Short Form Vs Long Form Video Which Is Best

As a marketer, choosing between a short-form video and a long-form video can be difficult. There are many factors that play into the pros and cons of both types of videos. While consumers tend to have short attention spans when it comes to ads, studies have still shown that long-form videos often perform better.

It’s important to understand that both short- and long-form videos hold value, and when deciding between the two, you should first consider the goal of your campaign. There are two main ways that you can determine the performance of your videos, and this is by click-throughs and video completions.

Before we tackle the pros and cons of short-form videos vs. long-form videos, let’s take a look at these two most common metric systems.

• Click-throughs. Click-throughs are measured by the number of people who end up visiting your website, or social media pages, in response to your ad. If the goal for your campaign is more click-throughs, then oftentimes a shorter video is all that you need to drive consumers to your web pages.
• Video Completions. Completions represent how many people decided to watch your entire video. Unfortunately, many sites offer ways to skip through ads by 10-15 seconds, or even skip the entire ad once the first few seconds have played. Because of this, you can’t necessarily count on this total. Also, it’s hard to pin down whether or not the consumer was truly attentive during the ad, or if they zoned out.

Short-Form Videos

Short-form videos tend to be the winner when it comes to reaching clickthrough goals and video completions. This is because, typically, when a video’s length increases, so does the viewer drop-off rate.

With that being said, if you can look past the completion rate, a short-form video may not be the right choice for you. If you are truly looking to tell a story with your ad, a short-form video may not offer you the length of time you need to do so. Are you looking for more click-throughs, or are you looking to set a specific tone by taking your time to tell a story?

Long-Form Videos

When done well, long-form videos can be very effective at capturing attention. Long-form videos tend to be a great way to engage with consumers on a heart-level, by putting an emphasis on telling a story while being entertaining.

The disadvantage is that you will inevitably have those consumers who are more likely to skip through your ad because it’s longer, rather than sit tight and watch a shorter ad. Again, it all depends on what your campaign goals are for your ad, and whether or not your goal is to engage with your consumers by building a story, or simply drive more people to your website!

Final Thoughts: Authenticity is Key

As long as your video is stitched together with authenticity and excellence, it won’t matter whether your video is short-form or long-form! Just remember that many consumers have grown weary of constantly having ads shoved in their faces, so if you want people to truly pay attention, you’ll want your video to look more like content than a commercial.

Regardless of your video-length, some viewers will drop off quickly, so sometimes it may be best to relay essential information by front-loading your video. At the same time, if your front-loaded message isn’t integrated seamlessly, it may come off as disingenuous or forced. This is why taking advantage of both short-form and long-form videos will serve you an advantage with your internet marketing in Mississippi.

Try brainstorming content for a long-form video first, and then create an edited-down version for those who will decide to skip through your ad. Being prepared to cater towards those who will simply be click-throughs, and those who will actually be interested in completing your video, will help you find success across the board!