According to WIRED, the 1 in 4 most liked videos on TikTok are between 21 and 34 seconds long. To a millennial with a TikTok addiction, even 21 seconds seems a little bit too long, but for arguments sake, let’s roll with it.
In previous years, videos that teetered towards the 35 second plus danger zone were, until now, at risk of losing the viewer. But it seems change is afoot.
The attention economy is changing. With platforms like TikTok, who have their users in a content chokehold, now vying for your undivided attention, the comeback of longer form video content is, it seems, inevitable with TikTok themselves now encouraging creators to think bigger (or should we say longer) with their original content… and users are lapping it up.
But with punchy, engaging, entertaining, and often hilarious content a mere swipe away, consumable in 34 seconds or less – what on earth could keep a user engaged past the point of potential boredom? Is long-from here to stay? And how can hospitality brands and hotels harness video content in a way that is engaging?
Well, Hilton seems to get it.
Last week Hilton broke the internet with a 10-minute TikTok. Yes, you heard me. A ten. minute. TikTok. You’d be right to look shocked, but I watched the whole thing.
Let’s break down why this video works, and how other hospitality brands can learn from it to elevate their own video marketing strategies.
So, why did Hilton’s 10-minute debut work so well?
Short answer. Authenticity. A chance to win. And leaning into new features for marketing gains.
Long answer. Hilton enlisted to help of famous creators including Chris Olsen and KelzWright to capture the attention of their audience.
These creators were challenged to create funny and unique skits showcasing the Hilton experience in very different ways while offering the chance for viewers to a win Hilton Honors Points by watching to the end.
The power in these skits was that they were each unique to that creators style, not filtered or dampened by the brand, and strung together to create a narrative that was quite unlike anything their average TikTok viewer has seen on the platform before, making it feel less like an ad, and more like a piece of comedy.
These skits were then joined together with guest appearances from heiress and Y2K legend Paris Hilton, which turns out, was like catnip for millennial viewers, and kept us all watching to the very end.
For this millennial however, it was blending comedy and variety with self-awareness that kept me engaged. At every turn this piece of content namechecked itself as an ad, but it was engaging enough to keep viewers wanting to find out which creators they were going to roll out next!
PSA for the uninitiated though: this TikTok certainly required a hefty budget, which for most hospitality brands will be unrealistic amidst the pressure of the current crisis.
Ultimately, it boils down to this. Hilton know their audience, and embraced undiluted authenticity to reach them in a new (at least for TikTok) way.
So, are 10-minute TikTok’s the new normal or a flash-in-the-pan?
While the initial launch of Hilton’s 10-minute ad saw it go viral, you wouldn’t be wrong to question whether content like this is a temporary lapse in judgement.
While TikTok recently announced that it has increased its video length limit to 10 minutes, this doesn’t mean creators will all be quick to hop on the bandwagon.
TikTok’s extended video limit leaves room for new waves of creativity that could certainly be favoured by creators in certain industries (musicians for example), however it is our feeling that typical travel and lifestyle creators will still utilise other platforms to showcase their long-form content in the first instance.
It all comes down to the analytics. While platforms like YouTube are designed for longer dwell times, TikTok is not (even if it wants to be). A brands ability to go viral on TikTok; or simply establish an engaged army of followers is in its ability to facilitate a lot of content, and push it out to FYPs quickly based on individual interest. Creators can use this to their advantage, creating multiple short-forms snippets that speak to different contingents of their following, utilise different sounds or trends and ultimately hijack the algorithm’s yearning for more by feeding it the recommended 1-4 videos per day.
While we may see a marginal increase in video length on TikTok as it gears up to challenge YouTube for market share (you heard it here first), it is unlikely 10-minute masterpieces are going to take off across the board just yet, and unlikely they’ll be able to maintain the same traction and engagement as those sub-60 or 30 seconds might. At least in the short-term.
With the average human attention span around the 8 second mark, you’d be pushed to get many people on-board with settling down for more than one 10-minute TikTok in a row. But if Hilton’s success has anything to show, it is that the appetite for content that challenges the expected norm of a platform is there, and travel brands may see short-terms gains by experimenting with it.
How Can Travel Brands Revitalize Their Video Content Strategies?
Although long-form content might not be taking over TikTok just yet, travel brands would be wise to listen up to its success across all social platforms.
Video is a powerful tool that travel brands can use to showcase the experience they offer in an engaging and interactive way that builds familiarity, establishes trust, sets expectations and inspires action.
Above all else, users are looking for content that speaks to them, and as such, hospitality and hotel brands need to be creating video content that caters to every part of the buyer’s journey from dreaming and inspiration through to research, booking and sharing of individual experiences.
Travel brands can harness the powers of both long-form and short-form content across digital platforms to do this, hitting home with their messaging when and where it is needed the most. Why not try:
Short-form: Room Tours, Food Porn, Competitions, Experience Snapshots
Long-form: Travel vlogs, Adverts, Personal Stories, Experiential Teasers, Cook-a-longs
But remember, the length of the video has little to do with its success if they content featured within it does not speak to your audience’s needs and desires.
Get to know your audience, and create the content they want to see, and watch your analytics flourish.
In Summary
Seeing something a little different on our usual social platforms seems to be the secret to short-term success. Hilton’s statement has certainly got us talking and for many travel brands, will result in Social, PR and Marketing teams testing the boundaries of their chosen platforms as we move through 2023.
Our take away: travel brands shouldn’t be afraid to have fun with video. It might not always go viral, but as long as it has value for your audience, there is certainly no harm in trying.
Want advice on how you can harness video as part of your digital strategy? Get in touch at [email protected]
