Short-form media is here to stay. Bite-sized video clips and mobile-ready images are the content fans reach for first, and investment is following them there. Per HubSpot's marketing strategy and trends report, 90% of global marketers planned to maintain or increase their investment in short-form video — the format they intended to invest in more than any other, with 21% planning to try it for the first time.
That tracks with how fans behave. 66% of consumers reported short-form video to be the most engaging type of social media content. Below is what every league, team, and competition needs to know to capture, create, and distribute short-form digital media that fans actually watch.
What Is Short-Form Media, Exactly?
Short-form media is any photo or video created for consumption on mobile devices and social platforms. Videos are short, and both photos and videos are usually captured in portrait view — a 9:16 ratio built for the phone.
Generally, any video under 60 seconds counts as short-form, though the exact length varies by platform. TikTok videos range from 15 seconds to 10 minutes; Instagram Reels run from 15 to 90 seconds. The length is enough to feature a game highlight or a player interview, short enough to live natively on social.
Short-form also includes photos sized for mobile — vertical for stories, square for feeds, horizontal for X, YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn. And it reaches far beyond social, into digital and non-digital channels alike. More on that below.
Capturing and Creating Short-Form Digital Media
Compelling short-form media requires no professional camera, sound, or lighting rig. No makeup, no hair, no catering. Today's fans want immersion, authenticity, and the feeling of being there. Polished, heavily edited video doesn't resonate the way a first-hand snapshot does — a unique view or an exclusive peek at an event, a player, or other fans. Big marketing budgets don't translate directly to big fan engagement.
The most engaging short-form media is often better without pro gear. A smartphone and some creativity are enough to start recording the scenes and moments that matter to fans.
That's why leading sports organizations now hire live content creators (LCCs) — sometimes called social media creators — instead of, or alongside, photographers. Capturing short-form media is part of creating it: it's the content itself and the creator's vision for how that content gets shaped in post. Sound, music, graphics, editing — all part of the process. Creators know what resonates on social, and they deliver cut and uncut video that engages fans more passionately than a staff photographer shooting for print or a broadcast operator shooting for TV.
Some editing comes after the fact or during the match. But first-hand, up-close shots are what today's fans are looking for.
TikTok
Short-Form Videos
Short-form videos grab attention and hold it. They're so effective that TikTok users find videos longer than a minute "stressful," and videos under 60 seconds make up 57% of YouTube views. As attention spans shorten, short-form video keeps viewers engaged.
It's also easy to digest — concise, informative, and entertaining, delivering the nugget of any topic right away. Because it's snackable, it's highly shareable, which makes it a fast way to start conversations and build awareness.
Spontaneity is the edge. Short-form is often filmed fast and on the go, which makes it perfect for sharing trends and unfiltered moments. For any organization not already building for it, now is the time.
The Most Effective Types of Short-Form Digital Media for Sports
A creator with a phone can capture countless moments before, during, and after an event. But the more it looks like a broadcast, the less it lands with younger fans. They want authenticity, new experiences, and behind-the-scenes content. They want highlights, yes — and they want short-form that looks like it came from their favorite creators. A few of the types that resonate most:
Game Highlights Are Short-Form Videos
Many sports marketers and execs hear "short-form video" and immediately think of highlight clips. Highlights are a type of short video — but they aren't the same as content built for social by a creator. Highlights are usually clipped from a linear broadcast in a video editing suite. They deliver the key moments of the game, race, or event, yet they don't keep fans scrolling on Instagram and TikTok the way original short-form does. The best short-form video might include highlights, but it carries color and a viewpoint — it isn't just news, it's entertainment.
All-Access Content, Captured by Creators
All-access content delivers an exclusive view into the event — pre-game arrivals, warm-ups, post-match wind-downs, player exits. Die-hard fans want to be part of the experience, and casual fans convert into devoted ones when engaged. Filmed on phones rather than broadcast equipment, all-access media is immersive: creators take cameras into dugouts, benches, locker rooms, and hallways — anywhere a person fits. Behind-the-scenes media captivates fans, differentiates a team or league's channels from a TV broadcast, and carries real media-rights revenue potential. To take it all in, fans watch two screens — which 94% of Gen Z does now.
TikTok
Personal Player Interviews
Fans want a peek inside athletes' lives. Short-form is perfect for exclusive, impromptu interviews right after the game — on the sideline, on the court, in the player's home, anywhere apart from the official broadcast booth or step-and-repeat. Fans know the official interviews will be sterile, and they want authenticity: training regimens, daily routines, the mental framework that keeps a superstar at the top. These stories stand out, and they get better when the athlete takes the creator's phone and films themselves.
