Confessions of a Scroller: Why Short Videos Rule the Web

Let’s be honest, scrolling through endless short videos can be a time suck. I know, because I’m guilty of it myself. I uninstall TikTok and Instagram only to reinstall them later, lured back by the siren song of bite-sized entertainment.

But hey, I’m not alone. Turns out, short-form videos are the new hotness. A whopping 73% of people prefer them to learn about products, and marketers are taking notice. Short-form video is the top trend for 2024, with over half of them planning to invest more in it.

So, what’s the magic behind these mini-movies? Buckle up, because we’re diving into the psychology of short-form content.

Short and Sweet: The Snackable Video Revolution

Short-form videos are exactly what they sound like: videos under 60 seconds long (although some argue they can be up to 3 minutes). They’re designed to be easily digestible and perfect for on-the-go viewing or quick replays.

The Attention Span Squeeze

One major reason for their popularity is our dwindling attention spans. Yep, you read that right. Dr. Gloria Mark, a psychologist, has studied this phenomenon for decades. Her research suggests our ability to focus has been shrinking for the past 20 years.

Back in 2004, the average attention span was a whole two and a half minutes! Fast forward to 2012, and it had shrunk to 75 seconds. Dr. Mark’s latest findings show it’s now a mere 47 seconds, and this trend is impacting how we consume everything, from social media to movies. Think about it – even film cuts are getting shorter, averaging just 4 seconds!

Dr. Mark isn’t sure if our shorter attention spans are causing the shift to shorter content, or vice versa. It’s a bit of a chicken-and-egg situation. But one thing’s for sure: we’re getting used to consuming information in quick bursts, and creators are responding with bite-sized content.

Studies show that most viewers bail after 60 seconds, which is why apps like TikTok and Instagram bombard us with a never-ending stream of short videos. It’s no wonder marketers are jumping on the bandwagon, with nearly a third planning to use short-form video content in 2024 and over half planning to invest more in it.