If there’s one content format that’s been red-hot and continues to surge, it’s short-form video. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts have massive user bases that devour bite-sized videos. And brands are getting on board in a big way because that’s where attention is going. In 2025, short videos are delivering some of the highest ROI in content marketing.
What’s working: - Authentic, Unpolished Content: Contrary to the glossy ads of yesteryear, short-form video thrives on authenticity. People want relatable, human content on these feeds. Quick behind-the-scenes glimpses, lo-fi demos, staff doing a quick skit – those often outperform highly polished commercials here. It feels more native. As a result, brands are training their teams or working with influencers to create TikTok-style content that’s casual but creative. Duolingo’s TikTok (with its mascot owl doing funny trends) is a poster child of this – it’s informal and entertaining, yet keeps the brand in viewers’ minds. - Educational Snippets: Short-form isn’t just for dancing or pranks; educational quick tips do very well. Think 30-second hacks, top-3 lists, myth-busting, etc. For example, a skincare brand might do “3 quick tips for glowing skin” as a Reel series. Snackable expertise builds trust and makes people more likely to follow or eventually buy. HubSpot found that short how-to videos got notably high engagement across social platforms in late 2024, a trend continuing now. - Storytelling & Challenges: Using features like trending sounds, challenges, or storytelling in multiple parts keeps audiences hooked. Stories that unfold in 3-4 short videos encourage binge-watching. Some brands cleverly use this to their advantage (e.g., a cliffhanger about an upcoming product reveal across Reels). According to HubSpot’s 2025 State of Marketing report, short-form videos combined with influencer collaborations are delivering the highest ROI in social media marketing. This means working with popular TikTokers or creators to tell your story via quick clips can be extremely potent. - Repurposing across channels: Since multiple platforms favor short video, marketers are repurposing content. A TikTok video can often be cross-posted as a Reel and a YouTube Short, tweaking if needed for platform norms (for example, TikTok’s text-to-speech voice vs. Instagram’s native text style). This amplifies reach without triple the work. There are tools now to remove watermarks and make slight edits to optimize for each platform’s algorithm too.
Key to success: The first 3 seconds are everything. Short video is an attention game. Content marketers are focusing heavily on hooks – an interesting question, a bold claim, eye-catching action – right at the start of the video to stop the scroll. Core dna noted that brands “need a strong hook in the first 3 seconds” and that scrappy, quick content often beats perfectly polished in grabbing attention. So don’t be afraid to experiment with bold intros.
Example: A financial advisor might think TikTok isn’t for them, but then they start making 60-second “Money Tip Monday” videos with quick personal finance tips using trending sounds and a bit of humor. One video like “The Starbucks Latte Effect explained in 1 minute” goes viral because it’s relevant and delivered in a fun way. That video drives thousands of new followers and many click their profile link to sign up for a newsletter or webinar. The ROI from that piece of content could dwarf their traditional blog posts because it tapped into where the eyeballs are. As HubSpot highlighted, in 2025 short-form videos are dominating content strategy, with brands allocating more budget to them given the high engagement and shareability.