The US Short-Video Landscape

What Marketers Should Know About TikTok, Instagram Reels, and 4 Other Players in This Fast-Changing Space

Report by Debra Aho Williamson  | Mar 15, 2021
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Table of Contents
Executive Summary
Social Entertainment Is a Bona Fide Trend
Marketer Usage Is Growing
TikTok
Instagram Reels
Snapchat Spotlight
YouTube Shorts
Triller
Dubsmash
Key Takeaways
Insider Intelligence Interviews
Read Next
Sources
Media Gallery
About This Report
User-generated short videos are all over the internet, from TikTok to Instagram Reels to Triller, and the marketing opportunities are exploding. Here’s how the main venues compare across usage, paid advertising, organic and influencer marketing, and commerce.
Topics
Social Media Marketing
Social Media Usage
United States
Table of Contents
Executive Summary
Social Entertainment Is a Bona Fide Trend
Marketer Usage Is Growing
TikTok
Instagram Reels
Snapchat Spotlight
YouTube Shorts
Triller
Dubsmash
Key Takeaways
Insider Intelligence Interviews
Read Next
Sources
Media Gallery

Executive Summary

The short-video landscape is exploding. Here’s how the main platforms—which also include Snapchat Spotlight, YouTube Shorts, Triller, and Dubsmash—stack up as venues for organic and influencer marketing, paid advertising, and social commerce.

Why are short entertainment videos an important marketing trend?

Both the user base and the amount of time spent in these venues are growing. As prime places for user-generated content (UGC) and influencer marketing initiatives as well, the apps are starting to play a larger role in social commerce.

Which short-video platforms are the most important ones for US marketers to know about?

TikTok is the clear leader. Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube are still working on gaining momentum for their relatively new offerings. Standalone apps Triller and Dubsmash (the latter recently acquired by reddit) are two other players carving out niches.

How can businesses use short videos for organic or influencer marketing?

For some marketers, creating their own videos has helped increase organic engagement. Marketers are also using these platforms for social listening to discover trends. Partnering with creators is a significant opportunity on nearly all of the short-video platforms we examined.

What are the ad opportunities in short videos?

Of the properties we studied, only TikTok and Triller carry paid advertising, although the others plan to eventually. TikTok’s ad offerings are more plentiful than Triller’s at this point. One large advantage that Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube will have, once they start offering short-video ads, is that many marketers are already used to their tools and systems and may find it easy to extend their buys.

WHAT’S IN THIS REPORT? This report explores six reasons why short, UGC videos are an important trend and profiles the marketing opportunities in several key venues.

Average Time Spent per Day by US Users on Social Media Platforms, 2020 (minutes)
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KEY STAT: Adult monthly users of TikTok in the US spent an average of 33 minutes per day on the app in 2020. That’s greater than the time spent on either Instagram or Snapchat.

Here’s what’s in the full report

2files

Exportable files for easy reading, analysis and sharing.

26charts

Reliable data in simple displays for presentations and quick decision making.

25expert perspectives

Insights from industry and company leaders.

    Table of Contents

    1. Executive Summary
    2. Social Entertainment Is a Bona Fide Trend
    3. Marketer Usage Is Growing
    4. TikTok
    5. Instagram Reels
    1. Snapchat Spotlight
    2. YouTube Shorts
    3. Triller
    4. Dubsmash
    5. Key Takeaways
    1. Insider Intelligence Interviews
    2. Read Next
    3. Sources
    4. Media Gallery

