The Perfect Length for Short-Form Videos (+ 4 More Tips)

Did you know that the ancient Greek astronomer Aristarchus of Samos realized the Solar System was heliocentric 2,000 years before Copernicus, yet was largely ignored? (What if the same is true for the person who keeps calling about your car's extended warranty?)

In today’s newsletter:

• Video: 5 Tips on making videos for social media.

• Descript: The all-in-one audio and video editing app.

• Hi-Fi: Spotify is prepping a premium service, a former TikTok employee is creating a new app, and more.

DYLAN’S DOWNLOAD

I've spent over 1,000 hours learning how to record, edit and publish short-form videos effectively. Like podcasting, short-form videos are not an exact science.

Here's the most important tips I've learned, distilled into 5 bite-sized tips (that you can apply today):

Context is everything, especially in the first sentence.

This is what people call the 'Hook." The stronger the hook, the more people will stick around.

Your video needs captions.

92% of viewers watch videos with the sound off. Adding captions is oftentimes the only way we can tell what's happening in the video.

You can use videos more than once.

I have a client that reposts videos I made for him back in 2018. These videos were made when IGTV launched. They still get hundreds of thousands of views. If a video works, keep using it.

There's no perfect length for a video.

Like any other content, short-form videos can't be too long, only too boring. Most apps these days let you see the average view duration of a video. You could always try clipping the end where you see most people drop off, and reposting.

Post for 2 audiences.

These days your videos get seen by your followers and non-followers. Creators focus on acquiring new followers and chase vanity metrics (like views and likes). But the cost is failing to nurture your existing audience.

Short-form video is easier these days than ever before.

Most of the platforms use the same dimensions (1080x1920). And you typically get more reach with videos than images. If you keep it simple, and follow these 5 tips, no doubt you'll find success.

CREATOR ANTICS