Combatting Shrinking Attention Spans with Short Form Video
See how long it takes before you become distracted while reading this. Is it 2 minutes? What about 8 seconds?
Over the past few years, the human attention span has shrunk significantly. According to a study from Cross River Therapy, the average person’s attention span is just 8.25 seconds, which is a 25% decrease from 2005.
With tablets, technology and social media all around, it is very easy for consumers to become distracted by the next captivating thing. So, how can advertisers combat this reoccurring issue and stand out amongst the noise? One technique that has been a growing trend over the years is the use of short-form videos.
What defines a Short Form Video?
The definition of a short-form video can change from platform to platform. However, typically, a short-form video is a video that varies from six seconds to two minutes, while long-form videos are longer than two minutes. Short-form videos are commonly seen on Youtube Shorts, TikTok, Instagram Reels and Triller. It’s no surprise that with the diminishing attention spans, short-form video ad revenue will exceed $10 billion this year.
What are the Advantages of Short Form Video?
Easily Play On Repeat
Short form videos typically have a high repetitive consumption rate. If a video is only eight seconds long, it is very easy for someone to watch it more than once. Repeated views are key as it ingrains the video message into the consumer’s mind.
Are Highly Sharable
If a short video provides value and resonates well with the intended audience, it is likely they will share it with their friends. It’s a lot easier for someone to take time out of their day to watch a short-form video than a traditional, long-form video.
Has High Levels of Engagement
Statistically, short-form videos attract more likes, shares and reactions. According to HubSpot, short-form videos have the highest return on investment for growth compared to other forms of media.
Tips for Short Form Video
Keep it simple and to the point
To stand out, your message needs to be presented neatly and quickly while remaining easy to understand. Simplify your video into bite-sized information, so your video is not too hard to grasp.
Make it creative and captivating
Capture your viewer’s attention by making your content entertaining, original, dynamic and engaging. Start your video with a strong hook or trending audio.
Break bigger content into pieces
If you can’t let go of long-form videos, break up your story or message into shorter chunks or episodes. This will leave you with multiple assets and give you the ability to focus on specific topics while maintaining your audience’s attention.
Let visuals speak for you
Visuals can relate more than text or audio can. Add some captivating visuals to your video so users can consume your information better.
Make it personal and authentic
Users won’t engage with your content if it seems fake or untrustworthy. Make your videos personal and authentic to your brand’s values to catch your consumers’ attention.
What will come of traditional, long-form videos?
Traditional, long-form videos that tell an intricate story will never truly go away. There will always be a need for lengthy videos to build brand loyalty for your business. However, with the rise of TikTok and Instagram Reels, the use of short-form videos will not be decreasing anytime soon. This short form trend can also be related to the transition of social media being a place of virtual interactions to a place of entertainment.
To give your brand an engagement boost, incorporate some short-form videos into your advertising plan. A great story takes more than a few minutes to tell, but the perfect one-liner takes just a few seconds. Your message can succeed if you make every second count.