There has been plenty of head-turning news about social media sites recently. From the televised TikTok hearing featuring bold yes or no congressional questions for Shou Zi Chew (CEO of TikTok), to Elon Musk buying Twitter and temporarily changing the logo to an old Doge meme, the digital space is never boring.

What we consume in terms of social media has masterfully evolved since the dawn of the internet. However, short-form video has recently gained more traction with 73% of consumers preferring this content format to learn about products and services. With short-form video projected to see the most growth among marketing strategies in 2023 and marketers planning to invest in it more than any other tactics, it’s worth keeping an eye on.

So, if TikTok is banned in the U.S. or consumers move from the app due to potential privacy violations, where will people go for the short-form video entertainment that they’ve gotten used to?

Youtube Shorts

Launched in 2020, Youtube Shorts has taken off due to the platform’s mass following from the early days of the internet and sustained growth through the rise and fall of social media platforms. In February 2023, Google reported that YouTube Shorts made it to 50 billion daily views despite its relatively recent launch in July 2021. Its mass following, growing momentum, and long-standing Youtuber culture make Youtube Shorts a strong contender in the evolution of short-form video platforms post-TikTok.

Instagram Reels

In August of 2020, after the rise of TikTok, Instagram evolved to compete with the growing demand for short-form videos – enter: Instagram Reels. It is now at 2.35 billion views per month and since its launch seemed to directly mimic TikTok, the platform now allows up to 90-second videos to capture longer watch times. Due to influencer dominance on Instagram and the vast amount of users already on the platform, Instagram Reels has the potential to fill the hole in the market that TikTok would leave.

Lemon8

Despite there already being a number of emerging short-form video contenders, a TikTok ban would still leave a large gap in the market for consumers looking to move on from older platforms and avoid reverting to existing ones. TikTok’s parent company – ByteDance – has already made plans to expand with their new app, Lemon8. The app was launched in Asian markets in 2020 and has already amassed roughly 7.4 million downloads in Thailand, 5 million in Japan, and just landed in U.S. markets in February. Although the app has yet to capture a vast number of U.S. consumers, we have seen new platforms emerge during transitional times before and rapidly grow a following in the digital space, so this could be one to watch.

These changes go to show that brands can’t be stagnant in today’s environment. As we are practically living in the digital equivalent of the industrial revolution, marketers must stay aware and up-to-date. Direct Agents’ Paid Social team continues to watch for all innovations and keep our finger on the pulse. If you’re interested in learning more about Direct Agents’ Social Advertising offerings and how our team can help your brand grow on social, please reach out to [email protected].

Taylor Hamilton, Paid Media Analyst, Direct Agents

Sources

AP News, TikTok’s parent has a new app: What to know about Lemon8

CNN, Instagram’s TikTok copycat Reels is now available in the US

Demands Age, 33+ Instagram Reels Statistics In 2023 (Updated Data)

Tech Crunch, Google says YouTube Shorts has crossed 50 billion daily views

The Leap, 7 Short-Form Video Trends to Watch in 2023 (+Best Practices)