Video Sweet Spot: Creating Content That Matters

There39s a grand conflict between the growing popularity of short videos merely secondslong and the everincreasing hourslong video bingeing trend amp160According to a recent Deloitte study 90 of Millennials bingewatch reporting an average of six videos or about five hours in a single session while Netflix revealed we spent 133 hours per day in 2016 streaming on the platform amp160There is more content consumption than ever before and it seems to suggest people are hungering for longer storylines amp160Conversely at the other end of the scale is the wildly popular shortform video content found on platformsamp160such as Tastyamp160which attract about 500 million people each monthToday the TV industry is taking a cue from the success of snackable digital video ushered in by disruptors such as Vine driving the rising sixsecond ads trend amp160Content creators are attempting to improve the viewer experience by emulating digital platforms with sixsecond units or quotsixesquot which seemingly introduce a vote for shorter videolength standardsYet not every brand can or should live within a sixsecond timeframe amp160Some stories require a build over time and people increasingly hunger for episodic content amp160This is where the confusion liesFacebook plots this dichotomy on a spectrum that tracks quotlean inquot or shorter video moments and quotlean backquot or longer video moments amp160Content interest is driving at both ends of this spectrum amp160The selected video behavior is a function of place platform and need at the time of viewing amp160Viewer need is the chief factor to consider when deciding on length as it typically drives platform behavior amp160Blue 449 plots video length along a need state spectrum where shorter video serves a more functional purpose and longer video unfolds emotional purposeThe psychology of video viewing is a necessary consideration amp160Following the Tasty example where recipe videos are shot simplistically from above BuzzFeed found when holding a phone and viewing that it feels like the viewer39s hands are making the recipe amp160This becomes an important factor in connecting to the media amp160Here it39s not about length first but the physicality of the environment and the functionality of the content to demonstrate capabilityThe drive for quicker storytelling seems to be keeping pace with the growth of the mobile lifestyle amp160The more omnipresent our mobile life it seems the shorter the messages should become yet as marketersamp160it39s important to stop look at the full cultural picture and ask what need the video is serving amp160Google put it simply quotShort ads work hard but don39t do the same workquotWhile the human brain is capable of processing information in milliseconds longer stories are what drive favorability amp160A YouTube study on video length revealed longer content drives higher consideration amp160When evaluating attention they found the first three minutes of the video carried the highest attention making it imperative to capture attention up front amp160So despite the benefits of longer video length timing plays a factor in capturing and sustaining interest amp160How the storyline rolls out mattersEvery brand has a different consumer need patternamp160and cultural context amp160The need is what drives length amp160Know the best practices but do not be beholden to minutes and seconds because the world of video is vast explosively creative and highly experimentalWhen it comes to crafting custom video there are rules to follow amp160Length is dependent on the consumer need and cultural context at the time of viewing amp160It39s important to know these five essentials before you beginKnow Where They Areamp160Where is the consumer as they are viewing amp160Consider the expected viewing behaviors of that environment amp160Is it on a laptop at home or on a crowded commuterfilled subway amp160Is it on Snapchat or Hulu amp160The environment mattersTarget the TimeWhen are they most likely to be viewing amp160Time and context dictate the physical bandwidth amp160Are they at work trying to find answers quickly or on vacation relaxing amp160Even time of day morning vs night is importantamp160Mindset MattersWhat is their mindset amp160This can be tied to life stage or maybe a shared psychographic across life stage amp160Is escapism and adventure the need or is it confidence and mastery of skill amp160There are often clues in the tonality of the platform publisher and content to which they typically flockBuild to Expectationamp160This gets to the heart of need amp160Expectations are set outside the category so take your brand out of the equation for planning purposes Look at the cultural expectation where is the attention of your audience amp160Understand why this is happening emotionally amp160quotViewersquot are peopleCulture Is the Guideamp160Take a barometer of the culture at large amp160This influences the intensity of need amp160Think about the impact of innovation and novelty or conversely nostalgia and comfort amp160What is the tone of the cultureRemember know your audience and know your purpose This will help marketers and content creators hit that video length sweetspot because there is no onesizefitsall formula for great contentClick the social buttons above or below to share this story with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this content are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated writers

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Video Sweet Spot: Creating Content That Matters

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Gretchen Ramsey

Jon Miller | Cofounder Marketo, Engagio | The Gumball Machine is Broken - Rethinking B2B Marketing - By Mike Linton

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