Introduction: The One-Size-Fits-All Mistake
You’ve just finished producing a brilliant video. Leadership loved it, and you’re ready to share it with the world. So you post it everywhere: LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube. Same video, same format.
Two weeks later, the analytics are baffling. It crushed on LinkedIn with thousands of views and actual leads. On TikTok? Twenty-three views. Instagram barely showed it to anyone.
The video wasn’t the problem. Your approach was.
Social platforms aren’t interchangeable billboards. A video that crushes on LinkedIn can die quietly on TikTok, not because it’s bad, but because it’s speaking the wrong language.
89% of businesses use video as a marketing tool, and short-form video delivers the highest ROI of any format. But that ROI only shows up when you match the right video type to the right platform.
So, let’s look at each platform one by one.
Check out our top ten tips for boosting engagement on social media.
TikTok: Authenticity Over Polish
TikTok broke every rule of traditional social media marketing.
That pristine 4K footage with perfect colour grading? It screams “corporate content,” and TikTok users scroll past it instantly. The platform wants authenticity over polish, with 15 to 30 seconds being the sweet spot.
Raw, behind-the-scenes content is effective because it feels authentic. Film on your phone. Show mistakes. Let personality shine through. Jumping on trends can drive virality, but only when they genuinely fit your brand. Quick educational content (“Three things nobody tells you about X”) consistently delivers.
What kills on TikTok: horizontal videos, anything over 90 seconds, overly scripted content, and trying to sound “young and cool.”
Instagram: Three Platforms in One
Reels
Reels run up to 90 seconds but perform best at 15 to 30 seconds. Product showcases work when they’re entertaining. Transformation content (before-and-afters, time-lapses) keeps people watching. Educational entertainment hits the sweet spot.
Stories
Stories are perfect for building genuine connections: day-in-the-life content, interactive polls and questions, and quick updates. Make people feel like insiders.
Feed
Feed videos stick around permanently. Brand storytelling in the 60 to 90-second range works well. Customer testimonials featuring real people sharing real results consistently perform well.
YouTube: Where Length Actually Matters
YouTube Shorts
At 60 seconds max, 15 to 30 seconds optimal, YouTube Shorts serve as discovery tools. Teasers for longer content work exceptionally well. Deliver one compelling insight, then direct viewers to the full video.
Long-form
Long-form content is where YouTube shines, and is what most people are used to. In-depth tutorials, thought leadership interviews, and detailed product demos can run as long as necessary. YouTube users come looking for substantial content.
LinkedIn: Short and Professional
LinkedIn video uploads grew 34% year-over-year in Q4 2024, with viewership up 36% in Q1 2025.
The surprise: LinkedIn users prefer videos shorter than 15 seconds, with a 23% increase in engagement for videos under 30 seconds. They’re scrolling between meetings.
Thought leadership snippets deliver maximum impact. One powerful idea in 15 to 20 seconds, zero fluff. Industry insights backed with data. Company culture content when it’s authentic. Client success stories. Event highlights.
What tanks: generic corporate montages, committee-created mission statement videos. LinkedIn users are 20 times more inclined to share video content, but only if it’s worth sharing.
Facebook: Community First
Community-focused content thrives. Live video generates remarkable engagement. Longer narrative content (3 to 5 minutes) finds an audience here. User-generated content builds trust.
Format note: square videos (1:1 ratio) still outperform vertical on Facebook.
X (Twitter): Keep It Quick
News and announcements via video get more traction than text alone. Keep them under 60 seconds. Reaction and commentary videos align with Twitter’s conversational nature.
The platform limit is 2 minutes 20 seconds, but aim for under 45 seconds.
The Cross-Platform Reality
Creating platform-specific content takes more time than posting one universal video everywhere. But US social users are expected to spend 61.1% of their time on social networks watching videos in 2025, up from 33.3% in 2019. The results justify the effort.
You don’t need to create entirely different videos from scratch. Start with strong core content, then create optimised versions. Change aspect ratios, adjust pacing, modify opening hooks. Same content, different dialects.
Universal Principles
The first three seconds decide everything. Hook viewers immediately or lose them.
Subtitles aren’t optional. With 61.1% of time on social networks spent watching videos, often with sound off, videos requiring audio exclude huge portions of your audience.
Mobile-first means vertical or square. Design for mobile viewing first.
Value before promotion. Deliver entertainment, education, or inspiration before asking for anything.
Conclusion: Stop Broadcasting, Start Speaking
Creating one video and posting it everywhere isn’t a strategy. It’s laziness disguised as efficiency.
TikTok wants raw authenticity. Instagram wants visual storytelling. YouTube rewards depth. LinkedIn demands professional insights delivered efficiently. Facebook builds community. Twitter thrives on immediacy.
Master these differences, and your content dominates. Ignore them, and you’re shouting in the wrong language to audiences already scrolling away.
The platforms have given us the playbook. The only question is whether you’ll use it, or keep doing what’s easy instead of what’s effective.
Looking to create kick ass case study videos to boost your social media engagement and awareness? Then get in touch.
Lazy posting isn’t the only major video content mistake brands make every day. Here are ten more!