Short-form, big impact: What creators can teach performance marketers

In 2025, the battle for attention is being won in under 60 seconds. 

Short-form video is increasingly delivering measurable performance outcomes. 

This article explores how you can harness short-form video and creator-driven content as part of a performance marketing strategy. 

The rise of short-form: More than just eyeballs

With YouTube Shorts alone amassing over 70 billion daily views, engagement metrics are no longer the only measure of value. 

“The untapped potential of short-form video and creator content on YouTube,” a recent study from YouTube and eMarketer, highlights how powerful this format has become.

The study found that creator content influenced 49.5% of U.S. social shoppers to purchase something via social media platforms in 2024.

This also reflects a broader trend seen across platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and even LinkedIn: attention spans may be shrinking, but demand for human authenticity is growing. 

As AI tools accelerate video generation, the temptation is to mass-produce content.

However, an over-automated short-form quickly loses the human touch, which is what makes it effective. 

Indeed, with the proliferation of AI-generated content, expect to see increased demand for human perspectives and authentic content in the years to come.

Brands should use AI to augment, not replace, creator input.

Authenticity ranks as the top factor in building trust with younger audiences, per Capgemini’s 2024 Consumer Trends report.

Why creators are outperforming traditional ads

The same study from YouTube and eMarketer found that creator-led content consistently outperformed traditional brand advertising in driving purchase intent and brand recall. 

Consumers perceive creators not only as relatable but as trusted sources of product discovery – particularly in verticals like beauty, gaming, tech, and fashion.

What sets creator-led short-form apart is:

• Native fluency: Creators know how to leverage platform-native features, from TikTok sounds to YouTube Shorts editing styles.
• Trust: Up to 61% of Gen Z and Millennials trust influencers they follow as much as personal friends.
• Creative agility: Many creators iterate content faster than brands can brief, shoot, and approve a single video.

For performance marketers, this is a compelling proposition – creator partnerships can outperform traditional assets while accelerating content velocity.

Creators are not just for B2C

Creator strategies are particularly important in B2B, where influencers add a layer of credibility to the brands they work with. 

LinkedIn research shows that subject matter expertise is the main trait of B2B influencers.

What performance marketers can learn

1. Short-form as a performance strategy

Short-form algorithms reward fresh content and experimentation. 

Traditional A/B testing is too slow and narrow, so if you’re looking to start trialing short-form content as part of your media plan:

• Test multiple hooks in the first three seconds to keep people watching.
• Trial different formats (e.g., voiceover vs. direct-to-camera).
• Split-test CTAs (e.g., pinned comments vs. on-screen overlay).

TikTok’s Creative Center offers built-in testing tools, but don’t worry too much about having hugely polished videos. 

The point of this format is to showcase authenticity and build human connections with your audience.

Dig deeper: How advertisers can capitalize on vertical video

2. Focus on authenticity over polished videos

So many brands get stuck trying to deliver high-end content that they end up doing nothing. 

The art of short form is authenticity. 

Users aren’t expecting cinematic production – they’re expecting human insight and entertainment. 

Authenticity wins attention and, more importantly, trust.

For example, the technology retailer Currys has done an amazing job of this in the UK. 

Their TikTok strategy leans into lo-fi humor and relatable scenarios, often featuring their own staff in everyday settings rather than professional actors. 

One standout example is their “Tech Support Guy” series, in which a fictional employee gives quirky, brutally honest advice on gadgets. 

The advice is both informative and irreverent, and it feels native to the platform.

3. Develop creator partnerships

Creators bring reach, relevance, and increased content velocity.

The key is to focus on credible voices in your niche: subject matter experts, educators, and micro-creators who already have trust and a following within your audience.

How to get started

• Use creator marketplaces like TikTok Creator Marketplace, Instagram’s Creator Marketplace, YouTube BrandConnect or platforms like Collabstr and Aspire to source partners by niche, audience demographics, and past performance.
• Tap into LinkedIn for B2B creators, searching for creators by topics (e.g. AI, martech, sustainability) and reviewing engagement metrics on their native content.
• Leverage your existing customers or community for UGC. Often the most authentic advocates are your existing customers.
• Offer a creative brief, not a script. The best results come when creators are trusted to tailor your message to their audience in their own voice.

Treat creators as strategic partners, not ad placements; you’ll see much more creativity and better results.

4. In B2B, lean on your employees

In B2B, employee advocacy outperforms brand pages. 

Your people, from sales engineers to product managers, are your most credible storytellers. 

B2B employees typically have 12 times more organic reach (followers) than brand pages.

With this in mind, encourage your team to share content such as:

• Insights or learnings from their role or industry.
• Reactions to trending news or updates in your space.
• Behind-the-scenes glimpses of work, processes, or events.
• Personal takes on challenges your customers or peers might relate to.

Arming your team with a smartphone and some basic editing software such as Veed.io makes short-form video accessible to even the smallest budgets. 

It will create authenticity that resonates more than corporate comms ever could.

Tip: Equip employees with tools (like video prompts), and incentivize participation. 

Not everyone will want to be on camera, but those who do can become influential voices for your brand.

The creator-led future of performance marketing

Today, influencers, creators and employee advocates are highly impactful in both B2B and B2C buying processes. 

With the rise of AI-generated content, real people and communities will help brands gain attention and maintain authenticity.

Short-form video has now evolved into a foundational pillar of modern media strategy.

It’s time to rethink your approach to content – from polished perfection to nimble, authentic, and native-first.

Dig deeper: How to get better results from Meta ads with vertical video formats