Is short-form content the new normal? Capturing viewer attention is becoming increasingly difficult. While the time you spend scrolling can seem like a minuscule part of your day-to-day life, businesses worldwide are fighting for space on your feed. With the social media landscape favoring short-form, fast-paced content, is it time for the marketing landscape to change too? Tech giants like YouTube and Meta focus heavily on this format, and even shopping platforms like Amazon are introducing Amazon Inspire, a vertical video section of the app that sees influencers recommending products sold on the app.  

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A study conducted in 2003 tracked people's attention span with a stopwatch. The researchers found that the average attention span was about 2.5 minutes. However, in the last five to six years, studies have shown that the average attention span has dropped significantly to a mere 47 seconds. Since it's harder to keep people focused, it may be time to shift marketing tactics and completely embrace short-form content.  

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There are several benefits to keeping up with the trendy, short-form content:  

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Accessibility - If you have a device and Wi-Fi, you have a chance to go viral.  

‍Narrative Control - Businesses everywhere have several ways to highlight company culture, impactful stories, and educational content that many viewers wish they had access to years ago! Where else can you learn to drain a water heater in 60 seconds? (It is probably best to consult a professional outside the internet, though!)

‍Engagement - The short, to-the-point content captures the viewers' attention and increases engagement levels.  

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There's an average of 1 billion users on TikTok monthly. That's 1 billion people potentially exposed to advertisements and other business content. I don't know about you, but I've seen several small businesses bloom thanks to (a) their creative and innovative products and (b) their content going viral.  

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While short-form content can bring extreme highs for businesses, there are important considerations to make before shifting company advertising. Here are a few reasons short-form content is not one-size-fits-all:  

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Product Complexity - If creators can't keep the content short and sweet, odds are viewers will keep scrolling. Intricate details for products that get into technical jargon can leave viewers confused or bored.  

‍Target Audiences - Companies have different follower demographics with various age ranges. If your target audience primarily uses platforms less associated with short-form content, focusing solely on it might miss them.  

‍Competitive Landscape - The sole focus and prioritization of trends rarely differentiate businesses from competitors with the same strategy. Not to mention, trends don't align with every brand and can dilute their unique identity. Imagine if IBM did TikTok dances... Yeah, we can't either.  

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Would short-form content marketing work for every business? Absolutely not. But that doesn't mean there aren't benefits to riding a few trend waves. You never know; your company could be the next overnight sensation. The optimal content format depends on your audience and company goals. Ultimately, a balanced approach that utilizes both short-form and long-form content is a great way to reach both ends of the spectrum.

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