What Exactly is Short-Form Content? Learn Exactly How to Use it

In content marketing, long-form content is the standard, but that does not mean you should ignore short-form content. There is a place and time for both types of content. A short form of content is suitable when you want to share an opinion, pass important updates, or provide a bite-sized nugget of value. Platforms like Instagram and Facebook serve short-form content to users. It means short-form content is a great way to reach a new audience and introduce them to your brand.

What is short-form content?

Your audience can easily and swiftly consume short-form content, whether they are reading, watching, or listening.

• When properly written, a form of content is under 1000 words in length. Examples are social media posts, short blog posts, and short emails.
• It can be visual, as in short videos, as this is usually a type of content that is less than 3 minutes long. Examples are Facebook and Instagram reels.

Why create short-form content?

In a content marketing strategy, short-form content may serve the following purposes:

Nail search intent and SEO with written short-form content

In some cases, short-form content suits the needs of the users better than long-form content. An example is that not all blog posts would require 2000 words to provide satisfactory information. In most cases, even a post of 1000 words will provide you with relevant information.

Providing your audience with exact information is a trust-builder. So, whether or not you create SEO content is dependent upon the context of the topic and the intent of the reader.

With short-form videos, you can build brand awareness

The moment we discuss short-form content like videos, you need to develop it, as this turns out to be a great way of engaging your audience. Through storytelling, it enhances the value of your brand. People are more likely to share video content than any other type.

Marketers also report that, in comparison to other video formats, short videos have the highest ROI in terms of lead generation and engagement.

Short, content with examples

The question often springs up: what are short-form content platforms? Let us look up to them.

Short-form blog posts

As discussed, a short-form blog post is less than 1000 words. Though they are quick reads, it does not indicate that they skimp on the value aspect. You have to get to the point quickly and dish out the information in the right proportion. It should not feel rushed or briefed. Though it is a quick read, it should not lack substance. Rather, it is packed with great examples and writing advice.

Social media posts

Due to the constraints set up by the platform, social media posts are short, but this does not mean that you need your posts to be bland. A striking social media post includes a vibrant image and a relevant link. Sometimes all you need to do is engage people with a snippet of text and a great photo.

Short videos

When you are thinking of short-form content, short videos spring to mind. You are not alone. The rise of short videos has coincided with the emergence of the Tik Tok platform, which in the last six years has had one billion active users. The videos can be as brief as a few seconds, and if they are longer, they touch the 3-minute mark.

The best practices for creating short-form content

Short-form content like a short blog post or an Instagram reel could be the first introduction of a customer to your brand. For short videos, there are a few specific tips that you need to follow.

Straight to the point and hook them

Irrespective of the type of short-form content you are creating, you need to get straight to the point and hook the audience. Why should the audience care, and what are the reasons why they should pay attention, as you need to mention them in the blog post?

Getting to the point of the content is essential, as the point is also your hook. This is the element in the content that grabs the audience and does not let them go.

In videos, pay attention to the trends

On short video platforms, hopping on trends is a great way to reach more people. For example, sound bites or specific songs become popular as people enjoy putting their own creative twist on them. You need to pay attention to trends and explore creative ways of posting your content.

Stay relevant to your audience and brand

When you are creating a short video or writing a short blog post, be aware of whether you are capitalizing on trends or not. This is a precise way to ensure that you are relevant to the audience and the brand.

Examples are a few short videos that will seamlessly fit with your identity, as the others will be way off the mark. Do not buy into the trends because they are trendy; instead, figure out whether they align with your brand identity. For short blogs, audience research and keyword analysis will guide you on whether a topic is relevant and whether it meets the objectives of short-form content platforms or not.

For videos, worry less about quality

In short-term videos, quality matters less than value, authenticity, and relevance. Do not worry about crisp videos with immaculate shorts. All users want is transparency from brands, and they expect it from social media.

In some cases, superior transparency means showing more imperfections and less gloss. It would entail using a shaky smartphone to film and using fake real people.

The focus has to be on value–educate, entertain, or inform

No matter what short-form content you create, the essence has to be providing value to the customer. The term value has a lot of meanings. If your content is thought-provoking or funny, it adds value. If it teaches people a relevant skill that they are missing, it has educational value. Suppose you are sharing important information or news; then it has informational value.

Do not commit the mistake of publishing short-form content to get it out there. Ensure that whatever you are sharing is really worth it or is just going to add to the noise.

To conclude, long-form content is in the right books for nurturing and converting leads, while short-form content has its own uses. High-quality short-form content has a wider coverage, introduce them to your brand and compels them to engage with you. This form of content is worthy to engage your audience on social media. 

Though the key lies in a mix-and-match approach. You are going to require long-form and short-form content in different places to get the intended results. Do not focus on one at the expense of the other.

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