10 Ways to get more watch time on short-form video content

Millions of short videos are uploaded to social media every day. TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and X all support the rise of short-form content. With so many bite-sized videos available, how can creators, brands and businesses ensure theirs get watched? 

In this article, we’re sharing 10 techniques to increase the watch time on your short-form videos. You’ll learn how to craft catchy scripts, shoot footage with style and add some flair in the edit. We’ve also added examples to check out, so you can pick up inspiration along the way. These tips are designed to help you get more watch time on your short-form videos, no matter the platform you’re sharing them on.

Why watch time matters

When a piece of video content gets a high amount of watch time, it sends signals to the algorithm that it is a valuable piece of content because people are sticking around to view it. The more watch time a piece of content receives, the more likely it is that the algorithm will push it to more people it recons will love it. Combine a high watch time with elevated engagement such as likes, comments and shares, and you’ve proven your content is worthy of getting attention.

Here are 10 ways to improve the watch time on your short-form video content…

1. Start with an effective hook

Swiping is swift business so hooking new viewers as quickly as possible is crucial. With many marketers claiming that short-form hooks last no longer than 3 seconds, you’ve got to grab that attention and grab it fast. Make the opening scenes, shots, sequences, scripting and sounds count. When it’s oh-so easy to swipe on by, front-load your video with a hook that’s impossible to ignore.

This example by @imfreen combines a dramatic sound with an intriguing text overlay and interesting shots from the start. The unusual elements work together to invite the viewer to stick around to see how the video plays out. The hook immediately compels the viewer to question whether the ideas in the video will look great or be a flop. Notice how that hooks the viewer in to watch more of the video and therefore increases the watch time.

A great hook doesn’t have to be complicated. It simply has to stop a swiper in their tracks.

Create a hook by:

• Asking a question
• Showing something unusual
• Including dramatic, familiar or interesting audio
• Showing or telling the viewer briefly what to expect from the video
• Teasing a before and after
• Being relatable
• Starting with humour
• Offering a solution to a common problem
• Sharing a statistic

2. Become an excellent storyteller

Storytelling is an incredibly powerful marketing tool because stories can evoke emotion, grow strong communities, create empathy, make information more relatable, foster trust, build loyalty and humanise a brand. It is inherently human to want to share and listen to stories from others, making it a go-to technique for increasing watch time on short-form videos. If there’s a story behind your brand, business, products or ethos - share it. 

This example by @shopbluejadedesigns shares the heartbreaking story behind a product and some of the details that went into it. In the voiceover, accompanied by a moving piano-based song, the developer of the product explains that the ‘K’ in the design was added as a tribute to a friend who tragically died in a car accident. This brings a deeper level of authenticity, vulnerability and humanity to the brand, its products and its content. The video compels the viewer to watch and listen for longer as it's not just sharing a product but a story of friendship, loss and legacy.

3. Tease a satisfying ending 

People will want to watch until the end of a video if there’s something worth sticking around for, so make sure there’s a pay-off and make it obvious that it’s on the way. This could be the conclusion of a dramatic story, the results of a before and after, the development of an artistic project or the punch line of a joke. Whatever it is, get more watch time by making viewers aware that the end of the video is going to be worth the wait.

This video by @cleantek.uk shows how simple but effective this technique can be. With 8.6 million views and over 107 thousand likes on TikTok, the end is obvious but it’s so irresistibly satisfying that people stick around to see it.

4. Write a looping script

One of the greatest things to acknowledge when you want to get more watch time on short-form content is that outstanding content gets played more than once. There are multiple ways to achieve multiple plays of the same video and one of these is to write a looping script. The goal is to engineer the end of the script to seamlessly attach to the beginning of the script, making it difficult to know exactly where the video starts and ends.

This example by @maxfosh starts with a question and ends with the words ‘but at least I now know the answer to the question…’ This creates a loop which means the end of the script rolls straight back into the beginning of the script.

5. Cut the video short

Another way to get multiple views out of a single short-form video is to cut it off as soon as the action is over. There’s no need to waffle on, add a drawn-out conclusion or add repeated or deleted scenes. When the action ends, end the video. Whether your content is informative, entertaining or funny - don’t let it drag on or people will swipe away onto the next thing. Instead, get multiple views, a higher average view duration and more watch time through packing every second with content that deserves to be watched on repeat and then shared with friends.

This example by @ragmopandgoose has a whole but abrupt ending which reeks of comical timing. The giggle it draws out of the viewer begs for another watch. With 1.4 million likes, 76.9 thousand saves and 14.8 thousand shares, this video shows that sometimes shorter videos are substantially better.

6. Use the three-second rule

A simple editing principle for keeping people glued to your short-form videos is to use the three-second rule. Every three seconds try changing the visuals by adding cuts, zooms, graphics or switching to a totally new scene. This should keep the content interesting enough to get a good amount of watch time, without the editing pace becoming overwhelming for the viewer.

This example by @shopify keeps the action moving through regular cuts and different footage. The editing cuts between A-roll (the person speaking directly to the camera) and B-roll multiple times throughout the short video, making the pace flow freely and giving a sense of adventure to the content.

7. Multitask

Layering in multiple activities can hold attention for longer than having only one focus in a short-form video. This is why there are multiple undying trends that feature multitasking, such as sharing stories or chatting about something engaging while getting ready, putting on makeup or doing everyday tasks such as cooking a meal.

This example by @_everylastcrumb_ combines a chatty voiceover where the creator shares her thoughts on a trend, while the visuals show her decorating several cakes. This take on multitasking invites the audience into the mind of the business owner and gives them things to ponder while enjoying watching the skill of the product creation. This is a huge way to convey authenticity and humanise the brand while keeping viewers listening and watching as both activities play out.

8. Add text captions

Have you noticed that a lot of brands add text captions directly to short-form video content? There’s a good reason for that. Most marketers agree that captions cause an increase in viewer attention and make viewers more likely to watch the video in its entirety, while Sendible goes as far as to boast that captions are responsible for an 80% increase in views. It’s also a good idea to design short-form video content that can be enjoyed while on mute. According to Sharethrough, 75% of people say that they often keep their phone on mute even when a video is playing.

There are multiple ways you can add text captions to your videos. You can add them manually, use software or even have AI sort them out for you. You can have captions flash up line-by-line or follow along with this example by @camdenmarket and choose to have fast-paced captions that display single words and small phrases for more on-screen movement.

9. Create something special

It’s undeniable that you’ll rack up watch time if you share something truly unique. By coming up with something special, interesting, unusual, odd, stunning or shocking, you’ll stop people in their tracks and keep them watching on repeat.

Nothing says unique like an artist swinging from the ceiling over a canvas with a bucket of paint. This example by @callenschaub is the epitome of big ideas creating big results. With 138 million views and 4.1 million likes, this short-form video is getting a large amount of watch time and a lot of love too.

10. Track metrics

If you want to improve the amount of time people spend on your short-form videos, there are several metrics you should track. The amount of views, reach and engagement will all play a part in boosting the watch time your short-form videos rake in. With Minter.io you can track metrics for your accounts on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, LinkedIn and X. You can even track your competitors so you can keep an eye on what other accounts are up to and gain insight and inspiration along the way.

Unlock social media analytics today with Minter.io and get a clear picture of how your content is performing so you have the power to grow your business online. Try it here.