Survey says … TikTok’s in second place.

New data is in on short-form video platforms, and Instagram Reels takes the cake — for now. Although this research was done on brand-owned accounts, there’s lots of helpful data in this article that gives us insight on what people are interested in right now. Yes, Facebook/Instagram Reels are outperforming TikTok. But this is not about switching platforms. Let’s repeat: This is not about switching platforms. The goal should be to engineer great videos you can post everywhere. For as long as there’s social media, one platform will always pull ahead of the others. It’s a constant tug-of-war. Billions of users exist on each, so you’ll be able to find your target audience everywhere — as long as you produce great content they actually want to watch.  

How can you use this? Keep prioritizing the content itself over where the content is posted. And make sure not to sleep on short-form: People are watching 15% more short-form content than this time last year, so if you’re averse to this type of content, you really are losing out.  

🎥 What's Trending

With more than 22 million views, this video shows the power of a visually appealing experience — and putting a creative twist on something everyone’s familiar with. 

The caption explains that you’re about to get the creator’s “take on a tiramisu” — and better yet, you won’t have to do the dishes afterwards. Sold! Then immediately, he takes something most people are familiar with, and uses artistry and showmanship to turn it into something you’re not expecting. You almost feel like you’re watching a magic trick as the seconds tick by and the creator moves us from one component to the next. 

Visual satisfaction: check. Fulfills a promise from his caption: check. A transformation by the end of the video: check. This piece has several elements of a compelling video. 

Your takeaway: How can you use showmanship and artistry to turn something “normal” … into a full visual experience that’s really satisfying to watch?