Short-form video has become more and more popular in recent years as online video platforms that enable users to quickly create and share videos have gained in popularity. TikTok has quickly risen to become one of the most popular short-form video apps and with it comes new trends and shifts in the types of content that are being created and shared. Here’s an overview of the latest trends in short-form video with a focus on TikTok.
Challenges
One of the most significant trends in TikTok and other short-form video platforms has been the rise of video challenges. These are simply user-generated video clips that follow a theme, style, or concept, and are spread within social media platforms. Family-friendly challenges like “Say This Word in 10 Different Accents” or “Whisper Challenge” have dominated the popular challenge genres of TikTok, but challenges can take many forms.
Challenges bring the power of virality to short-form videos, allowing users to quickly react to and participate in a shared experience. Marketers and brands are leveraging this trend by creating and promoting their own challenge campaign, like dance challenges (often using a specific music track) or humor-based challenges. Organic challenges that tap into the zeitgeist can attract millions of views as users across the internet participate and share the challenge with their audiences.
Filtered Videos
One of the main reasons why many people gravitated towards short-form video platforms like TikTok is because it’s easy to be creative and produce interesting content. On these platforms, users can take advantage of many tools and features, including editing tools, music, and filters. Especially filters have become an increasingly prevalent feature, as they make it easy to change the look and feel of videos.
Using filters gives creators an almost limitless set of options for altering their content, and widely appealing filters like slow-motion and augmented reality enhancements are increasing both in number and complexity. Free tools available on TikTok’s platform let users create their own custom filters to give their clips their unique look. Moreover, branded filters can be used as a marketing tool for brands. Filters offer an opportunity to really enhance a video and can increase the chances that a video will go viral.
Stitching Videos
Stitching videos is a trend that is becoming increasingly popular as it allows users to take videos that have already been posted and combine them to create something entirely new. On TikTok, users can ‘stitch’ up to 6 video clips together to create a new video. This feature has led to an explosion of creative content as users and brands figure out new ways to create videos with meaning and narrative.
Creators are now amusing viewers by piecing different videos together or collaborating with other creators to tell a story in a unique and vivid way. Branded content takes advantage of the video-editing tools offered by TikTok stitches to create engaging, dynamic shorts that engage viewers in an entirely new level.
Publication Schedule
Sustainability is key if you want content to be actually seen on short-form video platforms. A growing trend in the TikTok community is establishing a publication schedule that users and businesses can rely on to consistently get new content.
The publication schedule trend is more than just setting a day and time to send out updates. It also means staying up-to-date on the latest trends in TikTok, understanding the kind of content people are watching, as well as have it look and sound right. Establishing a publication schedule can be a great way to grow an audience and attract more eyes to your content.
Conclusion
Short-form video is here to stay, and brands and video creators can take advantage of the latest trends on TikTok and other platforms to create unique, engaging content. Challenges, filters, stitching, and publication schedules are just some of the trends of note – but it’s always good to keep an eye on what’s trending and stay up-to-date with the latest innovation in short-form digital video.