Short-form video success is touted throughout most platforms as a best practice, especially for TikTok. In their next phase, however, the platform will allow 10-minute video uploads that could change how users engage with content and with each other, giving brands better analytics.
TikTok is known as the “king” of short-form video. However, shorter videos mean less monetization and analytics potential, a problem which ultimately brought about the demise of the once-popular Vine because you can’t insert pre or mid-roll ads into short content.
To avoid a similar fate, TikTok has been gradually expanding its video lengths. (Originally, TikTok’s time limit per clip was 15 seconds, then, they extended it to 60 seconds, then 3 minutes.)
TikTok users will soon be able to upload longer clips, which could impact how people consume content in the app. In some ways, this is seen as a risky bet for TikTok, which built its user base on the back of short, pithy memes and responses. The platform does, of course, have longer live-stream videos, which are displayed in the main feed. However, according to WIRED, nearly 50% of TikTok users said videos longer than a minute were stressful and a third of users watched videos online at double speed.
Meanwhile, Facebook expanded its Reels feature to all users to compete with TikTok, which has been steadily gaining market share. Facebook has also added “Reels drafts” and a new video clipping option designed to allow content creators to publish live or long-form videos to test different formats.
Like YouTube, Facebook is presenting its short-form option as a complementary channel to help creators build a strong following while maximizing their monetization potential through longer content.
Acronym will monitor these changes and will let you know if there is an impact on user behavior and interest, which could lead to a much broader set of content and advertising options.
If you’d like assistance leveraging TikTok, Meta, YouTube or any social media platform to drive better engagement and conversions, please let us know. We’re here to help.
