Create a Winning Short-form Video Strategy: Best Practices for 2026 and Beyond
Among the many marketing tools we develop for our clients at LMD, short-form video has emerged as one of the most powerful for connecting with modern audiences. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts are reshaping consumer behavior by rewarding fast, authentic, and engaging storytelling over polished long-form content.
The past few years have proven that short-form video isn’t just a trend—it’s a necessity. In 2026 and beyond, maintaining an engaging and fresh online presence will rely in large part on how well your brand embraces this format and integrates it into your broader marketing initiatives.
Why Short-form Video?
Consumer attention has shifted. Audiences today are inundated with content. On YouTube alone, over 360 hours of video are uploaded every minute (while global internet users average about 6 hours and 38 minutes of screen time per day). At the same time, attention spans are rapidly shortening. What does this mean? As you might expect, short-form video thrives in this environment because it delivers value in 15–60 seconds, reflecting how people consume information daily.
Discovery is driven by algorithms. Social platforms prioritize short videos in their feeds. Whether it’s TikTok’s For You Page or Instagram’s Explore tab, brands that consistently create bite-sized, engaging videos are more likely to surface in front of new audiences. Posting 3-5 times per week, with many of those posts being short-form video, has become a best practice to increase visibility and drive engagement.
Authenticity builds trust. While polished commercials can undoubtedly present an air of quality and sophistication, short-form videos often shine because they feel unscripted and human. Businesses that lean into this authenticity—through behind-the-scenes clips, quick tutorials, or customer stories—can often gain more credibility and foster deeper connections.
The Business Benefits of a Short-form Video Strategy
A well-executed short-form video strategy is likely to:
Increase brand awareness. With the help of social media algorithms, short-form videos make it easier to achieve that elusive viral moment, connecting your brand with thousands of new viewers.
Drive customer engagement. Depending on your platform of choice, interactive features like comments, reposts, shares, duets, and stitches allow your brand to be part of the conversation.
Accelerate conversions. Quick product demos, testimonials, or other short-form video content can move your audiences from interest to action faster than static posts or ads due to the more dynamic and engaging nature of the format.
Build loyalty. Consistent and digestible video content keeps your brand relevant and top-of-mind for your audience. While long-form videos aren’t always easy to watch or produce, engaging your audiences with a few short clips from your brand each week can be much more achievable.
Reduce production costs. While this point should be taken with a grain of salt, it’s worth stating that the authentic and fast-paced nature of short-form video can lead to lower production costs. That’s because often, short-form videos can be filmed, edited, and distributed all from a smartphone. However, developing a unique and consistent creative strategy to drive consistent video production is where costs can arise, so it’s not always the cheaper option compared to long-form videos.
Best Practices for Building a Short-form Video Strategy
It’s no longer a question of if short-form video should be a part of your broader marketing strategy—it’s a question of how you should implement it. We work with our clients to dig deep into ways to establish a strategy that works for them and their goals. Here are eight key steps to creating a successful short-form video strategy:
Define objectives and map them to a content strategy. Not all short-form videos serve the same purpose. Do you want to build awareness? Generate leads? Drive sales? Specific types of content can be more effective for certain goals, for example:
Awareness: Fun, shareable content aligned with trends.
Lead generation: Educational “how-to” clips with calls-to-action.
Sales: Product demos, unboxings, or customer testimonials.
Know your audience and platform. Each platform attracts different demographics and behaviors. Tailor your tone, style, and media platforms to match where your customers spend their time.
TikTok: Targets Gen Z and younger Millennials; favors humor, trends, and storytelling.
Instagram Reels: Targets millennials and Gen Z; blends aspirational content with lifestyle storytelling.
YouTube Shorts: Broad demographics; strong for educational and evergreen content.
LinkedIn Video: Targets B2B audiences; works well for thought leadership and quick insights.
Create content pillars. Consistency comes when you don’t try to boil the ocean or spread your resources too thin. Instead, focus on 3–4 themes that reflect your brand’s voice and goals and lend themselves well to what is within reach given your current resources. Also think about how your brand is positioned. Is your brand a thought leader? Do you offer fun experiences? Have a high-tech product? Think about how certain types of content can help highlight these aspects of your business. For example:
Educational: Quick tips, tutorials, or industry insights.
Inspirational: Mission-driven content, founder stories, or customer success stories.
Entertaining: Leveraging cultural trends, humor, or challenges.
Behind-the-Scenes: Day-in-the-life clips, team culture, or product development peeks.
Emphasize the hook. The first 3 seconds of your video determine whether viewers keep watching. While it’s important to not rely on “clickbait” strategies that grab attention dramatically but don’t always deliver valuable content, it’s useful to employ compelling hooks in your videos. Things like:
“Here’s the #1 mistake businesses make…”
“Want to discover a game-changing technology in 30 seconds?”
“Most people don’t know this trick…”
Optimize for discovery. Maximize visibility with platform-native features:
Use trending sounds, filters, and hashtags.
Add subtitles for accessibility and silent viewers.
Write clear, keyword-rich descriptions to help algorithms understand your content.
Consistency is key. Algorithms reward consistent posting. Aim for 3–5 videos per week, but focus on quality over quantity and strive to post regularly with videos that deliver value to your audiences. To help create more video content, consider repurposing your existing long-form content (think longer videos, webinar recordings, or even written content like blog posts and white papers) into short video clips that explain bite-sized concepts in engaging ways.
Measure, learn, iterate. The more short-form videos you create and post, the faster you’ll see what works and what does not, so you can streamline your efforts. Experiment with video length, posting times, and creative styles. Track metrics that align with your objectives to refine future content:
Awareness: Impressions, reach, and shares.
Engagement: Likes, comments, completion rate.
Conversions: Click-throughs, sign-ups, or sales tied to video CTAs.
Amplify your success with paid media. A useful way to extend the life of your short-form content is to integrate it with your advertising plans. By assigning a dedicated media budget to short-form videos that already perform well organically, you can amplify their success and put them in front of new audiences with interests and behaviors that align well with your brand.
Avoid These Common Pitfalls
Overproduction: High-gloss videos may look professional but risk losing the authenticity viewers crave. The plus side? The cost of each short-form video may be much less than what is typical for long-form videos. Plenty of brands and influencers alike have gained massive followings with content captured on iPhones.
Ignoring Trends: Getting too complacent with the way your brand produces content can reduce visibility when trends are constantly emerging and evolving. Dedicate time to see what other brands are doing and how you can apply similar techniques to your creative strategy.
One-Size-Fits-All: Replicating the same video across every platform without tailoring format and tone may help streamline the production process, but it likely will undermine the effectiveness of your video strategy over the long term.
Position Your Brand for Success
Short-form video is crucial for customer engagement in 2026 and beyond. It captures attention, builds trust, and combines elements of sound and visuals to set your brand apart like no other medium can. Plus, it can be used in your advertising plans to help increase your conversions and overall engagement with new audiences.
The brands who lead in this space craft deliberate strategies, commit to consistent content creation, and aren’t resistant to adapting when new trends emerge. Now is the time to invest in a short-form video strategy that aligns with your broader business goals. If you’d like to discuss how your brand can establish a strong short-form video strategy, contact LMD.
