Why Are Videos Getting Shorter?
If you are familiar with social media, you’ll know that the length of an average video lasts around 3 minutes, and they’re becoming even shorter. Why? There are many factors, but the main cause is the advent of TikTok and Instagram Stories and Reels. Because they promote short videos, audiences are losing the attention span to stay focused on one video at a time. Why else are TV shows more popular than films, and why are TikTok videos on the rise? It is because these videos are short and simple. They create trends and movements that only their audiences can understand. So, here are 7 tips to ensure that your videos are short, simple, and compelling enough for your audiences.
Think Of A Storyline That Can Be Told In A Minute
More often than not, a TikTok video lasts for about a minute, so to ensure your audience is still captivated by your video, create a storyline that can be told within that minute. Usually, if it takes longer than a minute to tell a story, your audience will lose interest. A tip that every professional screenwriter knows is that every page of a script represents 1 minute. So, make sure that when you come up with your video’s script, you only use one page.
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3-Second Clips Are Vital
When it comes to shooting and editing your video, use clips that last 3 – 5 seconds long. What this does is make the video seem like a compilation of clips, rather than one long scene. This keeps your audience hooked because they’re so quick. Not only that, it’ll help with telling your story within that minute of video. Those short clips are vital in making sure your audience is watching. More often than not, your viewers will watch at least 5 seconds of a video, before clicking or scrolling away, so make sure that the first 5 seconds of your video is as interesting as it can be.
Use Cliff-hangers To Hook Your Audience
More often than not, a wider story can’t be told within a minute, so break your story down. Use your short videos to your advantage and tell a bigger story through them. Use cliff-hangers and “check out part 2” as a call to action at the very end, so that your audience will be instantly engaged. They’ll not only scroll through your feed, channel, or profile, they’ll subscribe so that they can keep up with the latest videos on your channel. Of course, cliff-hangers are also perfect for your longer videos, but make sure that you’ve left enough time at the end of your film, to establish the cliff-hanger. You don’t want to suddenly add one, just because you want your audience to revisit your profile.
Compile Your Videos For Youtube And Facebook
Another thing you can do, to ensure that your longer videos are being watched, create compilations of your shorter videos, for YouTube or Facebook. That way, if your YouTube subscribers, or Facebook followers, don’t have TikTok, they’ll be able to view the content you make, without having to download the app, and still be able to watch your videos.
Be Consistent
Don’t forget to be consistent with your uploads. Social media is all about being consistent and having frequently new content. Some of the best content creators out there upload at least twice a day, but if you’re starting out try and upload a video at least once a week, and they rarely stray from the pattern they’ve set themselves. The same can also be said for longer videos. More often than not, content creators on YouTube upload at least once a week, and as with TikTok, they rarely break from that routine. So, be consistent with your video uploads, have at least one or two videos ready for the weeks ahead, in case it takes time to film the next video.
Have A Plan
As with other content, like blog articles, social media posts and image uploads, you’ll need to have a content plan for your videos. This can be as simple as a schedule of what category of videos you’re uploading onto the Internet, or as detailed as a storyboard, or a concept breakdown. No matter how simple or detailed your plan, have one, so that you know exactly what you’re creating and what you’re uploading onto the Internet.
Make Sure Your Audio Is Well Defined
If you’ve watched TikTok videos lately, you’ll find that many of them have poor quality sound. They’ll have an echo that tells you how big the room they’re in is, or if they’re outside, the wind might cut through their audio. For those professional quality sounds, you’ll want to use microphones and a good sound editing programme, to ensure that the quality of your video’s sound is as crisp and clear as any feature film, TV show or documentary.
Get Started
If you’re thinking about creating videos for social media, especially for TikTok, then remember to start slowly. While the professionals can churn out 3 or 4 videos a day, chances are you’re still trying to figure out how to do what they’re doing. So, take your time and learn about the platform at your own pace. Start by posting up one video a week and see where that takes you. If you do have the resources to post up more videos in the week, then do so. It’s all about trial and error and what works for you.
Creating social media videos, or any sort of video requires time, skills, and effort. It also takes a lot of dedication, so be sure that you are willing to spend your time filming and editing your videos. If you post a quick video onto the Internet, without any sort of edit, you’re unlikely to get the leads you want. So, make sure you spend some time editing your video, to make it perfect for your channel, otherwise, you can outsource one. We at Cut Pro Media have experienced hands that can edit your social media for you, for a reasonable price. All they need is your concept and footage, and they’re good to go. Check out our price packages on our website and if you have any questions, we’ll be happy to answer them!
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