YouTube Shorts, TikTok, and Instagram Reels are short-form video platforms that have become astronomically popular over recent years. Brands focus massive amounts of marketing budget tp capitalize on the trend by creating short-form content for these platforms.

Creating short-form video content can be a challenging pursuit; your audience expects to be informed, entertained, or both with every clip.

If you are considering a debut on YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, or TikTok, you have come to the right place. This article provides insightful advice with on 7 expert tips so that you can start creating engaging content on YouTube Shorts, TikTok, and Instagram Reels.

1. Answer questions that your customers are asking

You need to first dig deep into the questions your customers are asking before making videos for these platforms. Channels that perform well on these platforms create relevant content that answers real questions and addresses problems that their potential customers have. For example, finance and stock videos provide real value to their potential customers by diving into FAQs like “What is the difference between a 401k plan and a Roth IRA?” or “When should I sell my shares?” These short video creators are establishing their credibility without bombarding the potential customer with salsy videos or gimmicky commercials. In fact, when you provide free value upfront, the potential customer is more likely to trust your brand when he or she is ready to buy.

2. Deliver value that really aligns with your industry

Instagram Reels and TikTok are huge right now. Creating content for these platforms is a great growth opportunity for brands and creators alike. You should provide value to your potential audience that aligns with your industry or niche to derive the best results from your campaigns. In fact, short videos that leave your viewers feeling inspired perform well – whether it’s an educational step-by-step guide or quick styling tips. These videos are more prominent on TikTok’s For You Page.

3. Make content that’s entertaining and interactive

Making a short video that’s entertaining and interactive at the same time is the best way to succeed on these platforms. Be creative and pick one key message that you like to share with your audience. In fact, you need to make a big impact on your audience in a very short amount of time – up to 30 seconds on Reels and 60 seconds on TikTok. Both these platforms have a huge reach – around 1.2M views on average – according to Marketingprofs. But TikTok is leading the way in way of generating the most engagement.

You can also add an interactive element to your videos by inviting followers to share posts that feature your products. In case you are new to creating this type of video, check if you can incorporate your products into the current trends that are already popular on TikTok. On the other hand, you can also look to influencers for more inspiration. These people are expert video creators who have already mastered the art of short-form video creation. Using branded hashtags helps boost your content reach.

4. Think like a journalist

Thinking like a journalist will help you distinguish between what consumers want to watch and the message you want to deliver. Get into your consumer’s mindset before creating your short-form videos. Does your video make them laugh or learn? You can always make a short video on Instagram Reels or TikTok about your product. But you should do so only if people are already searching for that topic. Is your brand connected to a hot new song in some way? Is there something you can teach your audience that may lead to higher brand awareness at the same time? These are some things to consider when making short videos to increase brand awareness.

5. Start by engaging viewers with existing UGC

The content you are searching for already exists online. See if a client has tagged you on a post. If so, engage, share, and repeat. When you see clients talking about your brand, it’s easy to reach out and get quality content that helps drive ROI and brand awareness.

6. Prioritize creativity

Brands that showcase their creativity in a natural or funny way are most welcome by viewers on these platforms.

7. Be authentic

Keep it organic and real while creating content that’s truly engaging. Don’t try to “brand” it too much. Instead, create something that helps drive lots of user-generated content.