Vertical video: a phenomenon of the times or bad taste?

Vertical video is a topic that occupies the minds of many specialists who professionally create various videos. For many years now, there have been debates about whether this format should be used in practice. Some consider it a useless solution that has no future, bad taste. Others, on the contrary, speak of vertical videos as a tool of the future, calling it a phenomenon of the present. Now we will try to figure out who is right and who is wrong.

As part of today's review, we will dwell in more detail on why vertical video has become such a popular shooting option today, and highlight the main advantages. We will consider a number of nuances that everyone who plans to use this video shooting format today must know. And there can be very, very many such people, since vertical video is now being shot not only for amateur stories, but also for creating professional advertising tools, full-fledged films. We will tell you how to create a vertical video, and provide a number of additional recommendations that will allow you to perform these works as professionally as possible. Let's talk a little about the prospects of this direction. The information provided will help you decide whether to use vertical video in your own work or to still rely on classic horizontal videos.

Why should you pay attention to vertical videos?

The vertical video format was first launched in full-screen mode by YouTube back in 2015. About a year later, the social network Instagram also paid attention to it, and 3 months later - Facebook. Both the platforms themselves and the users appreciated the vertical format due to the increased convenience of working with the same platforms from mobile devices. With YouTube, everything is also clear here, since most modern users watch video content from their smartphones. We must not forget that most users are simply too lazy to turn their phones horizontally, especially when it comes to half-minute advertising.

Gradually, this video format began to take root in the market. Thus, vertical advertising first appeared on YouTube from the Hyundai auto concern, which in 2019 demonstrated a new SUV model in this way. In this case, marketers paid special attention to monitoring the effectiveness of the launched advertising. And it is noteworthy that after it, the growth of attention to the brand increased by more than 12%, and recognition - by almost 35%.

Other studies were also conducted in this area, which clearly showed that users most often watch vertical videos, while horizontal ones are simply scrolled through. By the way, today even square videos are played vertically on social networks.

At the same time, the same studies showed that the cost per click for advertising launched in vertical format will be on average 30% lower than for horizontal ones, and the cost per view may well decrease by up to 60%. But the engagement rates, on the contrary, will be higher: by the middle, such videos are viewed on average 2 times more often than horizontal analogs. And this means that by launching advertising in the form of vertical video, you have every chance of attracting the maximum number of users and conveying your information to them.

But the increased convenience of demonstration is far from the only advantage of the vertical style in video content. In practice, its other advantages have already been repeatedly highlighted, in particular:

• Many shots in this format look much more presentable. As an option, this can be the architecture of buildings, structures, natural attractions, close-up shooting of people, display of perspective, etc.
• Many opportunities for improvisation. In this regard, horizontal videos are less flexible. They do not allow you to choose as many angles and solutions as vertical ones. This means that with such videos you have maximum opportunities for directorial work.
• Portrait videos are what give a sense of involvement in what you see. Classic horizontal solutions always build some kind of visual distance, while vertical ones, on the contrary, bring you closer, position you, and involve you.

All these features have led to the fact that today portrait videos are in high demand among business representatives.

What can vertical videos be used for?

If you specialize in promoting products and services on social networks, if you can be called an opinion leader, then you should definitely pay attention to the portrait video format. You can use them for:

1. Post. So you can record videos for stories, feeds, reels, clips. This solution is suitable for absolutely all platforms, both social networks and video hosting sites. You can create such a video very quickly and easily, with minimal material costs. Here you don’t even need to bother with locations, since the main emphasis will be on the person himself.
2. Advertisements. Above, we have already talked about how effective, convenient and advanced the solution was at your disposal. This is exactly the format that appeals to the user audience and evokes a positive feedback from them. Yes, its launch will require quite large financial investments, the involvement of specialists. Advertising vertical videos will be more complex to shoot and edit, but the effectiveness of such a campaign in practice will be quite high.

Regardless of the purposes for which you plan to use vertical videos, it is important to understand how to do everything as correctly and properly as possible.

What should be the aspect ratio for vertical shooting and the size of the video itself?

Today, the vertical video format can be seen in most social networks, especially in fairly young ones, such as TikTok, Snapchat. But this type of video broadcasting is also being adopted by platforms that can rightfully be called old-timers. But with all this, the standard parameters of all these platforms may differ from each other. Therefore, before proceeding directly to filming the video, it is important to understand two key parameters:

1. Size. This is a parameter that is measured in pixels. It indicates how many of these dots will be placed in the video vertically and horizontally. The closer they are to each other, the better the quality of the video will be.
2. Aspect ratio. This is directly the width and height of the image, that is, their proportional relationship. If we talk about vertical videos, then the most common format here is 9: 16. But, in principle, other solutions are possible in practice, in particular 4: 5, 2: 3.

We would like to draw your attention to the fact that many people believe that these concepts are synonyms. But from a technical point of view, these are still different things and they must be taken into account separately.

