Contrary to the belief in ever-shrinking attention spans, brands are successfully using longer, cinematic 'slow content' to tell compelling stories. This format builds a deeper brand world and engages viewers on platforms like Instagram and TikTok.
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The era of generic 'five steps to X' content is over. To stand out, marketers must frame their content as stories, whether personal or from clients. This narrative approach fosters a deeper connection with an audience that craves human experiences over sterile information.
Despite competing with short-form content like TikTok, Ken Burns' long documentaries succeed because they are built on compelling storytelling. This challenges the myth of shrinking attention spans, suggesting instead that audiences demand more engaging content, regardless of its length.
Ken Burns refutes the common complaint that attention spans are shrinking. He points to binge-watching culture—where viewers consume entire seasons of shows in a weekend—as definitive proof that audiences still have an appetite for deep, long-form content. He notes this panic is not new, citing the telegraph's arrival in the 1850s.
Successful content creators hook viewers by structuring videos around a problem and solution. This instinctively follows the classical three-act structure (setup, conflict, resolution) identified by Aristotle. Marketers can create more compelling content by deliberately applying this timeless framework, even for short-form videos.
Instagram's algorithm is expected to evolve, placing more weight on watch time over simple interactions. This change will favor the rise of longer, unscripted, "FaceTime-style" storytelling content that has proven successful on TikTok, signaling a move away from short, highly-edited Reels.
Figures known for long-form content, like Ken Burns, are successfully reaching new audiences by repurposing their work into short, powerful clips for social media, combating shrinking attention spans and finding new relevance.
Long-form content is superior for building influence because it allows for more time-exposure and 'reinforcement cycles.' To achieve the same exposure as two one-hour videos, a viewer would need to consume approximately 480 short-form clips. Influence is a function of time spent, not just number of views.
In crowded feeds, purely educational content is often too boring to capture attention. Creators should embed entertainment, storytelling, and curiosity into educational topics to keep viewers engaged and coming back for more.
The next marketing wave isn't chasing viral trends, which builds trend recall but not brand recall. Instead, brands must create immersive, episodic 'worlds' that function as standalone entertainment. This shifts the goal from grabbing attention to holding it through compelling, serialized content.
Successful short-form video follows a structure: 1) Capture attention with strong visual and verbal hooks. 2) Maintain attention by creating a 'dance between conflict and context.' 3) Reward attention by providing value (education, inspiration) that generates algorithm-pleasing engagement signals like shares and saves.
