for your short-form videos. Keep them concise, visually appealing and impactful. Experiment with storytelling techniques, snappy editing, filters, trends and attention-grabbing hooks to keep viewers engaged.
And take advantage of YouTube’s Shorts feature, specifically designed for short-form content. Use the vertical video format on your phone or camera and explore the platform’s built-in editing tools, effects, and filters to enhance your videos and make them stand out.
Ask your audience which types of videos they prefer. Maybe even do a poll to see which video lengths are most popular. Respond to their feedback when creating your next batch of videos as you build up your YouTube community.
Reach Out!
If you’re struggling to gain traction with your YouTube channel, or feel overwhelmed about how to market it or which types of content you should be focused on, we can help. We offer multiple different packages to help people just like you level up their YouTube game and grow their business.
Let us be your “done-for-you” YouTube marketing growth partner and delegate some of the work to us.
Schedule a free call to learn more about how we can help!
