If you’ve noticed your attention span for online videos shrinking, you’re not alone. Short-form video has taken over both the internet and our smartphones. It all began with Vine, the now-defunct app that introduced users to the world of six-second looping videos. TikTok, however, took the concept to new heights, transforming short videos from a fun novelty into a key marketing tool.

Short-form video generally refers to content under one minute, though clips up to three minutes are sometimes included. Still, the sweet spot tends to hover around 15 seconds. The format’s popularity comes from its ease of consumption, entertainment value, and the endless scroll factor that keeps viewers engaged for hours.

TikTok’s rapid growth has since spurred competitors like Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts, giving marketers a variety of platforms to leverage for sharing bite-sized content.

Key Short Video Stats Every Marketer & Creator Should Know

• US adults are projected to spend an average of 48 minutes daily on social short-video platforms, with TikTok users spending about 58 minutes each day.
• Approximately 56% of videos created by businesses are two minutes or less. This aligns with the decreasing attention spans, which have dropped to an average of 8 seconds.
• Videos shorter than 90 seconds retain 50% of viewers, making them more effective than longer videos, which see significantly lower completion rates.

💡 Good to know: How Short-Form Video Content Impacts Your Audience Engagement & Retention on Social Media

• Incorporating videos into marketing strategies can increase conversions and sales by up to 80%.
• YouTube Shorts collectively average over 70 billion daily views, with 2 billion users engaging with the platform monthly. This means that viewer engagement more than doubled since 2021.
• Revenue from short-form video advertisements is projected to exceed $10 billion in 2024, indicating a strong market for video advertising.
• 72% of people prefer video over text for learning about products or services.
• When asked about their preferred way to learn about a product or service, 44% of customers choose short videos. This option far outpaces others like ebooks or manuals (16%), infographics (15%), text-based articles (13%), sales calls (6%), and webinars or presentations (5%).
• 36% of marketers say the optimal length of a marketing video is one to three minutes.
• 30-60 seconds is the most effective length according to 39% of marketers, followed by 1-2 minutes (28%), 30 seconds or less (18%), 2-3 minutes (10%), and 3 minutes or more (just 5%.)
• The most important factors in creating a viral video are making relatable content (28%), keeping videos short (27%), and capturing viewers’ attention in the first few seconds (26%).
• 39% of marketers report that short-form videos generate the biggest ROI.
• Short-form videos receive 2.5 times more engagement than long-form videos.
• 26% of marketers plan to invest more in short-form video content in 2024.
• 73% of consumers prefer short-form videos to search for products or services.
• 56% of videos created by businesses today are two minutes or less.
• Video increases conversions and sales by up to 80%.
• About 93% of marketers say they’ve landed new customers due to short video ads on social media.
• Short-form videos are the premier content format for engagement and lead generation in digital marketing.
• Regarding short-form social media videos, Instagram is the platform people spend the most time on, with 53 minutes, as per Statista.
• 68% of people will happily watch a business video if it’s under a minute.

How to Get the Most Out of Your Short Video Content

While short-form video is king, longer content isn’t entirely out of the picture. Platforms are expanding their short-form limits—TikToks can now be up to three or even ten minutes long for some users. Still, the sweet spot remains around 15 seconds for optimal engagement, and for marketers, the challenge lies in balancing both formats to meet varied audience expectations.

Repurpose Long Videos is Viral Short Clips

When asked how long it takes to produce a marketing video, 30% of marketers report a two-week timeline. The leading obstacle to adopting video marketing continues to be lack of time, with one-third of marketers who don't use video citing time constraints as the main reason.

The top challenges marketers face in creating video content include lack of time (39%), difficulty developing an effective video strategy (33%), and insufficient budget (31%).

But it doesn't have to be this way. The solution is repurposing.

Repurposing long-form content is a straightforward way to create engaging short clips. Whether it’s a quote from a webinar or a how-to demonstration, editing down existing footage can yield shareable, effective short-form videos.

How to Repurpose a Long Video with AI Video Cut

AI Video Cut is a tool that smartly makes a shorter video out of an existing longer one, using the power of OpenAI technology, and allows the AI to manage the hard work for you.

Here’s how you can create shorter clips from an existing long video online using AI Video Cut:

1. Visit the AI Video Cut website.
2. Paste a YouTube video link in the dedicated field.
3. Choose the video type you want to create, such as catching trailers or topic-based viral clips.
4. Choose your preferred duration (7, 15, or 25 phrases).
5. Select the aspect ratio. If you want to upload a video to YouTube Shorts, Reels, or TikTok, opt for 9:16.
6. Tap Submit.
7. Click the Download button once the new short video is ready. The results will also be sent to the email you entered upon the signup.

And that’s it! Just a few minutes, not weeks are required to crop a longer video to several shorter clips and repurpose them on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn, and other platforms.

Motivate Your Customers to Make UGC

Another rising strategy is user-generated content (UGC). Brands are turning to everyday users, leveraging their organic content as a form of social proof. UGC is perceived as the most authentic content, influencing purchasing decisions far more than traditional ads or influencer posts. By tapping into this authenticity, brands can build trust and engagement with their audience, often more effectively than they could with polished in-house content.

To motivate customers to create UGC, you need to focus on strategies that encourage engagement and make the process enjoyable for their audience. One effective approach is to offer incentives that reward participation. Contests, giveaways, and exclusive discounts are popular ways to inspire customers to share their content. For instance, hosting challenges where customers submit videos or photos for a chance to win prizes can be highly motivating. Similarly, offering discounts on future purchases or giving early access to new products in exchange for content helps drive participation.

Another powerful tactic is creating a branded hashtag campaign. A well-promoted hashtag makes it easy for customers to share their content while contributing to a larger community. Featuring customer content on a brand’s social media channels or website also provides recognition, motivating customers to engage further.

Collaborating with micro-influencers is another way to generate excitement around UGC. When influencers create content and promote products, their followers are more likely to follow suit. This type of endorsement builds trust and inspires others to join in. Encouraging storytelling also adds depth to UGC efforts. Asking customers to share their experiences with a product, especially in the form of reviews or testimonials, adds authenticity to the content and strengthens the emotional connection between the customer and the brand.

💡Tip: Use AI Video Cut to crop lengthy testimonials and product reviews to concise, bit-sized clips that draw attention to the very best features of your product.