If you’ve done any research on online marketing for your business, then you’ve probably found that long-form content is generally considered one of the most effective ways to increase brand exposure and build your brand authority. However, while long form content is pretty effective, that doesn’t mean that you should dismiss shorter content – specifically, micro content.

The general micro content definition that most marketers hold is content that can be absorbed by audiences in a short amount of time. So even though a half a page blog post can be considered short content, it’s not micro content. Micro content would be more along the lines of a 140 character tweet – it’s easy to digest and can be delivered quickly.

Video Micro Content Definition

When you read the micro content definition, it’s probably not hard to apply to written content. Everyone knows how Twitter works, which is proof in itself that micro content can be effective.

However, some may wonder how video can be used as micro content and how it could possibly be effective. When it comes to video, micro content follows the same format: short and sweet.

You may think that video content has to be at least a minute or so long in order to get your message across and provide audiences with valuable information. This type of video content can certainly work, but believe it or not, micro video content can be extremely effective in its own way as well.

Just consider some of the recent social media channels that have experienced immense surges in popularity, such as Vine, Instagram and Snapchat. Videos posted to these social channels are typically only a few seconds long  but they are incredibly popular.

The Benefits of Micro Video Content

So now you may have a better understanding of the micro content definition, how it can be applied to video and its place online. What’s even more important to understand is why it’s so popular and how you can use it to successfully market your business.

Micro Content is easy to produce

Most professional video agencies will tell you that video micro content should be somewhere between 10 to 30 seconds long. A video this short can require less resources to produce compared to a standard one to three minute video, depending on the concept; or, it could be a very simple by-product of a longer production.

For example, an editor can probably cut together an additional 15 second video extremely quickly, adding very little post-production time to your budget. This means that you could produce dozens of micro videos in the same time that it would take to produce a couple of longer length videos.

They force you to get creative

Because you only have 10 to 30 seconds to work with, you have to get creative in how you deliver your message. This is especially true if you are planning on releasing more than one micro video.

However, this certainly isn’t a negative thing. The more creative you get with your micro videos, the better a chance they’ll have at being successful.

After all, creativity helps your content stand out from the pack! A good video agency has the talent to help you create ongoing video micro content with creative punch.

They are easy to watch

Audiences love micro videos because it doesn’t take that much effort to watch. There is so much content being consumed every day. For people who don’t have time to sit down and watch anything over a few minutes long, micro videos are perfect for them.

They are highly shareable

As you probably know by now, video content in general is shared quite a bit more than written content. Micro video content is even more shareable due to it’s short length. Users are much more willing to watch a short video and in turn share the video content with others.

Ways To Use Micro Video Content

The following are a few examples of how you can use micro content:

How-to videos

Tutorials have always been an effective type of content no matter what form they come in due to the fact that they provide readers with helpful information that solves whatever problem they might be having. Not all tutorials have to be super in-depth.

You can use micro videos to show how one facet of your product can be used in a certain way. Lowe’s Vine videos are a great example of this – they use six second videos to provide customers with tips in an incredibly creative manner. For example, they have a video demonstrating how a cowboy lassos an extension chord in a knot in order to explain how to keep extension cords from detaching outdoors.

Product launch teasers

If you’re building up anticipation for a new product launch, micro videos are a great way to tease your audience. For example, if you’re teasing the launch of a new car, you could film a stationary car with a sheet hiding it as it revs up – the text on screen could reveal the name of the new model and the date of the unveiling.

Behind the scenes footage

Micro videos are an excellent way to give audiences a quick peak at your team hard at work, whether they are building a new product, testing a new product or taking part in an event of some kind.

Video micro content can also be an effective way to attract your audience and lead them to longer-form video content, similar to the way commercials and trailers lead interested viewers to a complete show or film.  Long-form content still has its place in media, and is consumed by those who are truly interested in the story being told.

With micro content, parts of the story or the overall message can be dripped out to viewers consuming micro content via social media or mobile ads. Hopefully, you now have a clear understanding of what a professional video agency considers micro content to be as well as how micro video content can be beneficial to your business.