Social media users in the U.S. and U.K. spend more time on TikTok than on YouTube. TikTok’s fame also challenged Instagram, so the latter launched Reels, which is their version of short-form videos. Of course, YouTube didn’t just sit and watch these competitors. They introduced YouTube Shorts in 2021 to catch up.
Short-form videos have been around since 2013. Back then, Vine was the equivalent of TikTok. But instead of producing 15- to 60-second videos, Vine only supported six-second clips. It didn’t deter its users from being creative, though. The trends and antics Vine started paved the way for those who would later become YouTube influencers, such as Jessi Smiles, Lele Pons, and Logan Paul, to name a few.
But as short-form videos gained more fame, companies started joining the bandwagon, too. Cosmetic and fashion brands are particularly fond of them. You’d often see their models demonstrating their products while partaking in the latest dance challenges or other stunts. And they get positive responses fast because short-form videos reach hundreds of thousands of audiences in a blink.
For that reason, more companies are capitalizing on short-form videos’ fame. But are these the right media to use when optimizing your content? Or did they kill high-quality content instead?
Social Media’s Impact on Creativity
Some people think social media have killed creativity. Instead of uploading high-quality photos and videos, it encourages users to post “ATM” (at the moment), a.k.a real-time content through My Day or Stories. Hence, we don’t see professionally-taken pictures as often as anymore. Even photos of special events, like weddings, are now taken from smartphones and posted on various social networking apps.
Not that it’s wrong. Everybody is allowed to take all kinds of photos and videos using their phone. They can also post whatever they want on their social media. But from a business standpoint, such practice can limit creativity.
For example, if you want to launch an ad campaign, you should hire a production house for your video ads. You should also include advertisers in your team to help release your ads on the appropriate channels. It’s the standard procedure for executing a marketing strategy. When your video and photo ads are done, you will post them on YouTube and other social media platforms.
But because social media users spend more time on short-form video platforms now, your high-quality ads may only reach a limited number of audiences. But if you changed your approach and filmed an Instagram Reels clip instead, you may receive the kind of engagement you’re aiming for.
As a result, you may be forced to focus on short-form videos instead of professionally filmed ones. While that type of content is trendy, it can also limit your room for creativity. You can’t do much with only 15 seconds to one minute in your hands.
But if you’re an artist trying to do self-promo, short-form videos may work in your favor. It’s easier to share your works on social media than on a website. You can film yourself while drawing or painting, speeding up the video so that it can fit in the limited time frame. That technique can boost your creativity because it challenges you to promote your work without relying on traditional means.
Therefore, social media didn’t necessarily kill creativity. It may hinder it sometimes, but if users and brands can adapt, they can use it to their advantage. Besides, the goal of posting on social media is always to engage with a large audience. Hence, its users aren’t required to show off the highest quality of content. They only need to catch attention and draw positive responses.
Where’s the Room for High-quality Content?
Now that short-form videos are the norm, where can we place our brand’s high-quality content?
You can still post them on your social media pages and, of course, your website. Despite the popularity of short-form videos, your business still needs professional-quality content. Consumers still seek brands that are credible and streamlined. And what better way to exhibit those than produce high-quality content?
Your content management system (CMS) is key to attracting an audience for your professional content. Consider developing content management systems like Kentico. Kentico is a headless CMS that allows you to optimize your content for all mobile devices at once. For example, if you uploaded an image for your website’s homepage, Kentico will ensure that the image will appear correctly whether it’s viewed from a laptop, smartphone, smart TV, or smartwatch.
In turn, you can drive traffic to your website because SEO favors high-quality content above anything else. Google wouldn’t lead users to your TikTok page if they performed a search using a keyword. Short-form videos may reach a bigger audience, but high-quality content reaches those who intend to buy. Therefore, social media haven’t killed high-quality content at all.
