Short Videos: How to Successfully Use the Hottest Social Media Trend of the Moment

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Social media channels are at the heart of the everyday life of content creators and it is hard to imagine users without them. Large companies and influencers are increasingly relying on social platforms for marketing. Social media is fast-paced and dynamic. That’s why you should recognize and use trends in time! Right now, the hottest trend across all platforms is definitely short videos. We take a close look and show you how easy it is to use.

What are short videos on social media?

Just like the name, the concept behind it is very simple. A short video is a video that only runs for a few seconds. They are small clips with content that gets to the point and elicits a reaction from viewers.

Short videos: The key to (social media) success

Short videos convey visual information in a short time and therefore make it easier to absorb information. It’s logical: Let’s assume you want to advertise products from a certain brand. Of course, you can post a very long caption, but your followers would have to read it for several minutes. As a result, most people just keep scrolling.

Your followers want to see engaging content on social media platforms: a video with the right thumbnail can grab attention and convey the same information succinctly. If you use visual stimuli cleverly, you can pass on the information much better than analogue media. That’s why most followers skip texts that are too long. For example, visual feed postings on Instagram are better without a very long text. Nevertheless, we know that exciting short videos fascinate your followers even more. That’s why most influencers and content creators use short videos today.

Here are some of the top social media platforms and how you can use short videos over there for your advantage.

Instagram Reels

Instagram Reels is a short video format used by Facebook in response to the popularity of TikTok. In order for the reels to prevail in the long term, reels are currently still getting gigantic ranges. You should definitely take advantage of this! Impressions and engagements from Reels give you more reach than regular feed posts. You can record 15-second videos and post them right away. Of course, the maximum time is exhausting. That’s why it’s important to make the best use of every available second. An example of this is content from viral top influencers: All important information is available without a long wait. They manage to keep their followers from scrolling straight away. With an exciting story, users stay with you until the end of the video. That’s great for range. The longer users watch your videos, the higher your reach.

Regardless of whether you use Instagram Reels personally or for business, you should definitely incorporate this content into your social media strategy. It is the key to more reach and engagement.

 

TikTok

Actually, TikTok was only intended for musical content. In the meantime, TikTok has changed: There are political topics, funny sketches, learning content, personal stories and of course lots of music-related content. Unlike Facebook and Instagram, the organic reach of TikTok is still high. New profiles also have a chance of growth and can quickly build up a community. If you want to use TikTok for business, you need to strike the “TikTok tone” and post content that is interesting to the community and your followers.

Very important: On TikTok, you have to appear as “native” as possible. Even if you’re promoting a big brand in your videos, it’s important not to be perceived as such. Users must be able to identify themselves with the content. Everything else is labelled as advertising, which is far from well-received by the TikTok community.

YouTube Shorts

Just like the Instagram Reels, the YouTube Shorts are a response to the TikTok trend. You can record videos in vertical format with your smartphone. They must be under 60 seconds and can be used for all kinds of content. Provided, of course, that they comply with YouTube’s terms of service. An easy way to reach the huge YouTube audience of almost 2 billion people. There’s even a built-in editor so you can edit your clips with ease!

Similar to TikTok and Instagram Reels, you need to use every second you have and provide users with visual highlights.

Advantages of short videos

Short videos have many advantages for content creators. Here is a brief summary of the most important ones:

Huge reach

Currently, short videos reach more people than any other content on social media. You can basically choose between an old-fashioned billboard (traditional text) and an advertisement on one of the most popular websites on the internet. The range between the usual methods and short videos is simply not comparable. A huge benefit! You can generate new followers and meet new people.

As an influencer, you can position yourself cleverly with organic short videos and thus build a large community with a high level of commitment.

You are part of the trend

Another big advantage: You are actively part of a trend that is bigger than yourself. You can surf the enormous wave of attention for the trend, establish yourself and build an image. An example of this is the Paul brothers from the USA. Logan and Jake Paul joined the short video trend on Vine and quickly had a serious fan club. After the platform was shut down, they posted longer content on YouTube and were able to spread their hype.

What they have made of their success is controversial for many. Nevertheless, the two recognized the trend early enough and managed to steer their lives in completely new directions – starting with short videos on the Internet.

It’s cheap

There is no cheaper way to generate reach as an influencer! When it comes to short videos, nobody expects polished content and tons of editing. It’s actually very natural and organic content. With a smartphone and a little ingenuity, you can conjure up great content without having to buy high-quality equipment.

Most successful YouTube channels or other video content channels on similar platforms have tremendous production value behind their videos. This is not necessary for short videos, but you can still achieve similar ranges.

Lower bounce rate

Notice anything as you scroll through videos from your favourite YouTuber? The videos have different lengths. And videos longer than an hour get significantly fewer views than short content. The comments, likes and shares are also below average. Users drop out of boredom or don’t have the time to spare. Why watch long videos when the same information is also available in short videos on other platforms?

If you use short videos, the chance that users will watch your content to the end and not jump off increases.

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The short-video-starter-guide

Do short videos sound complicated? They are not! Getting started is comparatively easy and far less complex than producing long video content.

You only need a few things to get started.

  • Recording device: A smartphone is great for recording excellent quality videos.
  • Editing Software: Some platforms have this feature built-in. If you want to deliver good content, you need a good editing software in the long run. With the software, you can trim clips, add visual effects, and adjust exposure.
  • A “go-get-em” attitude: Short videos are popular because they’re fun, first and foremost. That means: You will not be successful with a negative mindset. Be a good host and show your happy, positive nature to your community! Alternatively, you can position yourself as an expert on certain topics. Which approach you choose depends on your content.
  • Quantity is quality: Don’t expect a viral hit with your first video. With short videos, you have to be patient. Don’t limit yourself to one video format and try different approaches. So you can see what resonates best with your target group. The more videos you upload, the quicker you’ll see what content is popular with your community.

This is how you start with short videos

Take a moment and research the structure of the networks. Which content is the most successful there? What tools are available to you? What is the total audience of the platform? Is there a specific usage behaviour? On some platforms, you can even record, edit and upload the video directly in the app.

The next step is to register on the platform of your choice. If you have found what you are looking for, create an account and you can start. Now it’s up to you to create engaging content. How this looks in the implementation depends heavily on your goals, your influencer cooperation and your character.

Perhaps you are promoting products from a small soap factory from home and would like to address your followers with humour? Do you want to be the next hip beauty guru with sponsored posts from international beauty brands? Or do you just want to share your story and connect with people who have had similar experiences? Once you’ve recorded a video and are happy with it, use the platform’s editing tools or your own editing software to fine-tune it. Cut out unnecessary snippets, adjust exposure and add filters. But beware, the following applies here: less is more! All done? Then nothing stands in the way of an upload.

After the upload, the journey continues

It’s not enough to just post videos. Your followers want to interact with it. Take your time for the comments, answer or like them. This will help you connect with your followers and increase your organic reach.

Conclusion 

Short videos are back – and with full power! If you want to gain a lot of new followers and thus open up new horizons, you cannot avoid the short video format to succeed on social networks. Choose a platform that matches your personality and watch your reach grow.

 

Influencer watch out!

You want to earn money with your Insta stories and YouTube videos? Then stylink is the perfect platform for you. Register now for free!

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About the Author

Büsra Cavundur

Büşra is the country manager for the UK and Ireland market at stylink.