Why do you need to know all these nuances? Yes, because the technical characteristics of your video will directly affect how convenient it will be for viewers to watch, how much they will be able to see what you offer them. In addition, compliance with standardized sizes will allow you to get a final result that will be attractive to the user. It will exclude distortions, that is, the quality here will be higher.

How can I create vertical videos?

In order to get vertical videos for stories, as well as any other publications, advertising, you can use different methods:

• Shoot the video itself. This is one of the most popular and easy-to-implement ways to get a portrait video. In this case, you set the aspect ratio that suits you best and launch the camera. In addition, you will practically not have to make any adjustments or edit such a video later, since you already get the desired result from the start. When shooting portrait videos, it is best to use the same smartphones. They immediately shoot video at a size of 9:16, that is, there is no need for revision. But only in this case is it optimal to use gadgets that allow you to take high-quality photos and videos. Such solutions are mainly used for posting on social networks.
• Creating universal materials. In this case, we are talking about preparing material that can be used almost anywhere. Ready-made, unprocessed videos are used as the source here, which you can adjust in the editor to your own needs and the features of the sites for which they are intended. So, you may already have a ready-made horizontal clip, and you simply cut vertical frames from it and then launch it in the same social networks. To get such materials, you need to maximize the scale of the object when doing the work. Such a solution will allow you to subsequently get maximum editing options and get the desired result.
• Cropping finished material to a certain aspect ratio. We have already said that not every social network uses the same formats for video material. Therefore, if you plan to launch such content on different social platforms, then you initially need to shoot a video of the highest possible quality, and then crop it to suit the needs of a particular platform. So, as an option Instagram, IGTV and TikTok work with videos with an aspect ratio of 9:16, while Snapchat allows videos with an aspect ratio of 4:5. If you are not sure that you can crop the video without losing its resolution, you can simply add black bars or frames at the top or bottom of the screen, or even on both sides of the video itself. That is, as a result, you will get a video framed in a kind of frame, thereby maintaining its high quality. And these same frames can be used to place subtitles, add any signatures, voting conditions, etc.
• Scene cropping. This technology allows you to transform horizontal videos into vertical ones, while keeping the central element in focus. Today, most video editors support such a tool as automatic centering. It involves using the capabilities of artificial intelligence. That is, here you can transform your video into a format that suits you without manually changing the size of the clips.

You will also have the opportunity to create a video not only using a smartphone, but also on a personal computer. For this, there are also special software solutions designed to perform cropping, change the format of the video to the requirements of certain social networks. In this case, you will need to upload your video to the program, set the desired aspect ratio, use the automatic centering option so that the frame contains exactly the element you are focusing on and save the result. By the way, when exporting a video, it is important to set the data transfer rate and resolution so as not to lose the result.

Additional recommendations for creating vertical videos

To make your work on creating vertical videos as simple and effective as possible, so that you get the desired result the first time, use a number of simple recommendations. By the way, they will be useful even for those who are just starting their work with video content, that is, do not have certain knowledge and skills. In particular, we are talking about such basic rules as:

1. Try to avoid scaling. This is something that can lead to a significant deterioration in video quality. That is, digital zoom is not a solution that you should take into account. If you want to zoom in on an object, to detail it more, then don’t be lazy and just come closer.
2. Before each shooting, thoroughly wipe the camera. This solution will be especially relevant if you use your smartphone to shoot a video. The fact that it will be constantly in your pocket or bag will always be accompanied by certain dirt, which will ultimately negatively affect the quality of shooting. That is, keep a soft cloth handy to remove dust and fingerprints.
3. Use the so-called “rule of three” in practice. This is one of the main aspects of creating a harmonious composition. In this case, we are talking about dividing your entire screen into 9 equal rectangles. That is, they drew 3 vertical and 3 horizontal lines. When shooting, the main elements should be placed directly on these lines, including at their intersection. This will allow you to get the highest possible clarity of the video and make it effective in perception.
4. Never leave empty spaces in the frame. You can fill them with comments, captions, recommendations. Here you can place useful infographics, a call to action, contact information.
5. Fill the frame completely. We are not talking about the frames we talked about above, but directly about the video itself. And here you can choose one of the most suitable options for yourself: focus on the central element, placing it on most of the part, that is, getting as close to it as possible, or shoot a video at a certain distance, but at the same time choose a laconic and attractive background. Which option is right for you? Everything is individual here and depends directly on the idea itself.
6. If you are recording a panorama, do it as slowly as possible. If your camera movements are too fast, you will end up with blurry shots. The lack of detail in them will not allow viewers to understand your idea and see what exactly you wanted to show them.
7. Within the same video, you can change frames. Such a solution will give your video more dynamism, attract the attention of viewers, even if they watched the video, so to speak, "with half an eye".
8. Brevity is the soul of talent. This phrase will be relevant in this case as well. Do not make your videos too long. In a vertical format, they will not be perceived properly. Moreover, you must understand that you are working with social networks. These are the platforms where users' attention can instantly switch from one element to another. That is, try not to make videos longer than 1 minute. The optimal option here is 15, maximum 30 seconds. One minute is this is if you really have something to tell, to explain. No more.
9. Try to invest in the topics that social platforms offer. So, as an option, the same Instagram divides authors and viewers into separate categories, such as "Education", "Animals", "Sports", "Travel", "Business". In the description, you will need to indicate no more than 3 main topics that describe your video. Based on this information, the social network will show your material to the viewing audience. The optimal solution is to follow the same topic. This is what will allow social network algorithms to most accurately offer your material to interested viewers. This means its effectiveness will be higher. This really works in practice. Just look at how many famous bloggers work exclusively in one topic.

