Shorts vs Long-Form: The Truth Every Creator Should Know

Every content creator today is facing one question should you go all-in on short-form Reels/Shorts for viral reach, or focus on long-form videos & podcasts for long-term growth?

Here’s the reality, based on deeper research and real numbers:

1) Short-form (Reels/Shorts) feels exciting

1 viral post, overnight reach, phone flooded with notifications.

But the same viral shorts (1M views) gets you only ₹5-24 thousand.
(About $10–60 in the US scenario)


The same 1M views on a long-form YouTube video can get you ₹1–2 lakh (or $1200–6000+).

That’s the gap.

Why?

Platforms reward watch time, not just views.

Platforms like YouTube & Instagram want you creating short videos. Why?

– 60–80% finish a 30-sec video, only 20–30% complete a 30-min one

– 60 short videos mean 60 ad slots, 1 long video = 1–2 ad slots

– Each swipe = 15x more data points for the platform to learn from

2) For content creators:

– Short-form brings FOLLOWERS
– Long-form brings TRUST—and sales
– Most brand deals, product sales, and e-courses come from long-form videos, podcasts, and deep interviews

– No one pays ₹50,000 for a course after watching a reel they do after binging 3 hours of your content.

Even Gary Vee & BeerBiceps use both:
• Use Shorts to get attention
• Use long-form to build strong revenue streams

Gary Vaynerchuk’s Approach:

– Creates pillar long-form content, then cuts it into dozens of short clips distributed everywhere.
– His philosophy: “Be where attention is, but build where trust pays.”

BeerBiceps (Ranveer Allahbadia) Strategy:

– 2-3 hour podcast episodes with A-list guests form the foundation.
– Instagram Reels are just appetizers that drive people to the main course.

But here’s what most ignore:

Short-form content is TRULY rewiring our brains

Research shows that heavy social media use correlates with reduced attention spans and impaired cognitive control. 5 years ago, you could watch a 3-hour movie without checking your phone.

Today, 10-minute videos feel too long.

– Attention spans are collapsing
– But deep focus is what separates top professionals from the crowd
– In 2025, your ability to focus for 30+ min is your secret weapon

3) So, how to win?

Follow the 70-20-10 Rule for content:
Creators:

– 70% focus = long-form (foundation, money, trust)
– 20% = short-form (repurpose main video, new experiments)
– 10% = collabs, newsletters, lives
Consumers:
– 70% should be podcasts/videos/masterclasses
– 20% strategic Shorts/Reels, only to discover deeper content
– 10% newsletters/reading

Key:

– Don’t obsess over views
– Focus on watchtime, retention, & monetization
– Stop chasing scattered virality
– Start building content assets that compound
– Both formats are TOOLS – not destinations
– Short-form gets you noticed
– Long-form gets you PAID

India: 600M+ daily viewers: 385M IG users
70B Shorts views/day: 490M YT users

But the creators who make a living?
They play the long game.