Vertical, viral and scrolling to the top: why short form content rules the feed
From sport to news, short-form video is shaping how live media is made, and monetized
Scroll through any social platform today and you’ll notice a familiar pattern: short, snappy videos designed to capture your attention within seconds. Whether it’s a behind-the-scenes look at a Champions League final or a breaking news snippet from broadcasters, short-form video has become the language of modern content. It’s fast, mobile-first, emotionally resonant and increasingly, vertical.
But this isn’t just a passing trend. It reflects a deeper shift in how audiences consume media, how platforms surface content and how creators, be they broadcasters, publishers, sports teams or influencers, connect with their communities. And it’s happening everywhere: from TikTok clips at the Club World Cup to immersive vertical highlights at the French Open.
The numbers speak for themselves: Gen Z overwhelmingly prefers short-form video to any other content format and social platforms are investing heavily in tools that prioritise vertical discoverability and monetization. That’s why DAZN partnered with TikTok to launch a mobile-first content hub for the Club World Cup, and why Whisper built a vertical storytelling strategy into its inaugural host broadcast of Roland-Garros.
Short-form isn’t just an add-on anymore, it’s quickly becoming the default.
What is short-form content, and what’s driving its growth?
Short-form content refers to video that typically runs under 60 seconds, though many platforms now favour even shorter bursts of 15-30 seconds. It’s usually produced in a vertical (9:16) format, built specifically for mobile screens, and designed to make an immediate impact. Whether it’s a highlight reel, a behind-the-scenes moment, a quick news update or a trend-driven reaction, short-form content thrives on brevity and emotional immediacy.
It’s not a new concept but its rise in both quality and frequency has been hard to ignore. What started as an experimental format has become a cornerstone of digital strategy for publishers, broadcasters, sports teams and brands alike.
So, what’s fuelling its dominance?
📱 Mobile-first habits
Mobile is the primary screen for most users. Vertical video removes friction: it’s full-screen, intuitive, and native to the platforms where people spend their time. TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts and others all reward this format because it matches natural usage patterns: one hand, no rotation, no delay.
⏱️ Shrinking attention spans…even for live video
We’re all feeling the squeeze: attention spans are shrinking across the board, and that’s being felt even in live video. Whether you’re watching a match, a press conference, or breaking news, the window to grab attention is narrower than ever.
Even long-established formats are adjusting. TED Talks, for instance, have shortened from 19 to 13 minutes to meet changing viewer behaviour. And in live sports and news, the same principle applies: keep it short, sharp, and engaging from the first frame.
This is where real-time and short-form shines. By publishing fast, mobile-native clips as events unfold, content teams can meet audience expectations without asking for their full attention span.
📈 Platform algorithms
Social media platforms are built to prioritise engagement and short-form video performs exceptionally well. Algorithms favour content that’s watched to completion, replayed, shared, and commented on, quickly. Short clips tick all those boxes. As a result, they’re often pushed higher in discovery feeds, making them more visible and more effective for audience growth.
Sports are leading the way, but the field is widening
Sport and short-form video, published in real-time, are a natural match. Big moments, raw emotion and unpredictability, all ripe for clipping and sharing in real time. But what’s changed recently is the sophistication and scale of how this content is being created.
Take the Women’s Six Nations: its 2023 edition carried the title sponsor TikTok, with a strategy built around vertical-first content, including highlight reels, player reactions, fan perspectives and backstage moments. Elsewhere, MLS clubs like LAFC have mastered post-match storytelling through TikTok, earning millions of views with tightly edited content tailored for mobile.
And this shift isn’t limited to top-tier leagues or broadcasters. National federations, from the ECB in cricket to the FA in football, are embedding vertical-first content into their media and sponsorship strategies. This demonstrates what started with viral clips is now a scalable, repeatable workflow. Short-form is a core pillar, not a side project.
Newsrooms and publishers are no exception
Not long ago, breaking news meant a rolling ticker on TV or a homepage refresh on your desktop. Today, it’s more likely to drop on TikTok or Instagram, filmed vertically, subtitled for silent viewing and compressed into 45 seconds or less.
A recent BBC report found that social media is now the most common way under-25s access news in the UK, with TikTok overtaking traditional television among 16-24s. That shift has major implications for how news is produced, not just distributed.
As VideoWeek reports, UK publishers are quickly adapting their digital strategies. It’s not just about breaking stories faster; it’s about making the story fit the platform. That might mean turning a report into a series of vertical explainers, resurfacing archive footage with added context, or capturing interviews natively in portrait mode for mobile-first platforms.
And crucially, it’s working. These formats are algorithm-friendly, audience-approved and increasingly supported by monetisation. For newsrooms, short-form is now central to staying relevant and trusted in a rapidly changing ecosystem.
More than views: the economics of going short-form
One of the most overlooked aspects of short-form video is how it’s quietly transforming the economics of digital content. Gone are the days of relying solely on pre-rolls or linear sponsorships. Today, monetization happens inside the platforms.
Today, creators and rights holders are increasingly generating income directly within the platforms themselves. Tools like TikTok Pulse, YouTube Shorts revenue sharing, and Instagram’s branded content features make it possible to earn directly from performance. Sponsored vertical series are also growing fast wish brand-funded clips designed to reach niche audiences through fast, agile campaigns.
And then there’s commerce. Short-form video is driving direct sales, from merch drops to live event tickets, through in-feed shopping and affiliate integrations.
As Sportcal notes, the economics of content have changed. The value is no longer locked in traditional broadcast deals. It’s flowing into the hands of federations, clubs, publishers and creators who can consistently deliver engaging, mobile-native video.
From trend to standard: making short-form content work at scale
Short-form video has moved from fringe trend to foundational format. It’s reshaping storytelling, shifting monetisation, and changing how audiences connect with content.
But delivering short-form video at speed during live events, across multiple platforms, with minimal crew is no small feat. It demands tools that are as fast and flexible as the format itself. That’s where Grabyo comes in.
Built for speed, collaboration and flexibility, Grabyo’s cloud-native production platform helps content teams move faster, without sacrificing quality. From live clipping and instant vertical formatting to automated subtitles and branded overlays, Grabyo simplifies the entire short-form workflow. Teams can collaborate from anywhere, publish directly to TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts and more, and keep up with the pace of modern media without missing a beat.
Whether you’re reacting to a last-minute goal or breaking a headline, Grabyo helps you turn moments into mobile-first content – effortlessly.
📲 Learn more about Grabyo’s vertical video tools →
