How to Use Short-Form Video to Grow Your Business

The landscape of content consumption is transforming and short-form video is a dominant force triggering that change. Just think how you scroll through your favorite social media platforms and absorb a wealth of information in just a few swipes.

This is a powerful wave businesses can harness for growth. Whether you’re an experienced marketer or a budding entrepreneur, you can integrate short-form video content into your marketing strategy and see its treasure of benefits. 

In this blog, we explain how businesses can make short-form videos in three main stages: pre-production, production and post-production. We also share 10 actionable tips on creating short-form video content that drives business growth.

Let’s start.

What is short-form video content?

Short-form video content refers to bite-sized and concise video clips that typically last between 5 to 60 seconds. Prioritizing immediacy and impact, these videos deliver attention-grabbing and easily digestible content in a brief timeline.

Certain social media platforms and features (TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, Instagram Stories) have played a vital role in popularizing short-form video. They diversified the landscape for creators to share their content by encouraging creativity and experimentation.

Short-Form vs. Long-Form Videos

Short-form and long-form videos mainly differ in terms of their duration, storytelling approach, platform suitability and production complexity. While short-form video excels at sparking curiosity and promoting social sharing, long-form videos can explore complex themes and demonstrate expertise on a subject.

Brands and businesses can highly benefit from both short-form and long-form video content. So, which one should you choose? This entirely depends on your specific goals and target audience. If you’re seeking to increase brand awareness, boost sales and drive website traffic, then short-form videos can definitely help you a lot in these efforts.

Short-Form Video Statistics

According to HubSpot’s Annual State of Marketing Report, short-form video is the #1 format and marketing trend for offering the highest ROI. The report states that it will “see the most growth in 2024” and “30% of marketers who don’t use short-form video will start in 2024.”

Meanwhile, based on data covering the last 30 days of 2023, Neil Patel highlights that short-form videos are what people are consuming and looking for. It is the type of content that generates the most engagement, followed by long-form videos and podcasts.

Why is short-form video so popular? 

First and foremost, we now have shorter attention spans and bite-sized videos align with that change perfectly. We can consume them on the go or in between tasks without committing significant time. Plus, powerful algorithms constantly recommend relevant content, keeping us hooked in front of our screens. Finally, short-form video often feels more relatable than traditional media. Creators can share their genuine personalities and experiences through them, fostering a sense of connection with viewers.

What does this mean for your social media strategy? It’s no wonder that short-form video holds many opportunities for your business if it fits your goals and audience’s needs. You must also consider if you have the necessary resources (time, equipment, etc.) and what your competitors are doing.

How to Create Short-Form Video Content

Decided to delve into short-form video marketing? Here is your roadmap on how to create short videos for business growth.

Pre-Production

• Know your target audience well. What are their needs and pain points? What keeps them up at night? Conduct research to gain insights into what resonates with them so you can tailor your content strategy accordingly.
• Generate content ideas based on your audience’s preferences. Would they find educational videos helpful? Would they prefer explanatory videos that showcase your products? These types of key questions can be your golden compass during this process.
• Choose the right short-form video platform. Where does your audience hang out? TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels? Pick the right platform to maximize your reach and impact.
• Craft a mini script or storyboard. Develop a simple beginning, middle and end. Think about camera angles and estimate the duration of each scene. Plan how you’ll connect the scenes to maintain a smooth flow. These steps will enhance the coherence and effectiveness of your video.

Production

• Optimize lighting and sound. Good lighting and clear audio are indispensable aspects of a successful short-form video. Invest in some basic equipment if needed; you will not regret it.
• Shoot in vertical format. This is essential as most people watch videos on their phone. Make sure your content fills the screen and is mobile-friendly to keep viewers engaged.
• Start with a hook. The first 5 seconds are crucial to capture your audience’s attention. Hook them with a catchy question, a surprising fact or a striking statement. Just spark interest and motivate them to keep watching.
• Highlight the value of your product or service. This is the backbone of any successful content marketing strategy. Don’t just talk about the benefits of your product or service; show its value in action. Emphasize how it solves problems and makes lives easier.
• Have a call to action. A clear and compelling CTA will guide your viewers towards the next step whether it’s making a purchase or visiting your website.
• Incorporate text elements. Utilize on-screen text and closed captions to make your short-form video more accessible and inclusive. This practice boosts content discoverability and gets your message out to a wider audience, even with the sound off.
• Edit and polish. Use a short-form video editor to fine-tune your content for the platform you’re posting to. Ensure that the video dimensions and resolution align with the specific platform requirements.

Post-Production

• Promote your video across multiple channels. Harness the power of social media platforms and email marketing to maximize reach. You can also run paid advertising campaigns to increase brand awareness and connect with others beyond your followers.
• Engage with your audience in the comments section. This is great for responding to questions and building bonds, which will keep your community coming back for more.
• Analyze the performance of your short-form video. See what’s working and what’s not. Use the data to refine your videos and adapt to the changing needs of your audience.