We will repeat again that it is better to shoot such videos on a smartphone with a good camera. In this case, you will just need to hold your gadget vertically. All modern smartphones record videos in 9: 16 format. But if you decide to use a video camera, then you will need to edit the width and height of the resulting material in order to create a full-fledged portrait video.

Advanced capabilities in creating vertical videos

To take your portrait videos to a new level, use the following recommendations:

• Adapt your video. The fact is that vertical positioning of the material takes up the entire screen on smartphones. This means that the maximum attention of the user audience will be focused on it. Moreover, this format does not look like advertising, but is perceived more naturally. You can also add a custom sticker or text to your video, which will make it more individual and look like natural material typical for this platform.
• Use classic rules and techniques for creating a composition. Here are our own recommendations that differ from what is relevant for horizontal videos. The thing is that on mobile devices, landscape videos are perceived completely differently than on the same computer or TV screen. They look more like something spontaneous, which in itself will arouse interest, rather than a well-thought-out strategy that a team of specialists worked on. The only thing that remains mandatory is the requirement to focus on the central element.
• Add a twist to your video. This is what will allow your videos to get into trends, will cause excitement among the consumer audience, and will allow you to distribute the product as effectively as possible. We will not give any recommendations here, since everything is individual and directly depends on what niche you work in and what market you are targeting. As an option, for some, a light, harmless joke will be a good solution, for others - a more detailed disclosure of information, for others - providing the most relevant information, such that has not yet been made publicly available. There are many options. You just need to know what your audience will like.

What did the studies of vertical videos show?

Our entire review today is based on studies that were conducted by different centers, services and individual specialists. And they all show one thing: the trend of vertical videos has firmly established itself in the modern market, especially in the field of social networks, in advertising. And its relevance will remain for a very, very long time. The whole point is that people are gradually using their own smartphones more and more, and not only to make calls, search for information on the network, but also to access social networks, work, watch YouTube videos. Therefore, if you plan to keep up with the times, you should reconsider your attitude to the portrait video format and rely on it when preparing materials.

Here are just a few figures confirming this opinion:

• in 2018, about 55% of users connected to social networks from smartphones;
• in 2019, the number of such users already amounted to 65%;
• in 2020, this figure exceeded 68%;
• in 2021 - more than 70%.
• today, more than 92% of users view social network content via smartphones.

Agree, the growth is stable and indicates that the trend will continue even in the rather distant future.

All this suggests that you need to follow where consumers are. If these are smartphones, then do everything so that they can view your material on their devices with maximum convenience, and, let's say, you will be happy. That is, everything simply comes down to the fact that the market is gradually moving to vertical, square videos and they need to be implemented, experiment with new approaches and look to the future of social networks.

To say that we are now in the midst of a video revolution? Probably, such a phrase will sound very loud, but this is exactly the trend. Vertical video, which was considered a mistake a few years ago, has become widespread today. This format prevails on all popular platforms today. They are used as an innovative way to share materials, personal opinions, advertise a particular product or service. At the same time, maximum detail and audience engagement are guaranteed. In addition, you do not need expensive equipment to produce them. Forget about video cameras, expensive editing programs and wasting time on the processing itself. Even in the middle segment of the market, there are more than enough smartphones that allow you to shoot really high-quality videos that can be immediately published in the feed, stories, reels.

But with all this, horizontal videos should not be discounted. They have worked, are working and will work for a very long time, but, let's say, in their niche. They will continue to be a priority in classic cinema, on television, including in advertising that is launched there.

The prospects of video in portrait format are also indicated by the fact that the South Korean company Samsung has already released the first vertical TV on the market. This is a full-fledged device developed specifically for fans of social networks, for those who scroll through hundreds, even thousands of video feeds every day. And this means that portrait video goes beyond mobile content, smartphones.

That is, we can say that recently there has been a division of video directions and, accordingly, their formats.

Let's sum it up

So why is vertical video, which until recently was considered something wrong, inconvenient, recently gaining mass popularity? The whole secret here is hidden in convenience, in particular in the fact that every day more and more people interact with the Internet through their smartphones. This is especially true for social networks, where videos are leading, attracting the attention of more and more people. In addition, to obtain such content, you no longer need to use video cameras, perform special processing, spend time and effort on it. The shooting tool and viewing tool are now always at your fingertips. It is also safe to say that in the foreseeable future, the vertical video format will go beyond gadgets. We will see it everywhere around, including in outdoor advertising, on television and more

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