TikTok is well known for short-form, punchy video content. However, a move toward longer content may be changing how audiences see the platform.
Breaking away from the 60-second limit that is the norm for short-form video content platforms, TikTok began rolling out its 10-minute-long video feature to eligible creators in early 2022 and to all users by the beginning of 2023. Skepticism of this feature as it was introduced was rampant. People worried that this longer content would decrease engagement rates and content quality, but longer content quickly proved to increase not only engagement rates but also video exposure and followers.
As of 2024, half of the time users spend watching content on the platform is spent on videos longer than the 60-second mark. This, along with creator’s reporting up to a fivefold increase in followers after producing longer content in the first six months of the feature’s release are strong motivations to lean into more lengthy content on the platform. This is a ver exciting update for these long-form focused content creators and provides more reason to put time and effort into making longer, engaging content on TikTok.
TikTok is also not just embracing longer content, but actively supporting it as well. They are increasing exposure on the “for you page” (FYP) and revamping their creator fund to reward creators for posting videos longer than one minute. This strategic move by TikTok is intended to support content creators in exploring longer formats, along with recognizing and rewarding those efforts.
Not all content is created equal, though: the most successful, long-form content on TikTok tends to be educational, tutorials, storytimes and lifestyle vlogs.
This isn’t to say that all creators should jump into the deep end of longer-form content just yet, as short-form content still has its place and remains popular among both audiences and creators. It also allows for uniform content across platforms, including those that don’t allow for longer videos, think YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels, and it still garners half of all TikTok watch time. So think of long-form content as an addition to your current TikTok game plan, not a replacement for it.
By Mel Johnson
