"Short-form video is swallowing a growing amount social media time, which already commands more attention than ever According to GWI's Connect the Dots 2026 report, on average, global consumers spend about seven hours and six minutes on social media every single week. And it's also no surprise that a further six hours, 39 minutes are spent on short-form videos. Given that short-form videos predominantly live on social media, together these formats take the lion's share of consumer attention - far more than any other type of media."
"For brands to maintain their loyal audience, they need to give them more of what they want so they don't disengage. And what they want to see is more original content series. When social media users were asked what they want brands to prioritize most, more than half (57%) said they want the brands they follow to post more original content series, according to Sprout Social's 2026 trends, which cited a Pulse Survey conducted last year."
Short-form video and social media together capture the majority of consumer attention, with global users averaging seven hours, six minutes on social media weekly and a further six hours, 39 minutes on short-form video. Consumers increasingly prefer serialized, original content series, with 57% asking brands to post more episodes to retain loyalty and deepen engagement. Episodic brand content allows deeper topic exploration and recurring viewer attachment to characters and narratives. Advertisers are responding, with 84% of U.S. advertisers prioritizing social media spending. The living room is becoming a strategic battleground as platforms and advertisers follow audience attention.
Read at Digiday
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