Video Why Short Works advice has gotten complicated with all the outdated tips and platform changes flying around. Here’s what actually works in 2026.
Short video dominated 2024 and it’s not slowing down. If you’re not making shorts, reels, or TikToks, you’re invisible to half the internet.
Why Short Works
Attention spans. People scroll through hundreds of videos. You have maybe 2 seconds to grab them. Short format forces you to be interesting immediately.
Algorithm favors completion rate. Shorter videos are easier to watch completely. Higher completion = more distribution.
Length Sweet Spot
15-45 seconds hits the sweet spot for most content. Long enough to say something useful, short enough that people finish watching.
60+ seconds can work but the content needs to justify the length. Most doesn’t.
Vertical Only
Horizontal video on phones looks tiny. Vertical fills the screen. Sounds obvious but I see people posting cropped horizontal content constantly. Stop doing that.
Sound On or Off
TikTok is sound-on by default. Instagram varies. Add captions regardless – many people browse silently. Caption viewers are still viewers.
Posting Frequency
More is usually better for short content. The algorithm wants fresh content. One post per day minimum if you’re serious. Some successful creators post 3-5 times daily.
Quality matters too, but quantity matters more than most people admit.
Start Now
Your first 50 videos will probably be terrible. Post them anyway. You learn by doing, not by planning forever.
