According to a report carried out by the AI-powered automation platform, Munch, and reported by Marketing Interactive, 66% of marketers viewed short-form content as the most engaging format.
An effective means of capturing user attention, driving high engagement, and delivering easily-digestible content, short-form content has only become a more relevant and productive means of boosting website online visibility since the results of this study were published.
From the relatively recent introduction of short and snappy AI Overviews in Google search to the heightened use of social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok, short-form content has never been more useful or prevalent.
What is short-form content?
Short-form content refers to any content that specially designed to be brief and easy-to-digest, ensuring high engagement and quick consumption. It can include everything from videos (typically under three minutes) to short blogs (often under 1000 words).
Why does short-form content appeal to audiences?
Shift in human behaviour: Shorter attention spans
According to research highlighted by the American Psychological Association, people’s attention spans have shrunk over the past couple of decades.
Between the distraction of digital devices and the emphasis on being able to multi-task, Samba Recovery estimates that the average adult internet user’s attention span is just 8.25 seconds.
Essentially, short-form content allows users to find and consume they information they’re looking for, well before they lose interest.
Quick and easy to consume
With short-form content, consumers simply needn’t spend excess time digging through endless articles or fast-forwarding videos to find the answers they want. Individuals that are busy or trying to multi-task are therefore more likely to gravitate towards easily digestible short-form content.
Mobile-friendly format
Many types of short-form content have been specially designed for mobile-viewing and with more than half of searches being made via mobile phone (64%) compared to desktop (35%), according to SISTRIX, websites that utilise this type of content can appeal to a much larger audience.
Accessibility – it’s everywhere!
Even if online users aren’t expressly searching for brief blogs or 30-second videos, thanks to technological improvements, it’s hard to avoid. This is because phones can now be used to create a wide range of high-quality, short-form content in a matter of minutes, leading to a flood of this type of content.
Fast-paced and addictive nature
Clear, concise, and often entertaining, the fast-paced and addictive nature of short-form content is especially appealing to audiences.
TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts are just some examples of how social media platforms rely heavily on short-form content to keep their users engaged for longer periods of time.
Do search engines prefer websites to have short-form content?
Search engines don’t fundamentally prefer short-form over long-form content – but they are interested in user experience and satisfaction.
If we consider people’s decreased attention spans, a key part of improving user experience and satisfaction (for some search queries) is keeping content brief and easy-to-digest.
It’s also worth noting that while search engines have no inherent preference for short-form content over the longer alternative, many AI-powered search platforms (like AI Overviews) favour clear and concise content.
Subsequently, including short-form content as part of your digital marketing strategy isn’t just helpful for your organic Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) efforts, but essential.
How can you incorporate short-form content into your digital marketing strategy?
Unsure how to include short-form content in your strategy? You may want to consider:
Short-form writing
- Brief blog posts
- Social media posts
- Short emails
- Infographics
Short-form videos
- Instagram Reels
- YouTube Shorts
- TikTok videos
- Explainer videos
- Demo videos
- Behind-the-scenes videos
Short-form audio
- Brief podcasts
- Voice notes
Publish content that keeps your business visible
At Aqueous Digital, we understand that despite short-form content being quicker to produce, the development and execution of effective content strategies isn’t a fast or easy process.
In fact, every piece of content that you publish online should be carefully planned and optimised to ensure the utmost visibility for your business in all the right places.
That’s why our internal content team is composed of highly experienced content strategists, specialist copywriters, and expert editors, ensuring comprehensive, end-to-end delivery of high-quality content.
We can also introduce you to video production agencies if you need a help producing other types of engaging short-form content, either for your website pages, email campaigns, or social media platforms.
To speak to a member of our friendly team about your digital marketing needs, please don’t hesitate to get in touch today.
Alternatively, simply dial 0800 285 1424 or email your enquiry to hello@aqueous-digital.co.uk.
