Scroll, watch, repeat. In just a few seconds, a video can make you laugh, cry, educate, or introduce you to something new. This is the power of short-form video platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube shorts. They are the reasons for a boom in digital marketing. Nowadays, most businesses embrace the impact of these short videos to engage audiences, promote products, and boost their brand visibility.
These apps have transformed the old way we consume content. They have become an income source for influencers, creators, and marketers, and there are still several unexplored areas with ample opportunities for people.
But what makes them so irresistible? And how did they rise to dominate the social media landscape? Today, we will trace back to the emergence of this irresistible, never-ending trend in the digital marketing world.
Do you want to join us?
Why People Love Watching Short-form Videos?
TikTok has around 1.12 billion monthly active users. Why do such a huge number like to watch TikTok and other short-form video platforms? The answer is simple. They are quick, engaging, and addictive. Let’s have a broader view of the reasons below.
- Instant Entertainment: Short videos deliver fun, humor, or information in seconds, which is a go-to choice for quick breaks.
- Highly Addictive Algorithms: Nowadays, AI curates personalized content in these videos, which keeps users hooked with endless scrolling.
- Easy to Watch Anytime, Anywhere: It shows bite-sized content that fits your busy schedule.
- Trend-Driven & Relatable: Viral challenges, memes, and real-life moments make content even more exciting for viewers.
- Visually Engaging: Creative edits, filters, and creative storytelling keep viewers entertained.
- FOMO: People often keep watching to stay updated on trends, news, and pop culture.
- Diverse Content Variety: From comedy to education, there’s always something for everyone.
Tracing back to the emergence of short-form videos
The world of digital marketing was not the same. People used to invest their time in lengthy videos. But, one day, out of nowhere, short-form videos started getting popular.
But how did we go from long videos to scrolling through 15-second clips? Well, this isn’t a story from a long time ago—it all traces back just 12 years.
2013 – Vine: It popularized 6-second looping videos but shut down in 2017.
↓
2016 – TikTok: It launched and quickly gained global traction.
↓
2020 – Instagram Reels & YouTube Shorts: They launched in response to TikTok’s success.
↓
2025-Present – Expansion & Monetization: Platforms introduce creator funds, ads, and AI-driven content recommendations.
Today, TikTok is the leader in short-form videos, followed by YouTube shorts and Instagram reels.
2013: Vine
If you think TikTok was the first short-form video platform, you are mistaken. It all started with Vine, which introduced 6-second videos. Users used to create comedy and creative clips on this platform. Although the platform shut down in 2017, it paved the way for the short-form video boom we see today.
2016: TikTok
TikTok was launched by the Chinese tech company BiteDance. TikTok is known as Douyin in China. Until 2017, it was not that popular, but after this year, it quickly gained traction, especially after merging Musical.ly into it in 2018. It enhanced the global appeal of TikTok across the world.
By 2021, the platform reached over 1 billion monthly active users. Soon, it exceeded 4.5 billion downloads worldwide, and today (2025), it has crossed 5.4 billion downloads. The platform is not limited to common people; many big celebrities and politicians use it. For example, the Australian Electoral Commission joined the platform to engage younger voters and deal with misinformation.
2020: Reels and Shorts
Seeing the success of short-form videos on TikTok, Instagram also launched Reels, and YouTube launched Shorts. They introduced a short-form video feature on their existing platforms. Millions of people use these platforms, and they have become vital tools for influencers, brands, and creators to reach larger audiences.
2025 and Future
Nowadays, these platforms develop many new ideas to attract more users. They introduce creator funds, ads, and AI-driven content recommendations. It enhances the user experience and encourages content creation. Creators can make money with the help of short videos by increasing followers and getting sponsorships and brand collaborations.
How Do TikTok, Reels, and Shorts Help Businesses and Creators?
Where there is an audience, there is business. Since billions of people use short-form videos, businesses see it as the best opportunity to increase their visibility and engagement. They spend a good chunk of time from their entire day scrolling up videos for various reasons. Well, these platforms offer massive reach to businesses. They can also make brand storytelling more engaging.
Let’s explore how these tools empower businesses and creators in today’s digital world.
Impact of TikTok on Businesses:
This platform is designed to push engaging content, making it easier for businesses to go viral. Even small businesses can gain exposure without spending millions on advertising.
Example: Ocean Spray’s cranberry juice saw a 400% sales increase after a viral TikTok video featuring Nathan Apodaca skateboarding while drinking it.
Well, TikTok is dominated by influencers. They connect with their audience by creating engaging content regularly. Businesses collaborate with their niche-specific influencers so their followers can notice the brand and its products. Here are some types of influencers based on their total followers. Micro-influencers (10k–100k followers) have high engagement rates and can drive niche audiences. Mega influencers & celebrities can bring mass visibility and credibility to a business. Some trends can even help businesses gain extensive profit overnight.
Example: The #TikTokMadeMeBuy. This trend helped numerous brands sell out products overnight.
