Remember when a well-written blog post and some nice Instagram photos were enough? Yeah, those days are gone. If you’re not creating short-form video content in 2024, you’re basically invisible to a huge chunk of your potential customers.
But here’s the thing nobody wants to admit: most businesses are doing it completely wrong.
The ReZZzZality of Short-Form Dominance
TikTok has over 1 billion active users. Instagram Reels get 140% more reach than standard posts. YouTube Shorts are growing faster than any other content format on the platform. These aren’t just statistics – they’re a complete shift in how people discover and engage with brands.
Duolingo figured this out early. Their TikTok strategy turned a language learning app into a cultural phenomenon, growing from 1 million to over 8 million followers with their unhinged owl mascot content. Their downloads increased by 62% directly correlated with their social media presence.
Where Most Businesses Go Wrong
After helping businesses transition to video-first strategies, I’ve seen the same mistakes repeatedly:
First, they treat short-form video like miniature TV commercials. Polished, scripted, corporate. And it bombs. The beauty of TikTok and Reels is the raw, authentic feel. Your iPhone video shot in your office will often outperform a $5,000 production.
Second, they’re inconsistent. They post three videos, get modest results, and give up. Short-form video requires volume and consistency. The algorithm doesn’t reward the occasional poster.
Third, they ignore the platform-specific culture. What works on TikTok won’t necessarily work on Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts. Each platform has its own vibe, trends, and audience expectations.
Fourth – and this is critical for business owners – they don’t integrate video with their broader digital strategy. Your video content should drive traffic to your website, support your SEO efforts (yes, video affects search rankings), and feed into your email marketing.
The Integrated Approach That Works
Here’s the framework I recommend: Think of short-form video as the top of your marketing funnel. It’s awareness and engagement. But it needs to connect to everything else.
Create video content that teases valuable information, then directs viewers to your website for the full story. This helps your SEO because you’re driving traffic and increasing time-on-site. Repurpose your video content into blog posts, email newsletters, and social media graphics. One 60-second video can become five different pieces of content.
Use your videos to showcase your expertise, behind-the-scenes processes, customer testimonials, and quick tips. But always – always – have a next step. Whether it’s “link in bio,” “visit our website,” or “comment below,” give viewers somewhere to go.
Glossier built a billion-dollar beauty brand largely through this integrated approach. Their short-form content shows products in use, creates FOMO, and consistently drives traffic to their e-commerce site. They don’t just entertain – every video serves their business goals.
The 2025 Reality Check
By 2025, I believe short-form video won’t be a “nice to have” – it’ll be table stakes. The businesses that thrive will be those that master the balance between entertaining content and strategic business objectives.
The value proposition is clear: short-form video offers unprecedented reach and engagement at minimal cost. You don’t need a production team or expensive equipment. You need authenticity, consistency, and a strategy that connects your content to actual business outcomes.
If you’re still hesitating about video because you “don’t know what to say” or “feel awkward on camera,” I get it. But your competitors are figuring it out right now. The question is: will you? connect me