Ever since statistics reveal that short form videos are as effective as longer videos at a markedly reduced price, brands are cutting back on TV buying and redirecting their budget to online videos. After all, short form videos are less intrusive and more favourable way of speaking to impatient consumers.
However, before you rush to go all out on shorter form ads, we must advice brand marketers to consider your objectives and overall marketing strategy before jumping head in.
Short form ads work best when running alongside longer form ads or supporting your big marketing campaigns. When done right, your short form videos can achieve a big impact. The opportunities are endless here.
Before you start:
1. Seek clarity of purpose
When you only have 6s, you really only have time for one single message. Attempts to squeeze multiple products and messages into this short video will confuse your audiences and prevent you from reaching your goals.
See this video we did for MILO, for example. The purpose was kept very simple: to emphasise on the lower level of sugar together with other functional benefits.
2. Know the emotions you can evoke in 6s
Warmth and admiration are a little trickier to achieve so we suggest that you leave that to the long form videos. Research from Unruly EQ suggests that there are some emotions which are more straightforward and can be evoked within a short time with one powerful image or punchline. They are: Hilarity, Surprise, Fear, Arousal and Interest.
3. Think about where they fit in the big picture
Because short form videos work well at high frequency, we suggest that you use them for creating awareness and as a reminder at the end of your campaign to nudge them to take action. You can also use short form ads to introduce your longer videos that expands on your message and drives brand love.
YouTube recommend a ‘Hero, Hub, Help’ strategy to approach content promotion.
Hero: Big, attention grabbing videos designed to attract broad audiences
Hub: Episodic content that builds an ongoing relationship with audience.
Help: Answers your audience’s questions with how-to and tutorial videos. Relevant any time of year.
4. Use a relatable opening image
At this point, you might be thinking of all the wildest ideas to capture your audience’s attention within the first two seconds. However, unusual opening images may create too much of a cognitive load and risk losing your viewer’s attention, especially if they’re watching without sound. Studies found that highly relatable situations can quickly get your viewers to orient themselves in the video and lock in their attention.
5. You decide the viewer’s perception of time
Don’t panic, time is relative. You may only have 6 seconds but when done right, 6 seconds can make a big impact. Some users comment that longer ads are too short and shorter ads are too long. Engaging short-form ads play with your viewers’ perception of time in some ways.
By using slow motion and special effects, the video was seemingly shorter than 6 seconds for audiences.
Need help planning your video content and overall video strategy? Short-form videos are influencing the way campaigns are being planned. Don’t miss out on this short opportunity to leave a big impact on your customers. Get in touch with us.
