The Role of Short-Form Video in Brand Growth
Guest Blog by Jelly Academy Team
Short-form video is a great way for brands to connect with audiences on social media. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts are not just places for endless scrolling entertainment—they’re powerful tools for driving brand growth, increasing engagement, and boosting visibility. With attention spans shrinking and the appetite for bite-sized content growing, leveraging these platforms effectively is crucial to staying relevant and growing your audience.
Here’s a deep dive into why short-form video is so impactful and best practices to help your brand embrace this format, implementing videos into your social media strategies going forward!
Why does short-form video content matter?
Higher Engagement Rates: According to research done by Sprout Social, Short-form videos receive 2.5x more engagement than long-form videos. With 73% of consumers preferring to watch a short-form video to learn about a product or service than long long-form video, according to Hootsuite. Short videos are designed to capture attention quickly, with catchy hooks and visually appealing formats that keep viewers watching until the end. Platforms such as Instagram also prioritize short-form videos in their algorithms, increasing the chances of your content reaching a broader audience.
Authenticity Always Wins: Audiences resonate with genuine, unpolished content, which makes short-form video ideal for easily building trust and relatability. You can share things like behind-the-scenes content, tips and tricks, and funny clips to bring not only value-added content but personality to your brand your audience will appreciate.
Cross-Platform Reach: With most platforms emphasizing short-form video, your content can be repurposed for TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts to maximize reach and keep your social platforms active. This means less work for you, and more growth for your brand on social media.
Tips and Best Practices
1. Master the Art of the Hook
The first 3 seconds of your video are critical to hook your audience and ensure they don't keep scrolling. Start with:
A bold statement or question.
Intriguing visuals.
An attention-grabbing sound or music.
For example: "Did you know this one hack could double your productivity?"
2. Embrace Trends (But Make Them Yours)
Keep up with trending sounds, jokes, and challenges on each platform, but tailor them to your brand voice and message. For instance, a fitness brand might join a trending dance challenge while incorporating workout moves. Here are a few examples of trends Jelly Academy has taken advantage of:
3. Know Your Audience and Keep It Authentic
Each platform caters to slightly different demographics and behaviours:
TikTok: Younger, Gen Z-heavy audience seeking creativity, trends, humour and advice.
Instagram Reels: A mix of humorous, relatable, and aesthetic content tends to resonate the most for both Gen Z’s and Millennials.
YouTube Shorts: Diverse audience with a mix of educational and entertaining content.
Understanding where your target audience spends their time will help to guide your business's content creation and platform focus, and remember that polished doesn’t always mean better. Behind-the-scenes clips, relatable storytelling, and even humorous mishaps can humanize your brand and build stronger connections no matter which platform you’re posting on.
4. Use a Call to Action (CTA) to Grow Your Following
End your videos with a clear next step to communicate that your profile offers more valuable content that the viewer might find interesting if they finished watching, and give them a clear next step:
“Follow us for more tips!”
“Click the link in bio for the full recipe!”
“Tag a friend who needs to see this!”
Short-form video has become a critical component of a business's brand growth online. By embracing creativity, staying authentic with who you are, and aligning with platform-specific best practices while posting regularly, you can captivate audiences, boost engagement, and create a loyal audience.
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