Remember the dark ages? When we held our phones sideways like a bunch of Neanderthals, filming horizontal videos for… shudder… desktops? Yeah, me neither. Because frankly, who even uses those anymore, except maybe your grandma to check her Hotmail?
These days, it’s all about the scroll, baby. And that scroll is VERTICAL. Vertical videos. Think about it, we’re glued to our phones, thumbs flicking through TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts – it’s a vertical video vortex, and if your brand isn’t in it, you’re basically invisible. Like a ghost… a very un-trendy, horizontally challenged ghost.
Why are we so obsessed? Let the numbers do the talking:
- It’s how we roll (or scroll): Vertical video is designed for how we actually use our phones. No awkward tilting, no squinting at tiny screens – just pure, unadulterated, thumb-friendly content. Did you know that 94% of people hold their phones vertically? And that mobile video consumption rises by 100% every year? It’s the mobile format that users feel most comfortable with.
- Short and sweet wins the race: Attention spans are shorter than a goldfish’s memory these days (and that’s about 9 seconds, by the way). Vertical video, with its bite-sized format, is perfect for grabbing attention and delivering a quick, impactful message. Plus, viewers retain 95% of a message when they watch it in a video, compared to 10% when reading it in text. That’s a game-changer!
- Engagement is, to put it mildly, bonkers: People don’t just watch vertical videos, they interact with them. They like, they comment, they share, they create their own responses. In fact, vertical videos generate a 4x higher engagement rate than square videos on Instagram. It’s a two-way street, and if you’re not playing, you’re losing. It’s basically the social media equivalent of a really good party, and nobody wants to be the wallflower.
- It’s where the cool kids hang out: Let’s be honest, platforms like TikTok and Reels are shaping culture right now. TikTok boasts over 1 billion monthly active users, and Reels are following fast on its heels. If your brand wants to be relevant, you need to be speaking the language of the youth… and that language is vertical video, sprinkled with a healthy dose of trending sounds and challenges.
- It improves view counts: Short form videos have a 25% higher completion rate than long-form videos. They make it very easy for viewers to consume the whole video and feel that sense of satisfaction of completing something.
So, what’s the takeaway?
If you’re still clinging to horizontal video, you’re basically the digital equivalent of wearing Crocs in public. (No offense to Croc lovers, but you know what I mean).
Vertical video isn’t just a trend, it’s the new normal. It’s the way we consume content, the way we connect, and the way brands can build authentic relationships with their audiences. So, embrace the vertical revolution, create some killer short-form content, and watch your brand soar.
But here’s the thing, creating a constant stream of engaging vertical video content can be a real headache. That’s where ARP Visuals comes in.
We’re the masters of bulk short-form vertical video creation. We help businesses like yours churn out high-quality, attention-grabbing content that gets noticed and drives results. We’ll handle the filming, editing, and even the trendspotting, so you can focus on what you do best. Stop stressing about your social media game and let ARP Visuals take your brand to the next level. We are masters at short form vertical video content. Check it out on our Youtube channel which you can get to by clicking here. Ready to go vertical? Let’s chat!