While TikTok is all the rage, long-form video is also popular. Here’s how to reach Millennial and Gen Z consumers with long, engaging videos.
Millennials and Gen Z grew up immersed in the internet and tech boom. Because of this, it’s no surprise that people within these generations turn to the media to meet needs. We do this to laugh and relax. We even seek reprieve from other media that’s a necessity, but causes stress or anxiety (i.e., wading through those 80 work emails you woke up to).
Getting through the day begs for moments of reprieve and a good night’s rest. Millennials and Gen Z folks turn to long-form videos to channel (heh) environments they may not be able to physically get to.
YouTube updated their video discovery features back in 2012. Their goal was to move content discovery away from being based on clicks, because that approach fostered an environment for spammy ad videos.
With YouTube’s change in approach, the company based content discovery more on video length and duration of views.
Since this change, 14-16 minute videos tend to be a sweet spot for creators. But, even longer videos—like 8-10 hour-long videos—are sustaining significant views. What could possibly explain this?
Our current world is dominated by competing platforms full of short-form media. These include TikToks, Instagram Reels, and other bite-sized clips.
When short and sweet clips are all the rage, long-form videos become—dare I say—calming and reliable. They soothe us. They help us fight the anxieties of modern life. Some people look to them to help fight burnout.
Multi-hours-long content is flooding YouTube . . . and it’s flooding our every hour, too.
What Long-Form Videos Are We Watching?
There are a few key topics that popular long-form videos cover. If you want to create your own videos, we suggest exploring any of the following ideas.
Soothing Videos for Sleep and Relaxation
Who needs a sound machine when you have a smart TV or cell phone? It’s 2022! No one needs a sound machine anymore. You know how many times I’ve fallen asleep to David Attenborough’s voice over b-roll of sea creatures? Plenty.
Some super-relaxing and sleep-inducing videos are pre-recorded and edited. Others are live-streams of the natural world. These relaxing videos are often set to ocean and forest sounds.
Interestingly enough, time limits don’t exist for these types of videos. You can fall asleep and wake up in a cabin on a mountainside! Or, in the rainforest! Stream as long as you’d like.
Other dreamy videos last anywhere from 30 minutes to hours. They show footage of nature scenes accompanied by their sounds, instead of simple static imagery.
The booming ASMR video market falls into this soothing category of video as well. In this genre, everyday sounds and motions are curated to calm viewers. Even The Sleep Foundation says that ASMR videos and sounds may help some people sleep better.
Don’t knock it ‘til you try it!
Several companies are cashing in on these types of videos already.
Take Casper, a mattress company, who has a “sleep” channel dedicated to different ways to fall asleep. Their video of “Truly Boring Fairytales” lasts an hour. This is a wonderful soothing long-form video for kids.
For older audiences who are looking to relax and focus, binaural beats have become popular ways to capture audience attention.
Videos for Millennials, Zoomers, and Pets
Responsible pet owners want the best for their fur-babies . . . even when they’re away from home! Millennials and Gen-Zers with pets are putting on “dog” and “cat” TV for their good boys and girls who watch while they’re away.
These videos last anywhere from 4-16 hours long. They’re typically b-roll footage and sounds of nature, which dogs and cats interact with. Much like the aforementioned relaxing videos that people play for themselves, these are relaxing for animals.
With the pet industry being worth $261 billion in 2022, now is the time to reach out to this audience, if they’re relevant for your brand. Just be sure to keep the fluffy friends at the front of your creative mindset.
And, if you need some inspiration, here are a handful of pet-focused videos for dogs and for cats to get your creative gears turning.
Videos for Creating Atmosphere
Whether you’re doing your daily chores, prepping for a party, or in the midst of one, long-form videos are an easy go-to for background noise and passive listening.
Some people put on the classic crackling fireplace for a holiday setting. Others put on hours of a DJ set with hypnotic and colorful visuals. These types of videos are created with the intention of enhancing particular atmospheres.
If you’re wanting to create videos that enhance the atmosphere of a place—such as a store or event—think about the emotions you want people to feel.
Do you want customers to feel like they’re entering a relaxing space? Choose video clips that feature a spa or beachfront resort. Ultimately, the video clips you create content with will impact your customers’ moods . . . and your brand perception.
Choose wisely.
Creating Long-Form Videos
Where long-form audio tracks fall short, long-form videos check all the boxes. The combination of stunning visuals and atmospheric audio are the reasons younger generations turn to long videos, rather than streaming services or sound machines.
While a lot of hype exists around creating short video content, keep in mind that you should create long-form videos too, when trying to reach Gen Z, in particular.
Lengthy videos have found their own niches in the YouTube world. Consumption of this content isn’t showing any signs of slowing down, either. Many of these videos are evergreen in subject matter, meaning their viewership will only grow with time. This makes long-form video a no-brainer for creators!
Collecting great stock images or video and some royalty-free music can be a quick first-attempt at creating long-form with little cost.
Need images and video? You’re already in the right place!
License this cover image via F8 studio.