The average attention span for goldfish is nine seconds, but according to a study from Microsoft Corp., people now lose concentration after only eight seconds. Yep, that’s right. We now have attention spans shorter than a goldfish. 

We promise to get to the point and keep this article short. 

As consumer attention spans shrink, security dealers, integrators and manufacturers must figure out new ways to attract attention in seconds while also making a lasting impression. This makes super-short video marketing even more essential and valuable. 

Think of it as Concentrated Content 

What is a super short video? It is a video that lasts no more than 10 seconds and provides a burst of compelling and informative content. If you watch a YouTube video, you’ll notice big brands running ads within the videos that are short bursts of content as short as three seconds. Nearly every social platform now supports the super short video format for marketing. 

Super short video marketing content isn’t a fad or an isolated trend. Proctor & Gamble, the world’s most prolific advertiser, recently stated that super-short videos are essential to their marketing strategy, given decreasing attention spans and increased ad-skipping behaviors. 

But Do They Work?  

When well-executed, branded super-short videos provide a highly successful way to reach customers in ways not possible before. Here’s why. 

• People share videos at twice the rate of any other form of content (Wyzowl) 
• 84 percent of people were convinced to buy a product or service based on the brands’ video (Wyzowl) 
• 71 percent of Gen Z spends more than three hours each day watching online videos (Think with Google) 
• 68 percent of people will happily watch a business video if it’s under a minute (Vidyard) 
• 72 percent of consumers prefer videos to text marketing (Retail Dive) 
• 66 percent of video ads are less than 30 seconds (Extreme Reach) 
• 93 percent of marketers have landed a customer via social media video (Animoto) 
• 63 percent of marketers say video content gets the best return on investment on social media (Animoto) 

Tips for Creating Short-Form Video  

Produce high-quality videos. Plan the video before you begin. Remove distracting things from the background. Ensure good sound quality; 

• Optimize for the platforms you use using their fonts, designs and trending sounds; 
• Use a powerful headline that grabs attention when people are scrolling; 
• Look at what the big brands are doing and follow the lead. 

Many dealers and integrators are reluctant to create video content because it can be difficult to maintain energy and interest for 10 or more minutes. Many fear it would be difficult to come up with enough compelling content. The super-short video format addresses all these issues and more. 

In 10 seconds, security organizations can create content that represents the brand, creates brand recognition, generates interest around a product or service, and have a call to action that generates leads. While not everyone is as excited about security as those in the industry, the super-short marketing video format allows us to highlight elements about the technologies that would excite nearly any viewer. And that is super-smart marketing.