Best Practices for Creating Short-Form Videos

Incorporating the following tips into your video marketing strategy will help you create better content and grow your business.

Stay Authentic

If content is the king, then authenticity is its crown. Always let your unique voice shine through your video. Being true to your brand identity and showing the human side of your content will foster relatability and reliability.

Tip: Don’t shy away from imperfections like unscripted moments; authenticity thrives in genuine moments.

Keep Up with Trends

Explore short-form video trends to boost the visibility of your content. However, don’t blindly follow them. Make sure you tailor the trend to your brand narrative and establish a distinct presence.

Tip: Use trending audio as it significantly increases the likelihood of your content being discovered.

Incorporate Keywords

Optimize your video by having relevant keywords in the caption, text overlays and hashtags. This will not only enhance searchability but also help algorithms categorize and recommend your content to relevant users.

Tip: While narrating, mention your keywords without sounding forced.

Repurpose Your Long-Form Content

Transform long into short with impact. Select key moments or insights from your longer content (podcasts, webinars, etc.) to create concise and engaging video clips. Encourage your viewers to check your long-form content for a win-win marketing strategy.

Tip: Highlight takeaways with bold graphics, text overlays or animations in your short-form video.

Partner with Influencers

Influencer marketing is expected to grow in 2024 too. Partnering with an influencer who shares your business values can expand your reach, allowing you to tap into new communities. Invite an influencer to take your channel over for a day or co-create a series of short videos around a specific theme.

Tip: Businesses are finding success with micro-influencers; aka smaller, more niche influencers who have a loyal follower base and high engagement rates.

Leverage User-Generated Content

Utilizing user-generated short-form video content will cultivate a sense of community and provide fresh ideas. Ask your followers to share their own experiences or creative interpretations related to your product or service. Set clear prompts and offer prizes to increase participation.

Tip: Add UGC to your Highlights to showcase the sense of belonging within your community.

Spice It Up with Humor

Humor is one of the most powerful tools for capturing attention. Take advantage of trending formats like parodies or challenges to humanize your business and make your brand more shareable. Never forget cultural sensitivity and ensure your humor does not offend anyone.

Tip: Create recurring characters or themes that evoke laughter naturally.

Prioritize Accessibility

Add subtitles or closed captions to your short-form video to unlock a global audience. Choose an easily readable font, and use contrasting colors for text and background. These will make your content accessible to individuals with hearing impairments, improve the overall viewing experience and let Google crawl your video for SEO.

Tip: Use Maestra’s AI subtitle generator to automatically create and add subtitles to your video in 125+ languages.

Have a Content Calendar

Consistency is vital for an effective short-form video strategy. Schedule your releases by taking peak engagement times and relevant trends into account. Adopt productivity tools like Trello or Asana to organize your ideas and schedule.

Tip: Develop reusable templates to streamline video production and save time.

Lean Into What Performs Well

Analyze video performance metrics and identify patterns. Check completion rates, watch time, shares, comments and click-throughs to understand engagement depth. Feel free to expand on successful themes or topics with fresh angles.

Tip: Strike a balance; don’t be afraid to test new ideas but base your experimentation on data-driven insights.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best platform for short videos?

There are several short-form video platforms, with TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts the most popular. However, there’s no single “best” platform as it depends on your needs and preferences. We recommend you to consider your audience, goals and editing skills when choosing a medium.

What is an example of a short-form video?

A TikTok video is an example of a short video. These videos often feature dances and trends, comedy sketches, challenges, or educational and lifestyle content. Usually under 60 seconds, they capture attention very quickly.

What makes a great short video?

A great short video should be creative and concise. It has a powerful hook, eye-catching visuals, high-quality audio and a clear call to action. Optimizing for mobile viewing is also an essential part of short-form video production.

Is there any AI tool for video editing?

Sure! AI tools are rapidly transforming video editing, offering content creators a range of options. A short-form video editor you can easily use is lumen5, which will improve your content in minutes.

How do I advertise a short video?

Follow these steps to advertise your short video effectively: understand your target audience, choose the right platform, craft ad copy, use high-quality visuals and audio, and A/B test different versions. Keep in mind that different short-form video apps have their own ad manager and regulations.

Summary

This blog provided a step-by-step guide on how to create engaging short-form videos to drive business growth. It also emphasized the best practices and opportunities in the area including influencer marketing, user-generated content and repurposing.

Strategic use of short-form video will help you showcase your business in a dynamic, memorable way and increase brand awareness. It will also boost community engagement and customer loyalty, which will ultimately lead to higher conversion rates. By adopting the practices mentioned above, businesses can capture the attention of their target audience and connect with them in a more immediate, compelling manner.