In today’s fast-paced digital world, short-form videos are becoming increasingly popular for businesses to increase brand awareness and engagement. Platforms such as TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels offer a unique opportunity for businesses to create and share short videos that capture the attention of their target audience.
With the rise of mobile-first consumption and the short attention span of online users, short-form videos have become a valuable tool for businesses looking to stay ahead of the competition.
In this blog post, we will explore the reasons why short-form videos are so effective, provide examples of how they can be used, and give tips on how to make the most of this trend in 2023. Whether you’re a small business owner or marketer, these techniques will help you to create effective short-form videos that increase brand awareness and drive engagement.
Short-form videos are highly effective
According to the Hubspot State of Marketing Trends report, short-form videos are considered the most effective type of social media content. The report found that marketers should invest in short-form videos as they are both the most-used format on social media and the most engaging.
Short-form video has the best return on investment (ROI) compared to other video formats. The report found that short-form videos consistently receive the highest average engagement at around 50% and have been the most popular video length to create since 2016.
The short-form video boom is expected to continue and lead to more short-form video ads. The report found that 95% of marketers currently use short-form video plans to increase engagement or carry on with existing investments.
Additionally, 85% of marketers say short-form videos are the most effective social content formats.
The report also found that short-form videos rank #1 for lead generation and engagement, making them a valuable tool for businesses looking to increase brand awareness and drive engagement in 2023. With the rise of mobile-first consumption and the short attention span of online users, businesses should take advantage of the trend and invest in creating effective short-form videos that capture the attention of their target audience.
Here are 10 ways short-form videos can boost your brand’s awareness:
#1: Create engagement
The short attention span of today’s online audience can make it tough to keep their attention for long. Short-form videos, usually under a minute, are perfect for capturing and maintaining viewer engagement. This format of videos is designed for the fast-paced nature of social media and makes it easy for people to consume the content quickly.
Example: A 60-second product demonstration video for a new skincare product line that uses creative editing, high-quality visuals, and a catchy jingle to capture the viewer’s attention.
#2: Connect with your audience
Short-form videos allow you to glimpse your brand’s personality, values, and culture. This helps to make a personal relationship with your audience and can increase the likelihood of them becoming loyal customers. Additionally, through creative ideas, you can show behind-the-scenes moments behind the product and services, providing more transparency.
Example: A 30-second Instagram Reel video that shows behind-the-scenes footage of the team at a company retreat, highlighting the company culture and values and providing a glimpse into the team members’ personalities.
#3: Create various content
Short-form videos are versatile and can be used for various purposes. For example, you can use them to educate your audience about a new product or service, to share testimonials, and more. They are a great way to create brand awareness and generate leads.
Example: A 15-second YouTube Short video that educates the audience on how to recycle plastic waste properly and encourages viewers to take action.
#4: Make a quick impact
To make an impact with your short-form videos, it’s important to pay attention to the details. Make sure your videos are visually appealing and that the audio is clear. Additionally, by adding elements of storytelling and humor, you can make your videos more interesting and memorable.
Example: A 45-second TikTok video that tells the story of a customer’s positive experience using a specific product, using storytelling, humor, and visually appealing images to create an impact on the viewer.
#5: Keep up with trends
To make the most of short-form videos in 2023, it’s important to stay on top of trends. TikTok is the latest trend, using popular music and creative editing. Instagram reels are popular for showcasing creative skills like cooking, dancing, and DIY skills. YouTube Shorts is a new format allowing people to post short videos of 60 seconds or less.
Example: A series of Instagram reels that showcase prevalent dance challenges, using popular music and creative editing to stay on top of current trends and increase engagement with the audience
#6: Leverage user-generated content
One effective way to increase brand awareness through short-form videos is by leveraging user-generated content. Encourage your audience to create and share videos featuring your products or services, and then repost or feature those videos on your own social media channels. This can help build trust and credibility with your audience and increase engagement with your brand.
Example: A 20-second Instagram Reel video featuring a customer dancing and lip-syncing to a popular song while using your product, which you reposted to your brand’s account with a shoutout to the user.
#7: Use Influencer marketing
Another way to increase your brand’s awareness through short-form videos is by partnering with influencers. Influencers have a significant social media following and can help promote your brand to a wider audience. By collaborating with influencers and having them create short-form videos featuring your products or services, you can tap into their existing audience and reach new potential customers.
Example: A 60-second TikTok video featuring an influencer showing how they use your product in their daily routine and how it impacted their lives.
#8: Run Contests and Giveaways
Consider running contests and giveaways through short-form videos to increase brand awareness and engagement. You can encourage your audience to create and share short-form videos featuring your brand and then choose a winner to receive a prize. This can help to generate buzz around your brand and incentivize people to create and share videos on their channels.
Example: A 30-second Instagram Reel video announcing a giveaway where people can enter to win a prize by filming themselves using your product, with a call-to-action to share the video on their profile with a specific hashtag.
#9: Utilize Live-streaming
Live-streaming is a great way to create real-time engagement with your audience, you can use this feature to showcase your brand, product, and services. This can also help you get instant customer feedback and reaction, allowing you to make necessary changes, and your audience can ask you questions directly.
