Long-Form Content – is it making a comeback?

Long-form content is making a comeback on the feeds and beyond! Consumers are feeling the fatigue of the thumb scroll and are seeking a pause from serotonin swaps. Instead, they are trying to play content all the way through.  

For brands considering creating long-form content, it’s best to approach it through a short-form lens. This approach ensures that it doesn’t feel unfamiliar to avid doom scrollers. Rather than just capturing meaningless eyeballs on it, you can enhance audience engagement and community involvement. Your long-form video, audio ad, or text ad should still have an attention-grabbing hook right in that sweet 3-second spot. The key is to captivate your audience from the outset, so they recognize the value in investing their time in your content. Think of it terms of a romantic pursuit; you can’t expect someone to build an emotional connection with you if you don’t catch their glance with a fashionable fit or a witty pick-up line. It’s all about first impressions that make a long-lasting impression.  

Long-form content is particularly beneficial for brands targeting niche communities, rather than relying on broad mass appeal. This isn’t to say that big brands aren’t dabbling in this storytelling-centric content length. Take Hilton’s 10-minute long TikTok ad, rewarding viewers who made it to the end, and leveraging the biggest Tok Stars, oh ya and Paris HILTON herself.  

@hilton Unexpected & amazing things can happen when you stay, and we want you to stay with us for 10 minutes. Yup, we made a 10-minute TikTok AND we’re giving away 10M Hilton Honors Points + more. #HiltonStayFor10 #HiltonForTheStay ♬ Hilton’s 10-Minute Stay – Hilton

We see long ads like Hilton’s popping up more and more, which means platforms like TikTok are hopping on the long-form train caboose alongside long-form veterans like YouTube. Here are the platforms that pique our long-form interest:  

TikTok 

You wouldn’t think a platform known for doom scrolling would be relevant in a long-form discussion, but this #fyp platform has been curating its content to longer-format fans as well with the introduction of the 10-minute video in 2022. Additionally, TikTok’s LIVE function enables creators to interact with their audience in real-time, catering to both short and long attention spans. This content mix makes their audience just that much bigger, since almost 2 billion users aren’t enough. It doesn’t mean users aren’t still going to go to more native long-format platforms like YouTube and Twitch, but it diversifies their product offering and shows that they’re a platform that adapts with their users.  

Podcasts

Ya maybe radio is dead, but long-form podcasts are thriving! With 504.9 million podcast listeners worldwide in 2024 (an 8.6% increase from 2019), podcasts are in their Eras era (talking about the TSwift kind). Those who crave podcasts seek deeper connections with the creators they follow, with 75% of Gen Z claiming fandom affiliation. As Gen Z and Millennials forge communities online, podcasts offer a sense of intimacy akin to catching up with a friend. Their pulled back curtain nature provides listeners with in-depth conversations, and explorations into complex topics/discussions. Fr example, Survivor fans now get 30 minutes or longer weekly of behind-the-scenes content after every episode airs with On Fire. 

Twitch

Twitch, the platform that made the concept of a 24–hour stream mainstream. In a world where we are stimulated 24/7, this is the platform that gives us exactly what we want. Long-form content is one thing, but in real-time long form content adds another dimension to the experience. The average livestream on Twitch is 6-8 hours long, with users watching an average of 1.7 billion hours of content every month. Despite it hosting content beyond gaming, Twitch tends to be the hub for game-lovers, giving users alike the ability to interact, build community and have lengthy discussions about the latest gaming news/updates.  

YouTube

YouTube’s diverse content landscape encourages creators to go beyond the traditional 10-minute mark. While the platform has delved into short-form content, with YouTube Shorts, long-form remains to be their bread and butter. Viewers go to the play-button platform to take a pause from life and get lost in in-depth documentaries, vlogs, tutorials, or if you just want to watch a blank screen for 24-hours straight.  Okay maybe not everyone is watching 24 hours of darkness, but the average visitor is spending 19 minutes of their day on the platform, presenting ample opportunity for brands to captivate their audience.  

Long (form) story short

If you’re a brand, consumers will invest their time if they see value. Building authentic connections with your audience on social media means embracing long-form content instead of throwing selling points seconds at them. By creating in-depth videos aligned with their interests, consumers will reciprocate that investment. Give their thumbs some R&R time.