The Rising Popularity of Short-Form Video

The latest trends are changing faster than ever due to social media. One of the main contributors to this is TikTok. In the past, trends would usually stick around for a while, but now we see new trends every few weeks, so it's important to learn about what trends have stuck around and affected most people this year.

One of the main trends this year has been short video content. This type of content, where videos are normally under 2 minutes, has become increasingly popular this year due to TikTok. These videos are more popular because they are quick content to receive and don't require much attention span. According to John Herrman from The New York Times, “TikTok can feel, to an American audience, a bit like a greatest hits compilation, featuring only the most engaging elements and experiences of its predecessors.” Previously, platforms like Youtube and other streaming services were our main entertainment, but with the rise of this trend, most social platforms have followed close behind. Apps like Snapchat, Instagram, and even Youtube have now added a specific section for short video content on their platforms.

While short video content has been on the rise, live streaming has also gained some popularity this year. The largest live streaming platform this year has been Twitch. It allows viewers to watch many different things, such as video games, musical performances, and vlogs. Since it is live, there is more of a connection with the viewers and streamers, which people often enjoy as it’s more engaging. The pandemic caused Twitch to grow with new viewers and streamers, but now with the world reopening, the engagement has slowed down. 

Since trends are constantly changing, most would assume that these trends would die down pretty soon, but at the rate things are going, it seems clear that they are here to stay for a while. Short video content has completely changed the way we receive content, so it will be tough to transition from it back to longer-style video content. This is because the people receiving the content are now accustomed to shorter videos, so most don’t have the attention span to watch longer content anymore. However, live streaming could start to slow down depending on what’s being streamed and who’s streaming it. 

Recently, some streamers have been finding it hard to pursue full-time streaming because of the pay. As stated by Nathan Grayson from The Washington Post, “On a platform where 25 percent of the top 10,000 highest-paid streamers don't even make minimum wage, promotional deals help prevent some from slipping through the cracks.” If the streamers are barely making ends meet while streaming, most will find other work. This would mean fewer streamers on the platform, which would lead to less engagement on the platform overall. Therefore, whether the live streaming trend dies down soon or not depends on other factors.

There are countless trends being started almost every day considering micro-trends that are often started on social media platforms like TikTok, so it can be hard to keep up with everything. These are just some of the main trends this year that have influenced most people. It is hard to say which trends will continue to thrive, but it is clear that the ones mentioned aren’t ready to die down just yet.