Example: A live-streaming session on Instagram featuring a Q&A with your brand’s CEO, providing an inside look at the company’s upcoming projects and product releases and allowing the audience to ask questions and interact with the brand in real time.
#10: Use QR codes and Short URLs
You can use QR codes and short URLs in your short-form videos to drive traffic to your website or other online platforms. This can help increase brand awareness, generate leads, and provide an easy way for people to access more information about your products or services.
Example: A 15-second Instagram Reel video featuring a QR code that directs viewers to a landing page with more information about a new product release and a link to purchase, a call-to-action to scan the code.
Ideas for short-form videos
Creating creative and effective ideas for short-form videos can take time and effort. In this section, we’ll list some ideas for short-form videos that can help you to increase your brand’s visibility and build a connection with your audience.
- Product demonstrations: Show your products in action by filming a short video demonstrating how they work, highlighting key features and benefits.
- Behind-the-scenes footage: Give viewers a glimpse into your company’s culture and values by filming a short video that shows behind-the-scenes footage of your team at work.
- Customer testimonials: Share real-life stories from customers who have used your products or services and had positive experiences.
- Educational content: Create short videos that educate your audience on a specific topic related to your products or services, such as how to use a product or solve a common problem properly.
- Promotions and discounts: Use short-form videos to announce special promotions, discounts, or sales to encourage viewers to take action and purchase.
- Influencer collaborations: Partner with influencers in your industry and have them create short videos featuring your products or services, leveraging their existing audience to reach new potential customers.
- Contests and giveaways: Run a contest or giveaway that encourages viewers to create and share short-form videos featuring your brand, with the winner receiving a prize.
- Live-streaming sessions: Go live on social media platforms and engage with your audience in real time, answering questions and providing an inside look at your brand and products.
- How-to tutorials: Create short-form videos that teach viewers how to do something, such as how to style their hair or cook a certain dish relevant to your brand.
- Animated explainer videos: Short and fun animated videos explain your brand’s message or product in simple words, making it easy to understand and retain and suitable for all age groups.
By considering these ideas and tailoring them to your specific brand and audience, you can create effective short-form videos that help to increase awareness and drive engagement.
How to make the most of short-form videos
Short-form videos are a powerful tool for businesses looking to increase brand awareness and drive engagement in 2023. With the rise of mobile-first consumption and the short attention span of online users, creating videos that capture the viewer’s attention and effectively communicate your message is more important than ever. However, creating compelling short-form videos is more complex than just recording and uploading. To make the most of short-form videos, you need to be strategic in your approach.
Here are some tips on how to make the most of short-form videos:
- Keep it short: As the name suggests, short-form videos should be short. Aim for less than a minute in length, as this will make viewers more likely to watch the entire video.
- Be visually appealing: Make sure your videos are visually appealing and easy to watch. Use high-quality imagery, good lighting, and eye-catching graphics to capture the viewer’s attention.
- Use storytelling: Short-form videos are a great way to tell a story about your brand or products. Use storytelling techniques to make your videos interesting and memorable.
- Use sound and music strategically: Audio plays a crucial role in videos, Make sure the audio is clear and easy to hear. Use music and sound effects to create a desired mood or atmosphere.
- Be consistent: Consistency is key to building brand awareness. Keep your message, visuals, and tone consistent with your brand’s overall aesthetic to make it easy for viewers to recognize and remember your brand.
- Use humor: Humor can be a great way to make your videos more interesting and memorable. Use it wisely and ensure it’s appropriate for your brand and audience.
- Use a call to action: End your videos with a clear call to action, asking viewers to visit your website, follow your social media accounts, or make a purchase.
- Measure and Analyze: Keep track of the performance of your videos, find out what works and what doesn’t, then use that data to optimize and improve your future videos.
- Take advantage of interactive features: Use interactive features like polls, quizzes, and questions to increase engagement and encourage viewers to interact with your brand.
- Optimize for each platform: Each platform has its unique features and audience, optimize your video for the platform you’re posting it on.
By keeping these tips in mind, you can ensure that your short-form videos effectively increase brand awareness and drive engagement. Remember that, as with any content, experimenting and testing will give you a clearer picture of what resonates with your target audience and what does not.
Conclusion
Short-form videos are an effective way to increase brand awareness and engagement in 2023. Platforms like TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels allow you to create and share short videos that can capture your audience’s attention. Utilizing ideas like product demonstrations, behind-the-scenes footage, customer testimonials, educational content, promotions and discounts, influencer collaborations, contests and giveaways, live-streaming sessions, how-to tutorials, and animated explainer videos tailored to your specific brand and audience can help increase your brand’s visibility and build a connection with your audience. By following the tips provided in this post, such as keeping it short, being visually appealing, using storytelling and humor, including a call-to-action, and optimizing for each platform, you can make the most of short-form videos and ensure that your content resonates with your target audience. Remember that experimentation and analytics are key to finding what works best for your brand as with any marketing strategy.