Athlete-Created Selfies
What's better than an athlete beating a club record and turning to the camera to say what it means? An athlete-created selfie commemorates the moment, delivers emotion and passion, and gives fans a unique window into the player's thoughts. Athletes sometimes need prompting — a brief or a light script for more structure. Other times they just need a phone and deliver an impromptu monologue that conveys their personality.
Pre-Game and Halftime Scenes
Broadcasts that start right before a game leave no room to set the mood. Pre-game shows are fine, but they don't capture the experience of being there — athletes warming up, practice laps, a stadium filling in. There's magic in the atmosphere, and some teams are known for elaborate pre-match introductions, like the LA Clippers and Seattle Kraken. When broadcasts can't or don't deliver these scenes, social and mobile apps can — immersing fans in the traditions and pageantry so they feel like they're at the venue.
TikTok
User-Generated Content (UGC)
Short-form media can also be created by fans and distributed by teams and leagues. Gathering fan-created UGC is tricky, and securing sign-off to use it can be hard. But delivering fan content engages fans on social like nothing else — they get to participate, contribute, and be part of the sport they love, then promote that content to their own audiences. Even better, fans capture views broadcast teams and creators miss. That buzzer-beater from every angle becomes a compilation that delivers a truly immersive experience.
Short-Form Content Distribution
Most people assume sharing short-form media on social networks is the only use. But as fans demand more of it, short-form is showing up across traditional distribution channels too. See how the workflow runs end to end on the Greenfly platform.
Short-Form Content on Social Media
Social is where fans consume short-form first — ideal for engaging loyal and casual fans alike, and a natural fit for league and team accounts. Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, and TikTok are especially popular places to watch. Facebook brings massive reach, and short-form is gaining on LinkedIn. Every platform has adapted and added functionality to carry this media far and wide when it's captivating.
Player Sharing on Social Media
Organic reach for official accounts only goes so far. Platform algorithms favor individual accounts over business ones, and fans prefer authenticity. Following a team keeps you on top of the news, but connecting with an organization isn't the same as connecting with a person. That's why fans connect directly with athletes — first-hand, with all the feelings and emotions, riding the ups and downs through that person's eyes.
When athletes share short-form media on their own accounts, they engage fans directly, often with more reach and more engagement than official channels. The catch: they won't post without a continuous feed of video and photos to share. Players are a team's biggest influencers — when they speak proudly of their achievements, it reflects positively on the team, league, and sport, and it lifts sponsors with more impressions and engagement. Sharing short-form with athletes improves player relations almost every time. See how this plays out for sports organizations.
Broadcast Promotions and Programming
Beyond social, broadcasters and OTT operators use short-form media for promotions on digital platforms — organic posts and social ads that pull casual fans toward full games. With so many platforms and channels, fans need reminding where and when to tune in. Broadcasters are also putting short-form media, especially photos, into their programming: hosts reference in-studio monitors to showcase highlights and behind-the-scenes content in pre-game shows, post-match wrap-ups, and halftime shows.
Branded Mobile Apps and Short-Form Video
Leagues are publishing short-form media in their own mobile apps. The NBA does this especially well, with a dedicated "Must See Moments" section showcasing short-form video formatted for mobile. FIFA published short-form content in its FIFA+ app during the 2022 World Cup, some of it captured by creators at Fan Fests around the world. For any sports league, team, competition, or association serious about capturing short-form digital media — or delivering the media they already have to the staff, athletes, and partners who need it — Greenfly is the leader in short-form digital media management for sports organizations.
Short-Form Digital Media: FAQ
What is short-form media?
Short-form media is any photo or video built for mobile and social consumption — typically video under 60 seconds, though formats like YouTube Shorts run up to three minutes. It delivers a message or moment instantly, is easy to scroll through, and is usually formatted vertically in a 9:16 aspect ratio for phones.
Why is short-form content important?
Short-form content is the format fans consume fastest and share most. It's engaging, easy to distribute, and reaches a wider audience because of its shareability. Fans consider short-form videos 2.5 times more engaging than long-form, and 66% rank it the most engaging type of social media content — which is why it sits at the center of fan engagement strategy.
What makes a good short-form video?
Keep it short and focused on one topic, use strong visuals and good audio, and tell a story that builds an emotional connection. For sports properties, the goal is bringing players' personalities to fans and giving them insight into the human side of the athlete. Short-form isn't limited to video — it includes images, posts, and stories consumed in a short amount of time.
Does short-form video help drive audience tune-in to live broadcasts?
Yes. Used as a promotional tool, short-form media creates awareness on digital channels for upcoming events, games, and programming. Giving right-holding broadcasters access to short-form media helps them drive tune-in to live games — 59% of Gen Z watch longer versions of videos they discover on short-form video apps, pulling audiences from digital apps to larger screens.
Put your short-form media to work
See how leagues, teams, and brands capture, create, and distribute short-form digital media on Greenfly.