New Trend: Long Attention Spans For Long Videos
A football match is 90 minutes. However, pre- and post-match analysis can take hours or even days. For example, when this group of Manchester United fans come together to commentate on matches, they receive more than 500 thousand views.
American drama series Vampire Diaries 171 episodes. But this is not enough for millions of people. Fans want more. This fact is clearly demonstrated by the fact that this 2.5-hour video, which is a series review by YouTube content producer Jenny Nicholson, has been watched approximately 9 million times.
Additionally, when the role-playing video game Elden Ring was released in February, fans posted countless videos such as playing guides. In total, Elden Ring content was viewed 3 billion times in 60 days.
It is said that we live in a time when attention spans are short and tiny content is popular. But a 2022 Ipsos survey of thousands of Generation Z participants shows that these users are more willing than ever to watch hours of video content related to topics they care about. Users want to access more content on the topics they love.
Let's follow and take a closer look at the content that Generation Z loves right now.
There is a lot of interest in "fan culture" content
We are currently in the era of the "professional" fan. Viewers want to access content that covers topics such as movies, television, and sports in detail. The rise of YouTube and podcasts were also effective in the development of this desire. Thanks to these, fan-focused content creators can share their thoughts and ideas with an increasingly engaged audience. 61% of Generation Z describe themselves as a "huge fan" or "super fan" of someone or something.
These fan channels became the focal point of the entertainment experience. These channels enable viewers to discover content related to their passions, no matter how unique. Nearly 60% of Gen Zers have used YouTube to find more content about a show or movie they just watched.
Additionally, thanks to the channels, when fans find these content creators, they can connect with like-minded people. Nearly three-fifths of users said they learned that creators were creating content about a topic they didn't know other people were interested in, using the comments section to spark lively discussions.
When people find a community of like-minded people, they embrace it wholeheartedly.
https://youtu.be/1XL3qPQiilE
The rise of video articles
Long-term content is not produced only on topics where fan culture is effective. Video articles lasting 25 minutes to an hour are also becoming popular. In video articles, creators talk for a long time about different topics such as history, science, fashion and philosophy.
Nicolas Szmidt, a Google expert on YouTube culture, says users searching for video articles on YouTube have steadily increased over the past three years. “Video articles are increasingly gaining traction as users seek deeper insight into areas they are passionate about.”
These articles help creators build loyal audiences. Creators who added longer videos to their content saw more viewer engagement on their channels.
Video makalelerde içerik üreticinin hikayenin tamamını tüm açılardan anlatmak için daha fazla imkanı oluyor. Video düzenleme teknolojisindeki gelişmeler ve erişilebilirlik, prodüksiyon değerlerinin genelde şaşırtıcı derecede yüksek kalitede olmasını sağlıyor.
https://youtu.be/ATITdJg7bWI
Advertisers are also starting to use long formats to tell their stories and engage audiences. More than 80% of ads that won at least a Silver Lion at Cannes in 2020-2021 had a running time of 60 seconds or longer.
Exploring short form and long form
Of course, we know that viewers are not just looking for long videos that they can watch without getting up. They also love watching short videos. In many cases, watching short videos pushes Generation Z to more comprehensive videos containing detailed information, explanations and analysis. In our latest research, we see that 59% of Generation Z watch longer forms of videos they discovered on short-term video applications.
Marketers looking to capture the attention of Gen Z audiences must understand that this group wants a detailed, personalized experience that is relevant to them.
Don't be afraid to move away from generic content and delve into areas of expertise by ensuring your brand gets the attention of trusted experts on YouTube. You will be surprised to see how large and interested audiences can be in their areas of expertise.
Young people in Generation Z are aware of their passions. They just want to learn more about their passion. They are also willing to spend time exploring.