You can also use in-feed ads. These ads blend with organic content seamlessly and don’t sound promotional. Moreover, with some hashtag challenges, you can easily encourage people’s participation and engage them with your product indirectly and seamlessly.
TikTok for e-Commerce and Direct Sales
You must have seen many ads while using TikTok. They are meant to sell products directly. Here are some ways the platform is used for direct sales.
- Livestream shopping: It allows brands to showcase their products in real-time. It is just like TV shopping channels.
- Integration with Shopify & WooCommerce: With this integration, small businesses can set up TikTok stores quickly.
Let’s check out the video teaching
Impact of Instagram Reels on Businesses:
Instagram has become a game-changer for businesses. This platform is fast, engaging, and highly shareable, so brands can quickly engage with larger audiences. It has around 2 billion active users, which means 37% of internet users are users of Instagram. The platform surpassed the total number of active users of TikTok. So, businesses find here the golden opportunity to thrive easily, reach a wider audience, enhance engagement quickly, and eventually boost sales.
- Increased brand visibility:
Businesses can increase their brand visibility using this platform. It prioritizes Reels over static posts in the algorithm. It helps businesses go viral and reach people who may have never heard of the brand before. The Reels feature appears on the Explore page. Businesses can use it and reach new audiences for free.
Many small bakeries post a behind-the-scenes reel of cake decoration and gain thousands of views overnight. Many other businesses, like clothing, beauty, fitness, and home decor, create posts and short videos for promotion and engagement.
- Boost sales with shoppable features:
Instagram allows businesses to tag products in Reels, so when someone watches reels, they can click on the product and reach the website. So, viewers can tap the product tag and purchase without leaving the app.
For example, suppose a beauty brand sells lipstick shades; its users can view a new product on Instagram and buy it via the “Shop now” button.
- Cost-effective marketing:
You do not need to pay to run your ads on reels. This is not like paid ads, so you can save here while gaining traction. Even if you run a small business, you can still compete with big brands by creating high-quality and engaging content. It is possible that your Reel will go viral, while your competitor, who is a bigger brand than yours, will not. But still, you can gain good sales without spending as much money as your competitor.
Impact of YouTube Shorts on Businesses:
YouTube shorts launched in September 2020. It opened doors for many creators and businesses to gain visibility, engagement, and monetization opportunities through short-form content. The platform has over 2.70 billion monthly active users, and shorts generate over 50 billion daily views globally.
YouTube also introduced a Shorts monetization program in 2023. It helps creators and businesses earn from ad revenue.
How do businesses leverage Shorts for profit?
- Brand awareness:
Businesses and brands use shorts to create engaging Shorts content that helps them reach new audiences. Short-form videos rank higher on YouTube’s homepage and mobile feeds. YouTube’s algorithm prioritizes fresh, engaging content, which increases the chances of these videos being recommended to viewers. This organic reach is more effective than paid ads nowadays.
- Higher engagement:
How long do you spend your time on YouTube shorts? Businesses know people spend a significant amount of time on Shorts, and this is the best time to engage with them. Shorts are highly engaging due to their quick and snappy nature. It keeps the audience entertained for longer. They are designed to capture the attention almost immediately. Businesses can create entertaining content to engage with their audience.
Top Tip: Pairing catchy music with a visually appealing product increases interaction. It also makes viewers more likely to purchase.
- Monetization through YouTube’s partner program:
Ever since Shorts became popular, monetization opportunities for businesses have expanded. With the Shorts monetization program, eligible creators and businesses can earn revenue from ads shown on their Shorts. To do this, you have to join the YouTube Partner Program (YPP). You must meet criteria like 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours over the last 12 months.
Short-form Video Platforms Besides TikTok, YouTube, Instagram
Some other platforms are also gaining traction besides the popular ones. You might see them as new platforms where billions of people hang out, and businesses use them as widely as popular ones nowadays. Here are the top 5 emerging short-form video platforms besides TikTok, Shorts, and Reels.
- Triller: This is a video editing and sharing app. It allows users to create short videos with music, similar to TikTok.
- Snapchat Spotlight: Here, you can create and share 60-second vertical videos. This can be a great platform for creators who want to earn money through engagement.
- Dubsmash: This was originally a popular platform for lip-syncing. But now, it is expanding to include general creative content creation.
- Clash: Clash was founded by former Vine star Dom Hofmann. The platform is designed for authentic short-form content.
- Lomotif: This is also a short video app focused on music. Here, users can create and share 15-second videos like TikTok.
Final Thought
Short-form video apps like TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels can engage more people quickly. New generations are using these platforms creatively and exploring and trying new features for various uses. These platforms have revolutionized today’s digital marketing landscape immensely. They have become the first choice for businesses to attract new customers through engaging content. They can easily connect with audiences and drive sales in a way never seen before.
The possibilities are endless with these short-form videos, and nowadays, many new players have also come into the game. So, the future of digital marketing is more captivating!
