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1. The Short-form Surge

In 2025, short-form is no longer just an optional extra. It's the frontline of digital brand presence.

Why it works:

• Audiences are scrolling faster than ever
• Algorithms reward regular posting (especially on TikTok and Instagram Reels)
• It’s low-lift, high-reach, great for frequency and testing ideas

Local proof:

• We’ve seen tourism operators in Queenstown grow thousands of followers from 30-second “day in the life” reels
• Auckland retailers are using TikTok to announce flash sales with insane engagement
• Creators and founders are building trust with behind-the-scenes selfie videos shot in one take

Short-form is all about volume, vibe, and visibility. If you're not in the feed, you're invisible.

2. When Long-form wins

But don’t write off long-form, it’s still king when it comes to trust, education and conversions. Long-form allows you to explain your offer, your values, your process and it lives longer, good content here drives leads for years and builds authority.

Local proof:

• NZ Tech brands like Adaptiv are using 2-3 minute Case Study videos to convert B2B clients
• NZ Travel and Toursim companies like Tomahawk are working with us to create beautiful, cinematic videos to immerse their customers in the experience.
• Construction firms are winning tenders by embedding long-form video to market properties.

3. Repurosing your content

The smartest brands we work with aren’t choosing between short form and long form, they’re repurposing. Shoot once, cut multiple times.

We’ll film a single long-form piece (say, a 3 minute brand story) and pull out:

• 15-second Reels
• 1x teaser for LinkedIn
• BTS moments for Stories
• and the full cut for the website and YouTube

This approach gets maximum value from your shoot day and helps you stay consistent across platforms.

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4. Key takeaways

• Short-form grows awareness, fast and can be an affordable quick solution.
• Long-form drives depth, loyalty and leads. Authentic story telling is best brough to life through a video that is around 2 minutes long.
• Use both and always create with your platform and audience in mind.

Need Help Choosing the Right Format?

At Create X Wonder, we help NZ brands plan shoots that work across both worlds. Whether you need Instagram reels or a cinematic hero piece, we’ve got the tools and the team to bring your vision to life.

Let’s chat about what would move the needle for your brand.

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