Bite-sized videos the future of Showbiz?

It is indeed a fast-paced world we live in, evident by our incessant need for instant gratification in every aspect of our lives. A phenomenon that bite-sized video formats on social media have capitalised on, becoming immensely popular among users, who spend hundreds and thousands of hours each year watching reels and Tiktoks.

You've probably seen celebrities promoting their upcoming projects with Instagram reels and TikTok, as you scrolled through your feed. Be it brand collaborations or a look behind the scenes, these short videos can reach millions of people in the blink of an eye.

"As we are living in a world that is rapidly changing, we have to be fast. Our time is limited, which is why people don't watch long videos. To promote our content, we use short and informative videos as they are more popular among viewers," said Sunerah Binte Kamal, who came into the limelight for her film "No Dorai".

Sunerah is always active and flamboyant on social media, especially on Instagram and Tiktok, where she posts updates about her work and personal life, including travel vlogs and brand promotions. She has 395,000 followers on Instagram and 225,000 followers on Tiktok.

"I use Instagram and Tiktok to reach out to my followers. Sometimes, if I work on a project, I post behind-the-scenes footage on my accounts," said Sunerah.

Talking about whether Instagram and Tiktok can replace conventional mediums of promotion, she said, "I don't think these short videos are going to replace the traditional mediums such as billboards, posters, or press meets. Instagram and Tiktok have come a long way by popular demand. These digital mediums have added a new dimension to the promotional business."

Meanwhile, another popular small-screen actress Mumtaheena Chowdhury Toya thinks that these new technologies will absolutely replace conventional mediums.

"The world will never go backwards. It will only move forward in terms of technology. When everyone has access to smartphones and most use these apps, why would you use old-school mediums for promotions?" said Toya.

Toya started her journey in showbiz with Lux Channel i Superstar (2010). Although she wasn't crowned the winner, she went on to grab the audience's attention with her amazing performances on the small and big screens.

Habib Wahid

She goes by the name "Bananonina Papoi" on Instagram and has about 2.5 million followers on her account.

On Instagram, she is seen regularly posting short videos of recent work and daily life updates. Mostly, she collaborates with various well-known brands and posts reels to promote their product.

Toya thinks that the rise of Instagram and Tiktok in promoting content has actually made things difficult for them, as now they have to work harder to attract audiences in just 15 seconds.

She also stated that people have so many options nowadays that they will swipe right away if they don't like your content.

"We have to captivate our audience in seconds and convey what we are offering. It might look easy but it's actually very stressful and time-consuming," she added.

Toya also believes that the audience is partially responsible for the replacement of the old mediums for promotion as marketing and branding will adopt mediums to which the audience is more attracted.

In media industries around the world, there has been a sudden upsurge in the use of reels and TikToks by celebrities to connect with audiences, mostly during the COVID lockdown.

Sunerah Binte Kamal

Celebrities started sharing life updates through short videos as their followers were stuck at home and it was the only way to reach them.

Now, most celebrities use the same means to promote their work, as it is more efficient and easier than any other medium.

However, can it really replace the traditional way of promoting content, i.e through a press meet or a launching ceremony?

Popular actress Bidya Sinha Mim, who is now enjoying the best time of her career with two back-to-back hit films, thinks that these short videos can never replace the charm of meeting your fans and promoting your work in person.

"I think it's always necessary to promote your projects and upcoming work by meeting your fans. However, reels and Tiktok help us connect with audiences more easily, but they can't replace the charm of holding press conferences and promoting your content in person."

Mumtaheena Chowdhury Toya

Mim is always very active on social media, posting pictures, photoshoots, and videos. On special occasions, she often connects with her fans and followers by going live on social media. She has 3.5 million fans on her Instagram account.

"I used to post videos on social media even when it wasn't trendy. Sometimes, when I'm getting ready for a shoot, I film the process and post it online. Reels and short videos can help reach a wide variety of audiences, but if one wants to be a good artiste, one should meet their fans in person and promote their project," she added.

During COVID, renowned singer Habib Wahid turned to Tiktok to reconnect with his audience. He thinks TikTok has a very good fan base in Bangladesh, and people like to use this platform for entertainment.

Last year, one of his songs, "Beni Khuley," became a trending sound on Tiktok, with many popular artistes lip-syncing and dancing to it, including Bidya Sinha Mim, Nusraat Faria, Sunerah Binte Kamal, and Mumtaheena Chowdhury Toya.

"I try to use every medium that is available. I go with the flow and this helps me connect with my audience more easily. Reels and Tiktok obviously reach more people than any other platforms as people are always on their phones," said Habib.

"I think now it's easier to keep track of my views through these short videos. I can also see audience feedback immediately, which was not possible in the past. We had to wait a long time to get feedback from our fans and followers," he added.

Habib also said people now use their phones to learn about new things, so it's clear that it has taken the place of traditional advertising methods.

"People don't watch television or billboards because they don't have the time now. If we want to reach out to our audience, it's very important to shift according to their demand," he said.

Talking about how different media industries are adapting the modern way of promoting their projects, Gavin Baker of Baker Marketing Laboratory told Forbes, "It's an ongoing trend, but short-form videos continue to dominate social media algorithms and keep users more engaged than other content—especially when they come across as authentic rather than produced."

Geoff Crain, Senior Director, Sales & Marketing at Kingstar Media and member of Forbes Councils, thinks at the end of the day, the future of social media advertising will continue to revolutionise the way we interact with it. Due to shortening attention spans, we will most certainly see a shift to more organic short-form videos in the future. People scroll quickly, therefore advertisements must capture their attention within the first few seconds.

Although the consensus is still out on whether modern platforms will actually replace the traditional means of promoting content, one thing is for certain, the age of social media is here and it is here to stay.

So, it is wise for any upcoming or even established artistes to make the best of it.