Popcorn Brain

LinkedIn’s fairly new video tab got us thinking about the rise of short-form video and its role in digital storytelling.

Reporting last week from Fast Company highlighted that short-form video is the fastest-growing type of content on Linkedin, with a 34% increase in video uploads this year.

So, how short exactly is short-form video?

The Digital Marketing Institute defines short-form video as content that’s 5 to 90 seconds in duration, going on to advise that “even though the videos are short, they still need to tell a compelling story and have a clear narrative flow.”

Social Media Today recently reported that there’s “been a big increase in longer versions of short video clips on YouTube and TikTok.”

Let me say that again: an increase in longer versions of short video clips.

Clips that are between 30 and 60 seconds in duration are still considered short-form video, falling well within that 90-second ceiling I mentioned earlier, and that’s apparently the sweet spot right now on other platforms.

That makes sense because the average amount of time adults can maintain optimal attention during a continuous performance task has been cited to be between 47 and 76 seconds, depending on what research you’re looking at.

Anyway, creating this snackable content that’s compelling, telling a story, and explaining complex content all simultaneously is a tall order.

What are your strategies for creating compelling short-form vid- Oh wait, look at that, we’ve hit xx seconds.

Making the Case for Industry Executives’ Social Presence

“Scientists and experts are expected to lead on the implementation of innovation,” according to the 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer.

And with more than 50 percent of people surveyed getting most of their information about new technologies and innovations from social media, we in biopharma are well-positioned to become trusted sources directly through our scientific leadership team’s social profiles.

Content from individuals at our orgs and clients is the new version of quotes in a press release.

Think about it – if a press release announces the news and quotes within the release comment on the news and add context, there’s a parallel opportunity here pertaining to how we can manage our companies’ and leaders’ social accounts, respectively.

Edelman’s Trust Barometer goes on to recommend that we can build trust via experts’ commentary by “explaining the research, engaging in dialogue, and harnessing peer voices as advocates.”

And, what’s more is that research from FTI Consulting last year found that “engagement rates for content from business leaders are more than two times higher than posts on company channels.”

With confidence increasing in advances like gene-based medicine if they’re shown to have been evaluated by scientists, we as biopharma communicators have a PRIME opportunity to not only control but also to directly shape the narratives of industry breakthroughs and their implications for society.

So, if an executive you work with is skeptical of publishing personal social content, or their next LinkedIn or blog post always seems to be an afterthought, we hope this helps you to make your case.