Create Long-Form Videos that Keep Viewers Watching
The hottest trend in digital video content seems to run counter to everything we hear about audiences these days. It used to be we created small bits of video content to attract viewers who have goldfish-like attention spans. Now long-form content is the new standard, and viewers are eating it up.
Longer videos have greater engagement than short-form videos. A long-form video is are anything over five minutes for brand content, and one and a half minutes for ads. While you may be worried about total views and drop-off, the people who are watching your long-form videos are liking, sharing and engaging with your content – and thus your brand – in greater numbers.
Long-form video allows you to take viewers along on a journey with you and offer valuable content that’s more than just an ad. If you’re wondering how to utilize long-form video in your marketing, consider our advice below.
Tell your full story
The great thing about long-form video – and about digital marketing – is you have the freedom to tell your full story, however long that takes. While all video should tell a story, regardless of length, committing to long-form video means you can work through your beginning, middle and end without being pressed for time. Consider for example how Netflix paces their television shows versus network television: the platform offers the flexibility to fully flesh out ideas and characters.
Remember that long-form video doesn’t give you permission to skip editing altogether. Your story shouldn’t meander or go off-topic. While you have the flexibility to vary the length of your videos, consider keeping each video around the same length if they’re part of a series so viewers know what to expect.
Show don’t tell
Long-form is perfect for one of the most engaging video formats: how-to videos. If you want to show viewers your product or service in action, long-form video allows you to demonstrate the full process from beginning to end. Use common questions your customers ask as a place to get started. If you have a customer base active on social media, source their posts (and maybe recruit some talent) for ideas on how your products are being used in customers’ real lives.
Use different edits to create sequences
Filming a long-form video offers an opportunity to create shorter videos for quick social media ads, or to splice the extended cut into a series of shorter videos. You can offer viewers a sneak peak of the video, then invite them to your site to watch the entire story. Or, you could create a series of several smaller stories with a longer edit that ties all the stories together. When you have more video content, the remix potential increases.
Follow the same creative strategies
Long-form video allows you to present your messaging differently and requires a different level of engagement from audiences, but you still need to follow basic marketing strategies that you would with any video. Start the video with a strong hook that lets viewers know what they’ll be watching but leaves them wanting more. Use engaging thumbnails, titles and keywords that help users discover and want to click on your video. Spin Creative is here to help you create long-form video that keeps viewers watching. Say hello!
About Us
Spin Creative is a video production company and creative agency helping marketers create winning video and creative strategies that engage, inspire and activate targeted audiences. Spin is headquartered in Seattle with offices in San Francisco and London, serving brands around the globe.
