Don’t overthink short-form content!

Short-form content is excellent because we consume it passively. Written content has to hold your interest as you read (let’s see if this blog can do that). You have to find long-form videos and dedicate the 10, 20, 30 minutes they require. But short-form finds us. Algorithms curate it. Many people open up TikTok without even thinking about it. Before they know it, they’ve watched 20 videos. 

How can we use this easy-to-consume content to our advantage? 

Short-form content is any video content around 8-30 seconds, up to a minute long. TikTok started the trend, and short-form is here to stay thanks to Instagram Reels and Youtube Shorts. 

As discussed in our last blog, “Which social media channels are best for my business“, not all content types or social media channels suit everyone. Short-form leans towards business-to-consumer (B2C) businesses. Business-to-business (B2B) services require more than 30 seconds to persuade someone. However, everyone CAN use short-form. We’ll touch on how B2B services can utilize short-form content.

Let’s look at the sales funnel.

Short-form content is very versatile.

A humorous Reel might make a previously unaware person follow a business account. Each follow can be directed towards a website, storefront, or newsletter. Whatever the next step is along the funnel. 

Short-form can warm up a cold lead. A prospective client might not need a graphic designer right now. But in six months, when they’re scrolling on their phone, they’ll remember that graphic designer exists. 

If a lead is circling the bottom of your funnel, a relatable TikTok might push them over. Personable, behind-the-brand type content can forge vital trust. 

How you use short-form videos depends on what you need. When starting on these platforms, we recommend you try various content types to see what works for you. 

Addressing some Common Hang-Ups.

Strategy is not the barrier. Plenty of brands and businesses can brainstorm ways of utilizing short-form. The main obstacle is just doing it. 

“I’m afraid to post because it might not work.” 

There is a lot behind this sentiment. Firstly, if something we made doesn’t work, we instinctively see it as a reflection of us. Our video only gets two views, and we feel discouraged. It’s okay to feel that way. Our online presence doesn’t reflect our worth as a person.

Secondly, it’s okay to feel discouraged in the beginning. Starting an online account takes a lot of work. But content compounds. Each follower or subscriber builds on the last one. So don’t focus on the outcome because we can’t control that. Focus on your input. Consistency and commitment will bear fruit. 

“I don’t like being on camera.” 

This is very common. Luckily, you don’t have to be on camera. You don’t have to follow any dancing trends or makeup tutorials. You can show your work, product, or services in action. However, you’ll likely have to appear on camera at some point. Some creators use face filters built into the app to make themselves more comfortable. Some use voice filters because they don’t like the sound of their voice. These might be steps on your exposure therapy journey toward being comfortable on camera. 

If that helps you, go for it. But let us recommend an exercise. Film yourself in front of the camera, but treat the camera as a person. You can demonstrate a product, show off a party trick, whatever. Don’t worry if you fumble your words—just power through it as you would in a conversation. Don’t review it, don’t think about it. Just post it. 

“I don’t even know what to post.” 

That leads us to our next section:

What to post.

If you are just starting, try following similar businesses or content creators you like. Take what you like about these accounts as inspiration and try it yourself. Focus on creating a variety of content early on. Eventually, you’ll find what works for your brand.

If you sell a product, like a water blaster, show it in action. Show kids playing with them. If you sell clothing, show off your designs. Show fashionable people being confident. 

A service is harder to demonstrate. You can use skits. Act out someone in need of your service, then their problems being solved. Use a customer testimonial to promote your service. Highlight specific benefits in action. 

Here are some simple ideas that everyone can do. Hopefully, it gets your gears turning. 

1) Use sounds that you enjoy and apply them to your business.

2) Behind-the-brand. Show the human aspect of your brand.

3) Highlight your employees. This can be as silly or as serious as you want, as long as your team members are comfortable.

4) A day in the life. You can do this multiple times, depending on how your days vary. 

5) Highlight your pets. Everyone loves a video of a furry friend. 

6) Wish your audience a happy holiday for whatever holiday comes up.

7) Thank your team or customers for all their support.

8)  Be silly. If you have fun doing something, why not share it?

Let’s see these Principles in Action.

A coffee shop has a close-knit team of employees. 

They can use their downtime to make funny, light-hearted TikToks. For example, a video comparing a frantic rush to their slowest hour. They can act out sounds that might apply to them. Or they can create those satisfying coffee brewing videos. 

An artist runs a home business selling prints, stickers, and merchandise. 

They take advantage of trending audio to show recent creations and products. “Would a depressed person make this?” *Shows a sticker of a goth unicorn.* They share short, snappy art tutorials for their fellow artists. “How I shade using a multiply layer. Use a subtle grainy overlay to give your art a finished feeling.”

We didn’t touch on long-form content because that’s another beast. You can repurpose your long-form content into short-form. With the example above, the artist can post longer time-lapses or tutorials. Then break up the longer videos into multiple short-form videos. 

Finally, let’s get creative with a more technical B2B company.

Generic Company, Inc. sells CRM software for small businesses. How can they take advantage of short-form content? Behind-the-brand Videos: the creators share why they made and why they believe in this product. Feature highlights: short 30-second videos demonstrating specific features. Skits: they can embody a small business struggling with client management, addressing those problems with their CRM. Tutorials: similar to the artist, they can create in-depth tutorials for users and then repurpose them. 

Final Parting Wisdom

Don’t overthink it.

If you’re questioning a draft, just hit post and move on with your day. Something crappy is better than nothing. Plus, each post is an opportunity to practice. Practice makes progress, after all. We often put so much mental weight onto something that, in reality, has minimal effect on our lives. 

Don’t focus on editing. 

Editing can get in the way and keep us circling the post button. You can just hit record, stop and stack your takes on top of each other. Or you can take advantage of editing templates available on CapCut. 

Stay short, sweet, and to the point. 

No need to ramble or overthink your presentation. If you want to show a product in action. Just do it; no need to explain or delay. You want to celebrate the holiday. Just appear on camera wishing everyone the best. 

Follow trends.

Use your best judgment, of course. Chasing trends should not be your only type of content. There are often filters like “Which [franchise] character are you?” There are CapCut templates that follow a funny format. Different audios can apply to various forms. These are fun, simple, and you don’t even have to talk. 

Consistency is key. 

Don’t worry about the quality of your content at first. That will develop with time and consistent effort. If you want to grow, post consistently. Most experts recommend posting once a day to grow continuously. Ideally, you post 2-3 times daily to maximize organic growth. However, who has the time for that?

Once a week is better than none a week. Schedule a posting calendar that works for you. Once you get the hang of it, gradually increase. We recommend aiming for three times a week. 

But how do you do that consistently? Read our blog, “HELP! I hate social media, but I need to market my business,” for more information. You’ll learn about batch production and evergreen content. 

There is no right or wrong way to use short-form content.

The best way to discover what it can do for you is to do it. Don’t overthink it. Try these tips out for yourself. We hope we’ve given you the confidence to at least try. And if you need help, we at DJK Marketing Solutions are only a phone call away.