The last few years have seen the rise of short-form video content, with YouTube Shorts emerging as one of the most popular formats. According to reports, Shorts on YouTube are garnering more than 50 billion daily views – meaning that this is a content format that cannot be ignored.
YouTube Shorts marketing is now a popular way for luxury brands to reach new audiences. But how can luxury brands market on YouTube Shorts effectively, and what are the benefits? Here we explore some key ways luxury brands can harness the power of short-form video content on YouTube Shorts.
What are YouTube Shorts?
YouTube Shorts are a type of short-form video content launched by YouTube globally in 2021.
A Short is a vertical video of up to a minute in length, shown with other Shorts and alongside normal YouTube content. Shorts can appear in suggested videos, search results, channel homepages, notifications, and in a dedicated Shorts tab on the YouTube mobile app.
YouTube released Shorts to counter the increasing competition from TikTok, and creators can similarly benefit from a revenue-sharing model. While at first, Shorts were seemingly just used to repost TikTok and Instagram Reels content, they have many applications which are strengthened by YouTube’s unique position in long-form content and search.
Why should luxury brands use YouTube Shorts?
Luxury brands are no stranger to video content. For years, they have put out sophisticated and engaging content showcasing their brand. However, it is essential that these brands continue to innovate and utilise short-form content on YouTube as well.
Here are the top reasons why luxury brands should utilise YouTube Shorts.
Search
At least partially thanks to Google’s ownership of YouTube, Shorts are likely to show up in Google search results. This provides a very compelling option for those searching for something specific.
Rather than having to click on an article and deal with annoying pop-ups or ad-blockers or find the time to consume long-form video content, users can find what they are looking for by watching a video in less than a minute.
According to Synthesia, in the last 15 years, the average attention span has decreased from 12 seconds to 8.25 seconds. Brands have to work much harder to keep users engaged after convincing them to view their content.
For people short on time, YouTube Shorts is a great option. Short-form video content is also ideal for luxury brands as it allows them to reach a larger audience with their content.
Luxury Brands
For luxury brands, storytelling is essential to their brand identity. The recounting of excellent craftsmanship, impeccable customer service, and storied histories are quintessential to the content produced by luxury brands.
Luxury brands can reach those people by producing similar content in the form of YouTube Shorts. From new launches to storytelling, a luxury brand can ensure its message reaches those who may not wish to watch a longer video.
Luxury Applications
YouTube Shorts offer considerable benefits when it comes to covering luxury events and more. For a luxury fashion brand, for instance, Shorts are a way to cover their collection at a fashion show and expose it to more audiences.
For instance, someone interested in fashion channels or similar content could be exposed to the Short while scrolling. Yet, this same person may not have necessarily kept up with the specific brand or watched the entire show. Some luxury fashion brands, such as Prada and Louis Vuitton, have already embraced this, while others lag behind.
While fashion is a major use case, other luxury areas can benefit immensely. For instance, an entire hours-long reveal of a new luxury car can be condensed into a YouTube Short of less than a minute, providing a quick way for those interested to learn about the new launch.
Real estate is another area that can use Shorts to great effect. A tour of a villa or other property for sale or rental can be condensed into a Short, grabbing the attention of those who may be interested in the property. Similarly to real estate, this can be applied to yachting, providing a quick overview of a vessel. a
User-Generated Content
While not all YouTube shorts are reposts of TikTok content, there is a significant overlap. Something many luxury brands have embraced on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram is user-generated content (UGC).
UGC is immensely popular on YouTube and an opportunity for luxury brands to stand out from their competitors and appear less corporatised. While not a standalone strategy in the case of YouTube, as more professional content absolutely matters for companies, it can make your brand feel more at home on the platform. Relevance is a leading luxury digital marketing agency that specialises in targeting UHNWIs for the world’s most ultra-luxurious brands. If you are interested in reaching specific audiences, contact us today.