Video Content Statistics in 2025 (with Graphs)

The world of video content is evolving at a pace faster than ever before. And in 2025, things have absolutely turned explosive. From the dominance of short-form videos to the rise of user-generated content, brands and creators are leveraging every new trend to get an edge on their competitors.

If you are one of those brands or creators, it’s natural to ask yourself at the moment: what sort of videos are people watching right now? What do I need to create to go viral on the internet? Is there a secret formula that I don’t know? Well, this article is going to answer all these questions for you!

Here, we have gathered up the most up-to-date statistics about the rapidly evolving video marketing landscape that highlight new and emerging trends that are set to make waves in years to come.

Let’s get right into it!

Short-Form Videos Are the Most Engaging

Short videos generate 2.5 times more engagement than long-form videos.

Short-form videos gained widespread popularity back in 2013.

But the craze they have right now is absolutely mind-blowing, especially with the rise of new platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts. Today, nearly 92% of all marketers use short-form videos as part of their strategy for the simple reason that they are highly popular among their audience, helping them generate 250% higher engagement compared to any other video format. [1]

73% of consumers prefer short-form videos to learn about products or services.

The time for long-form reviews is gone… at least for most products.

Now people like videos that are short, to the point, and provide just enough information to help people make a buying decision. Hence, 73% of consumers today prefer short-form videos to learn about a product. A significant chunk of these consumers consists of Gen Z and millennials. [2]

Videos approximately 26 seconds long receive the most comments.

Although this statistic is specific to Instagram, it stands true for every other platform as well.

Let’s take X, for example. Videos that get their message across in the first three seconds see a 13% increase in breakthrough metrics compared to video that takes longer. [3]

User-Generated Content (UGC) Drives Engagement

79% of people say UGC impacts their purchasing decisions.

Influencer marketing is good for publicity.

But when it comes to actual purchasing decisions, it’s slowly losing credibility due to lack of authenticity. What people like  more now are authentic reviews that are made by real users. That’s one of the biggest reasons why UGC is now more popular among the audience than ever before. So much so that consumers find UGC 9.8 times more impactful than influencer content when making a purchasing decision. [4]

86% of brands now use UGC in their marketing campaigns.

Brands are moving to UGC (user generated content) because it brings a level of authenticity to their marketing that nothing else can.

And that’s not even a statement. It’s a data-backed fact. Just to give you an idea, over 92% of users trust word of mouth and UGC more than other forms of content. Similarly, 86% of users find UGC more influential than brand photos or product videos, with 86% of brands seeing improvement in their campaign performance by using UGC. Other than that, it has also been shown to increase brand loyalty among users. [5] [6]

Educational and How-To Videos Are Widely Shared

44% of consumers prefer watching an explainer video over reading product descriptions.

Let’s agree on one thing!

No one likes to waste time reading up on a dry, 500-word generic product description when they have a 1-minute, much more detailed, and beautifully made video right in front of them. Thus, we have explainer videos getting more popular than ever before. They are entertaining, detailed, and provide all the necessary information in less than a minute without putting one to sleep. [7]

38% of global marketers used explainer videos in their campaigns.

Nothing brings a more loyal audience than consistent, helpful explainer videos.

Given their effectiveness, explainers were the second most-used type of videos used by global marketers in 2023 and 2024, with most of the explainers generated being in the educational and how-to categories. Testimonial videos and social media videos came 1st and 3rd on the list. [8]

Live Streaming Continues to Grow

28.4% of internet users watch live-streamed content weekly.

Live streaming has enjoyed a growing demand among internet users over the years, especially post-COVID, reaching a peak viewership of 30.4% of the total online audience in 2021.

Although the percentage stands at 28.4% as per the latest stats, it has somewhat remained consistent since 2022, indicating a stable, if not growing demand among the audience for live streaming. [9]

20% of YouTube’s live audience watches news and politics.

As YouTube continues to dominate the live streaming arena at the moment, the hottest categories that attract the most live audiences remain news and politics.

It is followed by entertainment and gaming. The platform attracts 7 million-plus users daily on average, with most of the content shared in English. [10]

Behind-the-Scenes Content Increases Brand Trust

87% of audiences enjoy behind-the-scenes content about brands they follow.

In order to make a true connection with your audience, you need to give your brand a personality.

And that can only be achieved through simple and authentic content. Apparently, audiences love it when brands provide them with unfiltered and unpolished behind-the-scenes videos. It could be some bloopers, candid moments, or even office environment tours. [11]

Lo-Fi and Authentic Videos Resonate More

Lo-fi content is increasingly used by brands to build authenticity.

Your content doesn’t always have to be high-budget and polished.

Sometimes, just a phone-recorded video with enough substance can do the job for you. It really humanizes your brand, and might even help you go viral on the internet. All you need to do is just resonate with your audience’s emotions, and that’s it. You don’t even need an expensive camera for that. [12]

Influencer Collaborations Lead to More Shares

Influencer-driven video content generates more engagement than traditional brand videos.

While influencer-driven campaigns might not be as successful as UGC, they certainly drive more engagement compared to traditional brand videos.

A research study conducted by ResearchGate concluded that influencer-driven content generates 11 times more engagement compared to brand advertisements, with other studies taking the figure up to 20 times. Of course, the figures could be high and low depending on the type of platform, but those are solid numbers nevertheless. [13]

Captions and Subtitles Increase Shareability

80% of the audience is more likely to complete a video with subtitles.

Ever wondered if putting the subtitles in your videos is even worth it?

Well, what the data says might shock you. According to a survey conducted by Prepply, at least 50% of Americans turn on subtitles most of the time, among whom 80% belong to Gen Z. [14] Similarly, 80% of the audience are more likely to watch a video to completion if it has subtitles and captions included. Some YouTube channels even saw a 7.32% increase in their views after adding captions and subtitles to their videos. [15] [16]

In other words, adding subtitles and captions are very much worth it, especially if you are a brand looking forward to reaching a broader audience.

Experimental Editing and Visual Effects Capture Attention

Brands are using experimental editing to enhance engagement and shareability.

The quality of video put out by a brand significantly influences the audience’s trust.

Keeping that in check, more and more brands are moving towards experimental editing techniques to increase their overall engagement. The most recent trend we got to see is the use of AI in videos, which, although received mixed responses, surely created some buzz. [17]

Currently, around 18% of businesses are using AI-generated elements in their content, which, combined with unique visual effects, creates a distinctive visual experience that captivates the audience right away. Whatever effect and technology you use in your videos is really up to you. Just make sure to stand out. [18]

Keyword-Driven Content Optimizes Video Reach

6% of top ranking videos had titles with exact keyword matches

Video or written content, the importance of search engine optimization is something you cannot ignore.

75% of top ranking videos used related keywords addressing search intent and 6% had titles with exact keyword match. The mentioned statistics underscore the importance of using the right keywords in the right places to improve your visibility on the search engine. Remember, every video doesn’t just go viral and attract millions of views. Sometimes, you really have to go into the nitty-gritty of technical SEO to ensure your video gets all the visibility it deserves. [19]

Need a Fantastic Short-Form Video for Your Social Media?

Making a proper short form video is hard. It required condensing a lot of information into a few seconds, that too, while keeping it entertaining. The good news is, we know how to do that! As seasoned creatives, we know how to turn your ideas into creative masterpieces that deliver your brand message. Get in touch now, and let’s create a short-form video that stands out! Kasradesign.com/get-a-quote