How Businesses Can Adapt to the Rise of Short-Form Videos

The recent dominance of short-form video in social media is one of the most undeniable shifts in the way we consume content this decade. A trend that was first observed during, and driven in part by, the COVID-19 pandemic is now reshaping people’s viewing and social media habits.

The world’s fastest-growing social media platforms, such as Tiktok and Instagram, use short-form video as a core driver of their growth. The shift to short-form video is also noticeable on platforms like Facebook, X, and LinkedIn, with these platforms making vertical video more prominent on users’ feeds.

Even the world’s top streaming platforms are scrambling to incorporate short videos into their apps. In April, Netflix launched a new vertical video feed that features highlights of its programs, a month after rival Disney+ launched a similar feature.

The rise of short-form video is also tied to the sustained growth of smartphone sales and, in turn, increased global Internet access. In 2020, about 1.4 billion new smartphones were sold, accounting for 17.72% of the world’s population, assuming one new phone per person. By the end of 2026, smartphone sales are expected to jump to 1.65 billion units, which means up to 19.90% of the world could have new phones.

In this context, understanding how to leverage short-form video is becoming increasingly important for businesses worldwide, and those that adapt early will likely stand to benefit from this format’s rapid growth.

Social media evolves fast, and as seen in the rise of short-form video in recent years, usage habits have changed noticeably as the 2020s progressed. In 2021, social media users in the U.S. spent the same amount of time viewing video and non-video content. By 2025, the average social media user’s eyeballs are tuned in to short videos 71% of the time they’re on Tiktok or Instagram, compared to just 29% for non-video posts, according to Activate Consulting.

The continued dominance of smartphones plays a major part in this evolution and, in turn, fuels the growth of platforms that mainly feature short-form videos. Here are some numbers that support this trend:

• About 75% of video views are from mobile devices, says Hashmeta.
• Tiktok, the platform that made vertical videos ubiquitous globally, now has almost 2 billion monthly active users (MAU), according to DemandSurge estimates.
• Instagram, which rose to fame as a photo-sharing app but has since evolved into a Tiktok rival with its Reels feature, saw its MAU count rise to 3 billion as of 2025.
• YouTube, which currently has 2.58 billion active users, said it saw 200 billion daily views from its vertical video feature as of 2025.

As short-form video becomes more influential compared to other media formats, new preferences and habits emerge among global audiences. 

About 73% of consumers say that short videos are the most ideal way to learn about products, according to Hootsuite, with Gen Z and Millennials leading this shift. In addition, around 66% of audiences view short-form video as the preferred format for engagement, outperforming other social media post formats. 

Businesses have taken note of this trend and adjusted their strategies accordingly. Over the past five years, social video advertising in the U.S. has grown from $26B in 2021 to $68B, accounting for a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 27%. That growth easily surpassed the 18% to 19% CAGR on streaming platforms, while also playing a major role in the continued decline of traditional and pay TV, which saw average yearly declines of 4% and 6%, respectively. 

Meanwhile, social media platforms that leverage short-form content are seeing the highest usage growth among social media marketing teams. In 2025, 62% more teams said they started using TikTok, surpassing other platforms such as LinkedIn (53%) and X (43%), both of which are also supporting short videos.

Perhaps the most important part of the growth trend associated with short-form video is the business angle. After all, increasing visibility on TikTok or Instagram is one thing, but generating returns on investment (ROI) is another. Fortunately, short video formats have also started delivering on that end. 

In 2025, 48.6% of global marketers said that short-form video earned the biggest ROI, based on HubSpot’s recent survey of more than 1,500 marketers worldwide. That year, 104% more marketers said that short videos delivered the highest ROI compared to 2024, and these marketers said they plan to continue with their short video-focused strategies in 2026.

The short-form video momentum goes beyond marketing spend ROI, with businesses also seeing benefits on their bottom lines. Year-over-year revenue growth is 49% higher for businesses that employ video marketing than for those that do not. Furthermore, organizations that integrate video across the entire customer journey achieve a 34% reduction in acquisition costs compared to companies that depend mainly on static media.

The rise of short-form video is changing the way businesses communicate online. Audiences are spending more time watching quick, engaging videos across social media platforms, and companies that embrace this shift are better positioned to grow their reach and connect with customers in a more direct way.

As video continues to dominate online engagement, businesses need content that is clear, consistent, and built for today’s fast-moving platforms. At Global One Media, we specialize in helping public companies create digital strategies that leverage short-form videos and other content formats to boost visibility, keep audiences engaged, and deliver higher marketing ROI. In a digital environment where attention spans are shorter than ever, strong video content can make a lasting impact.

Contact Global One Media today to find out more.