How to Keep Your Long-Form Video Content Relevant in 2023
May 26, 2023
In 2023, short-form video content has continued to dominate. TikTok is more popular than ever, with over 1 billion active users. Other types of content like Youtube shorts and Instagram reels have also taken off, attempting to replicate its success. Savvy marketers know that video in general is a key marketing tool.
Video marketing continues to be a key way of reaching consumers, with a reach of 92% among internet users. With the explosion of short videos online, many marketing teams are scrambling to keep up. In fact, the explosive growth of short-form content has led many to wonder if long videos are even worth making. In this article, we’ll explore the challenges of creating longer video and answer the question, “Is long-form video content dying?”
Challenges of Long-Form Video Content in 2023
There are many challenges that come with putting out longer videos. Its biggest challenge, especially compared to short and snappy videos, is engagement.
Shorter Attention Spans
Today’s audiences have the memory of a goldfish, and anything that takes longer than 10 minutes to get its point across could risks a user getting bored. You have mere seconds to grab a viewer’s attention, and longer videos struggle to grab attention like a one minute clip. The overall gist of the struggles with long form video is that the longer the video length, the harder it is to get engagement. However, another big problem is the cost and time that a longer video demands.
Cost
There’s no set amount of how much a video costs and how long it takes to produce. However, the longer a video, the more costly it is to create. The extent of this will depend on the type of content you create and your content marketing budget. Pre-production costs include scriptwriting, storyboarding, location scouting, and hiring an actor. Then there's production, which requires a videographer, camera crew, equipment, and more.
There's also the cost of animation and graphic design, if those elements are included. These expenses vary, depending on whether the video gets created in-house or not. Each of these skills demand a lot of money and attention. Creating long-form video is a hefty investment. It's not always the right choice if you just want to put out a ton of content fast.
Tiktok vs YouTube Videos
The challenges of long form content differs across various social media platforms. Both YouTube and TikTok videos garner billions of views daily, but there are key differences between the two. YouTube is more accessible, available on a web browser or app. TikTok videos can be viewed through a browser, but most users use their app for mobile devices. Its video is also vertical to fill up the screen of a mobile device. YouTube offers a similar feature with YouTube Shorts, but it has yet to reach the engagement and reach TikTok has.
Generally, YouTube is better suited for long-form content, but TikTok recently extended its video length up to 10 minutes. The reaction from its audience might surprise you. 10-minute TikTok videos are catching on with audiences more and more. Until recently, TikTok video creators haven’t enjoyed the long-term engagement those on YouTube receive. TikTok’s platform is great for trendy and quick content, but it doesn’t have staying power. Now that creators can make longer videos, they can reap the benefits of long-term engagement with their audience.
Long-form video content continues to prosper on Youtube, whether in the form of long video essays or explainer videos. TikTok is more suited to younger audiences who crave viral videos, but the 10 minute limit on TikTok videos is making it easier for creators to engage on a deeper level with their existing audience.
Long-Form Videos are Still a Powerful Marketing Tool
Although short-form video has its place, that doesn’t mean long-form content isn’t going anywhere. Long form content is still relevant tp audiences, and there are a few big reasons why.
Deeper Engagement
Short videos might be able to catch your attention, but long videos keep it. Short form videos have a limited chance to educate an audience, but a longer video run time means more time to captivate and engage viewers. Long-form video engagement comes from viewers actively interested and invested in the topic. These viewers want connection on a deeper, more in-depth level. Because of this, long videos are more effective at influencing purchasing decisions.
Educational Value
Long-form videos are well-suited for in-depth explanations and tutorials. They allow you to present new ideas, show off a product or service, or offer educational content. Viewers watching videos to learn a new topic are more likely to appreciate and engage with longer, in-depth videos.
More Diverse Content
Short videos are often restrictive in their scope and variety. With longer videos, you have far more room to create many types of video content. A longer watch time allows you to make any kind of video, whether you want to create deep-dive video essays or show off a testimonial. Instead of relying on repetitive video marketing trends, you can create videos that stand out.
Tips for Creating Long-Form Video Content in 2023
Creating long-form video requires more care and attention than short, snappy videos. The most watched videos on YouTube share several things in common. Sharp editing, clear passion on the topic, and high quality are a few markers of the best long form content. Here are are 5 long-form video tips to keep in mind with your own content.
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Sharp Editing
Use high quality production techniques and clever editing to make your video more engaging and interesting for the viewer. Cut out long pauses, off-topic tangents, and other breaks in immersion.
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Add Captions
Adding subtitles to your video will help it rank higher in SEO, giving it more exposure. With Maestra, you can upload your video and get a transcript fast. Maestra makes the process fast and easy, so you can reap the SEO benefits from adding captions without having to spend hours making captions.
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Get Creative
Your video should be a form of expression! If you put a lot of creativity in the concept, script, and other elements, it’ll be much more immersive as a result.
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Don’t Bore your audience
Just as it’s important to be creative with your video, it’s also important to not be stagnant. Don’t get lazy with video presentation, and avoid staying in one place. For instance, having a stationary video avatar speaking in the video and never moving would be boring. Instead, introduce other graphics and video elements to add movement and flair.
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Dub in Multiple Languages
You can expand your video’s reach by translating it in other languages! Maestra can translate over 80 languages to scale your video’s impact globally.
Improve Your Long-Form Videos with Maestra!
Long-form video content is here to stay. Stay on top of video marketing trends with Maestra! Our platform allows you to add subtitles, dub videos, and get transcripts, all in just a few minutes. Start using Maestra today for free or schedule a demo now!
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May 26, 2023
