It’s officially 2025 and the creator economy is booming. We’re seeing creators on screens big and small, dominating not only social platforms such as Instagram and YouTube but now in Super Bowl commercials and even in feature-length films. Regarding creator success, the choice between long-form vs. short-form content is paramount. Some creators successfully share bite-sized TikTok dances, while others opt for long podcasts. There are pros and cons to both, so read on to discover which is better for your brand.
Be sure to check out TikTok Alternatives: Which Short-Form Platform is Right for You?
Sweet and Snappy: Short-Form Content in the Creator Economy
When it comes to video content, it is no secret that TikTok has revolutionized short-form. The app’s fast, snappy videos have popularized it, keeping us hooked on our FYPs (For-You Pages). Other companies have launched their own TikTok-esque features, trying to recreate the algorithms that keep us scrolling for hours on end. Most notably, Instagram Reels and Snapchat Spotlights both boast the same short-form scroll-able content. YouTube Shorts and Pinterest “Idea Pins” quickly followed suit.
Successful TikTokers such as Charli D’Amelio and Addison Rae blew up thanks to under-60-second TikTok dances. They dominated FYPs in 2020. Five years later, creators are not just finding success with dancing videos. Bite-sized vlogs, news segments, informational videos, and more have found success in the short-form content circuit. Nearly every YouTuber has a TikTok to accompany their channel, whether it be cross-posting TikToks and Shorts, or using TikTok to promote their YouTube videos.
Read about Addison Rae’s Net Worth here!
Short-form videos are the preferred format for many viewers. It takes only a few seconds of viewing for 71% of viewers to divide the value of a video. That is, the first few seconds of a short-form video are vital in hooking the audience. 47% of marketers are in agreement that short-form videos are more effective for brand awareness and lead generation, due to the probability that they will go viral. 73% of marketers say that short-form video content helps them achieve business goals.
Charli D’Amelio recently made her Broadway debut: Read about her Net Worth here
Short-form content appears in more than just videos; any post under 1,200 words qualifies as short-form. Whether that be a blog, social post, or infographic, a snappy short-form post is memorable and easy to consume. For small social teams, short-form content is easy to mass produce or create in batches before scheduling posts.
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The Comeback of Long-Form Content
Despite short-form content’s advantages, long-form content remains powerful. When it comes to the long-form vs. short-form debate, long-form offers a unique depth and discussion. Content longer than 10 minutes qualifies as long-form. (People debate whether short-form content is under 10 minutes or under 60 seconds. There’s a gray area, and maybe a market for “medium-length” content).
Despite the notoriety of short-form TikTok videos, it’s clear that internet users still flock to long-form YouTube videos. Seemingly unexpected long-form videos are garnering millions of views. Most notably, YouTube video essays have been on the rise since the early 2010s. YouTube users love how creators present and analyze trends, from fashion evolutions to internet analysis.
YouTubers such as Jenny Nicholson and Michael Messineo are racking up views and subscriber counts into the millions. Both creators make videos that are – not minutes – but hours long. These long-form video essays are often listened to as podcasts, or in the background as the listener does other tasks. This is known as second screening.
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Similarly, podcasts are racking up millions of views. Video podcasts are especially prevalent in the Creator Economy. According to YouTube, viewers watch over 400 million hours of podcasts per month, just on the YouTube TV app alone. Similarly, on Spotify, more than 250 million users have streamed video podcasts in the first half of the year.
Video and audio platforms are not the only ones having a cultural moment. Substack is bringing swarms of readers to its platform. Not only are video essays hot, but long-form written essays are now all the rage for its 20 million active monthly subscribers, 2 million of whom have paid subscriptions to their favorite writers.
An audience who prefers long-form content is an audience that enjoys deep dives into interesting topics hosted by an influential, interesting creator. Long-form content takes much longer to make, but often the payoff is rewarded by the algorithm, especially on YouTube where long videos still dominate over Shorts.
Take a look at our 10 Best Video Editing Apps for YouTubers.
Long-Form vs. Short-Form Content: The Conclusion
When deciding whether to make long-form vs. short-form content, different audiences are going to prefer different content. Attention span, time spent scrolling on certain platforms, and personal preferences will all be factors. It’s up to the brand to pin down their audience’s individual preferences. Look carefully at your analytics to see what garners more engagement, then continue pushing out content that will likely resonate with your audience. It is not impossible to resonate with both long-form and short-form fans.
Long-form videos can be repurposed into short-form content and promoted across platforms. For example, longer YouTube videos can be cut down and cross-posted as shorter TikTok or Reels trailers. Similarly, long essays or blogs can be repurposed as infographics. Ultimately, it is about discerning what content resonates with your audience, while playing to your strengths as a brand.
