Long vs Short Video: 8 Reasons to Keep Your Videos Short

With the explosive rise of websites like Vine and Instagram, there’s something to be said about keeping videos short. Brands are discovering that keeping videos “short and sweet” is often more effective than investing time and money into a complicated production. Though some statistics indicate that videos shorter than 3.5 minutes are preferred by viewers, others state that video completion rates drop significantly after 30 seconds. Even some folks say that we have a shorter attention span than a goldfish…yes, a goldfish. So, let’s take a look at six good reasons to keep your video content short.

Keep the Attention

As of 2015, the average consumer attention span was estimated to be 8 seconds. That being said, longer videos tend not to receive as much attention as shorter videos. Experts believe this preference for “bite size” content stems from the consumer’s desire to quickly view, rate, and share content. Whether used by small businesses or global brands, short videos are easy to consume and, as a result, have more “viral” potential.

Get to the Point

Shorter videos appeal to companies because they’re generally less costly to make, but shorter videos are also more straightforward and easy to understand. Video marketing professionals understand that complex products and services cannot be contained in 30 seconds, but many strategists believe complex content is better received when in small chunks. Mosaic Media Films recommends transforming lengthy content into subsections to be watched at the viewer’s leisure.

Marketable

Shorter videos are more marketable. Video marketers are all vying for the attention of consumers through multiple platforms, and that window of attention is getting smaller by the year. It’s much easier to convince a viewer to watch 30 seconds versus 10 minutes of video – and what’s the point of producing a video that no one will watch?

Cost-Effective

Brands that opt to create shorter videos enjoy a significant cost savings. As opposed to traditional advertising, short videos are inexpensive to produce, lack pretense, and require minimal resources. Because short videos are relatively easy to make, thanks to Vine and Instagram, even small businesses can leverage the power of video marketing to promote their brand.

Invest in Quality

Creating short videos allows brands to concentrate on quality vs. quantity. With changes to search algorithms and a decreased reliance on SEO, video marketers depend on maximizing the reach of content with value. According to marketing experts, consumers prefer a professionally produced video lasting 30 seconds more than a longer video of lesser quality. Investing in shorter videos can put the focus back on quality.

Expand Your Reach

Brands are using short videos to creatively promote brand awareness on multiple platforms. While Vine and Instagram encourage the creation of short videos, brands have embraced the opportunity to highlight their brand’s core identity and value using film. Thus far, brands have been able to expand their reach throughout various social media channels using videos less than 10 seconds in length.

Short Videos Last Longer than You Think

Although short videos may only be a few seconds, their online shelf life is longer than you might think. Brands releasing videos on Vine and Instagram find that many of their published works quickly seep into global social media feeds and generate leads.

Do you prefer watching short videos or long videos? Why?