    Charts in This Report

    Average Time Spent per Day by US Users on Social Media Platforms, 2020 (minutes)US Teens and Adults Who Use Instagram vs. TikTok, Jan 2020-Jan 2021 (% of respondents)
    Social Media Platforms Used by US Digital Video Viewers to Watch Video Content, 2019 & 2020 (% of respondents)Social Media Platforms Used by US Digital Video Viewers to Watch Video Content, by Age, Dec 2020 (% of respondents in each group)
    Average Time Spent per Day by US Users on Social Media Platforms, 2017-2022 (minutes)Social Networks: Average Time Spent in the US, by Platform, 2018-2022 (minutes per day among population)
    Average Time Spent per Day Watching Digital Short-Video* Content Among US Internet Users, by Age, Oct 2020 (% of respondents in each group)Share of US iOS Netflix Users Who Also Use TikTok, Q4 2019 & Q4 2020 (% of total)
    Most Important Quality that Makes Digital Short-Video Content Shareable According to US Internet Users, by Age, Oct 2020 (% of respondents in each group)What Types of Influencer Content Do US/UK Social Media Influencer Followers Want More of? (% of respondents, May 2020)
    Expected Change in Digital Platform Investments According to Client-Side Marketers and Agency Executives Worldwide, Oct 2020 (% of respondents)Social Media Platforms on Which Retailers Worldwide Are Currently Buying Social Media Ads, Oct 2020 (% of respondents)
    Social Media Platforms on Which Retailers Worldwide Plan to Increase or Decrease Their Ad Spending During 2021, Oct 2020 (% of respondents)Social Media Platforms Used for Advertising and Marketing by US Small Businesses, July 2020 (% of respondents)
    TikTok Users in the US, 2019-2024 (millions, % change, and % of internet users)Frequency with Which US Internet Users Use TikTok, by Age, Sep 2020 (% of respondents in each group)
    UK/US Social Media Influencer Followers Who Have Started Using TikTok to Follow Influencers During the Coronavirus Pandemic, May 2020 (% of respondents)Amount of Instagram and TikTok Content that US Instagram and TikTok Users Believe Is From Influencers, Jan 2021 (% of responses)
    Have US Internet Users Ever Purchased a Product They Have Seen on TikTok? (% of respondents in each group, Sep 2020)US Teens/Adults' Experience with Select Short-Form Video Platforms, Jan 2021 (% of responses)
    Most Important Platforms Used for Influencer Marketing According to US Marketers, June 2020 (% of respondents)Which Platform Do US Digital Video Viewers Spend the Most Time Watching User-Created Videos on? (% of respondents, Aug 2020)
    Platforms Where Teens/Adults in Germany, the UK, and the US Engage with Influencers, Sep 2020 (% of respondents)Channel Most Likely to Lead to a Purchase According to Internet Users in Germany, the UK, and the US, Sep 2020 (% of respondents)
    Short-Form Video Platforms US Influencers Use in Addition to TikTok and Instagram Reels, Aug 2020 (% of respondents)Channels on Which Marketers in Germany, the UK, and the US Prefer to Work with Influencers, Sep 2020 (% of respondents)

    Interviewed for This Report

    Candice Beck
    Chipotle Mexican Grill
    Senior Manager, Social and Digital
    Interviewed January 15, 2021
    Bonin Bough
    Triller
    Chief Growth Officer
    Interviewed January 21, 2021
    Gayitri Budhraja
    e.l.f. Cosmetics
    Vice President, Brand
    Interviewed February 2, 2021
    Audra Carson
    Post Consumer Brands
    Senior Director, Integrated Marketing Communications
    Interviewed January 22, 2021
    Shamsul Chowdhury
    Jellyfish
    Vice President, Paid Social
    Interviewed January 6, 2021
    Simon de Beauregard
    Pernod Ricard
    Global Director
    Interviewed January 11, 2021
    Michael Dobson
    Horizon Media
    Vice President, Social Media Strategy and Buying
    Interviewed January 11, 2021
    Paul Donato
    Advertising Research Foundation
    Chief Research Officer
    Interviewed January 21, 2021
    Lindsey Gamble
    Mavrck
    Innovation Strategist
    Interviewed January 14, 2021
    Sandie Hawkins
    TikTok
    General Manager, US Global Business Solutions
    Interviewed January 14, 2021
    Matt Higgins
    Blue Hour Studios
    Vice President, Strategy
    Interviewed January 19, 2021
    Mary Keane-Dawson
    Takumi
    Group CEO
    Interviewed January 21, 2021
    Kolin Kleveno
    Tinuiti
    Senior Vice President, Addressable Media
    Interviewed January 20, 2021
    Mike Lu
    Triller
    CEO
    Interviewed January 29, 2021
    Ross McCormack
    Havas Media Group
    Vice President and Director, Social Strategy
    Interviewed January 19, 2021
    Sean Naegeli
    Mavrck
    Co-Founder and Chief Influencer Officer
    Interviewed January 14, 2021
    Eric Petersen
    Weber Shandwick
    Senior Vice President, Platform Strategy
    Interviewed January 21, 2021
    Victor Potrel
    TheSoul Publishing
    Vice President, Platform Partnerships
    Interviewed January 12, 2021
    Peter Sellis
    Snap Inc.
    Senior Director, Product
    Interviewed January 22, 2021
    Vishal Shah
    Instagram
    Vice President, Product
    Interviewed January 14, 2021
    Vikram Sharma
    Crisp
    President
    Interviewed February 2, 2021
    Rogier Vijverberg
    SuperHeroes
    Founder and Executive Creative Director
    Interviewed January 14, 2021
    Allie Wassum
    Digitas
    Vice President and Group Director, Social Strategy
    Interviewed January 14, 2021
    William White
    Walmart
    CMO
    Interviewed January 14, 2021
    Maria Wollenburg
    DSW
    Manager, Social Media and Content
    Interviewed January 14, 2021

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    authors

    Debra Aho Williamson

    Contributors

    Blake Droesch
    Junior Analyst
    Jasmine Enberg
    Senior Analyst
    Nina Goetzen
    Analyst
    Zach Goldner
    Junior Forecasting Analyst
    Chris Keating
    Director, Research
    Natalie McGranahan
    Senior Researcher and Taxonomy Manager
    Oscar Orozco
    Director, Forecasting
    Melissa Rosenberg
    Senior Researcher
    Lauren Ruhlen
    Researcher
    Audrey Schomer
    Senior Analyst