Lately, short and sweet has been the rule of thumb when it comes to video content, but that guideline is being challenged as platforms begin pushing longer-form videos. TikTok is the latest to buck the trend with the premiere of its new feature, Series.
With Series, TikTok is testing a new monetization opportunity for higher-profile creators. The feature allows them to build a collection of up to 80 videos available for purchase (anywhere from $1 to $190). Although brands might not be interested in the monetization aspect, it’s notable that each clip can be up to 20 minutes long — a huge increase in screen time from the app’s original 15-second limit. While Series is only available to a select group right now, it’s expected to roll out to more users in the coming months.
The creep toward longer videos has been gradual on TikTok. In 2020, the platform reported that videos between 11 and 17 seconds perform best. (That number grew to 21 to 34 seconds in 2021.) Last month, TikTok began beta testing the Creativity Program, an initiative that incentivizes creators to post videos longer than a minute. Other TikTok research found the moderate increase in video length expands the platform’s reach to a more mature audience that engages with longer content, a move that helps TikTok compete with YouTube. Longer form video will also enable the platform to tap into more ad revenue, including product placement.
And the push for longer videos isn’t exclusive to Tiktok. Meta just upped the maximum length of Reels, its self-proclaimed fastest-growing feature, from 60 to 90 seconds.
As platforms begin to shift away from short snippets, brands should consider the potential of longer-form video. With more time, you might collaborate with influencers, create interview-style content, or simply deliver more substantial, complex material (think a full episode vs. a preview).
TL;DR: TikTok is introducing Series, which gives creators the ability to post and monetize longer videos (up to 20 minutes). As long-form content appears to be making a comeback, brands should consider how to hold their audience’s attention.
Terms to Know: Synthetic Media
How innovative would technology be if it didn’t create whole new words? The latest term on the street (and in the courtroom) is synthetic media, which refers to media that is produced by technology (e.g. AI) rather than humans. Some examples include AI-generated text, images, and the most controversial of them all — deep fakes.
The phenomenon is sparking both curiosity and debate with concerns about patents and intellectual property emerging. While ethics are called into question and the regulation of synthetic media continues to unfold in front of us, keep an ear out for where it takes media next.
Gimme, Gimme More Twitter Characters
Have more to say on Twitter? If you thought 4,000 characters for Twitter Blue accounts wasn’t quite enough, we have good news. That upper limit will soon expand to 10,000! To put things into perspective, that equates to anywhere from about 1,400 to 2,500 words. Twitter’s cheeky announcement of the expansion has racked up 395 million views and sparked parody responses from big brand accounts such as Pizza Hut, Jurassic World, and T-Mobile.
It’s yet to be seen if the update will be taken seriously and properly utilized, but it does have potential for brands. Longer tweets could help Twitter compete with LinkedIn, the rare platform where engagement is up. Use this opportunity to expand on thought leadership and provide deeper insights to your audience. And the move toward longer content is also catching on in video, with TikTok and Instagram both expanding video length limits in recent months. Taken together, it may signal the emergence of a broader trend amid lagging engagement across social media platforms.
TL;DR: Twitter ups its character count yet again. Consider potential uses of longer tweets.
WHAT LIT US UP
UNlocking Opportunities for Women in Tech
In honor of International Women’s Day on March 8, the United Nations recognized and celebrated the contributions of women in tech under the theme DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality. The campaign spotlights the underrepresentation of women in STEM education and careers and calls on activists, governments, and private sectors to join them in powering on to fortify the digital world and make it more inclusive.
To spread its message far and wide, the U.N. has made the campaign’s content available to the public on Trello (an online collaboration tool). There, people can download graphics and messaging to post on their own social media accounts to show their support of gender equity in tech. The array of content available includes cover photo images for different platforms (LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter), hashtags, impactful stories of women in tech, informational posts about how to get involved, and more.
By providing a variety of effective and shareable content, the U.N. empowers its audience to amplify the campaign’s message exponentially. On top of that, what makes this campaign so electrifying is its timeliness. More than 400 tech companies have laid off well over 100,000 employees this year alone. In a field where women don’t even make up one-third of the world’s workforce, their challenge is now even greater. Centering an annual campaign on a relevant, of-the-moment issue is a great way to keep a yearly campaign fresh and new.
TL;DR: In honor of International Women’s Day, the United Nations is putting a spotlight on the underrepresentation of women in tech. To optimize its message, the U.N. is giving its audience direct access to powerful social content.
