Latest / Video Marketing with Fexingo: Short Form, Long Form, and Video-First Strategy / Why Video Marketers Should Test Vertical Video
Transcript
- Lucas: Luna, I want to start with something that I think a lot of marketers still get wrong — the assumption that vertical video is just a social media gimmick. Luna: Oh, I hear that all the time. 'Vertical is for TikTok dances, not for serious brand content.' Lucas: Right. And I think that take is increasingly outdated. We're now in 2026, and the data tells a different story. According to a recent report from Wistia, vertical video has a completion rate of roughly 85 percent on mobile — versus about 65 percent for horizontal. That's a twenty-point gap. Luna: Twenty points is huge. But is that just because people hold their phones vertically and don't want to rotate? Or is there something deeper about the format itself? Lucas: It's both, honestly. But I think the format advantage is real. Vertical video fills the entire screen on a phone — no black bars, no distraction. That immersive quality means the viewer's attention is more captive. You've seen it with Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts — the algorithm favors vertical because it keeps people in the app longer. Luna: So you're saying we should be shooting everything vertical from now on? What about long-form content, or cinematic storytelling? Lucas: Not everything. But I am saying that if you're a brand and you're not at least testing vertical for your key marketing videos, you're leaving engagement on the table. Let me give you a specific example: Nike. Earlier this year, they launched a campaign for their new running shoe — the Vaporfly 4 — and they created a vertical-only documentary series. Each episode was about 90 seconds, shot entirely in 9:16, and distributed on Instagram and TikTok. They saw a 40 percent higher share rate compared to their previous horizontal campaign. Luna: Okay, but Nike has a massive budget. What about a small business with a limited video team? Lucas: That's actually where vertical shines. You don't need a full production crew. A good phone camera, decent lighting, and a clear message — that's often enough. The key is to think in vertical from the start. Don't shoot horizontal and then crop it — because you end up cutting off half your subject or having awkward compositions. Luna: I've definitely seen brands do that. They post a horizontal video on Instagram with big black bars top and bottom — it looks like a window into another screen. It breaks immersion. Lucas: Exactly. And that's one of the biggest mistakes. The other is treating vertical like you're just holding the camera sideways. The aspect ratio changes the geometry of storytelling. In horizontal, you have a wide canvas — you can show landscapes, group shots, product demos with lots of context. In vertical, you're forced to be more intimate. Close-ups, single subjects, tighter framing. Luna: Which actually forces better storytelling in a way. You have to be deliberate about what the viewer sees. Lucas: Yes. And that's a discipline that translates well even if you later repurpose the vertical footage into a horizontal edit — you've already thought about focal points. Now, one thing that surprised me is how vertical video is moving beyond social feeds. Live streaming platforms like Twitch and YouTube are now recommending vertical broadcasts for mobile viewers. Even LinkedIn — which was historically a horizontal platform — has started prioritizing vertical video in its feed algorithm. Luna: LinkedIn? That's interesting. Because LinkedIn users are typically professionals who might be watching during a work break. Vertical is perfect for that quick, scrollable consumption. Lucas: Right. And the data backs it up. LinkedIn reported that vertical video posts see two times the engagement of horizontal ones. So if you're creating thought leadership content, a vertical clip of you explaining a concept can outperform a polished horizontal interview. Luna: But what about the argument that vertical video is just a trend — that attention spans are shrinking and we're all just chasing short bursts? Is this really a strategic shift or just a reaction to algorithm changes? Lucas: That's a fair challenge. I think it's both. But the shift feels structural. Mobile-first consumption is not going away. And the 9:16 format is native to the device in your pocket. Brands that resist it are fighting how people actually watch video. Now, that doesn't mean you abandon horizontal for everything. For a cinematic brand film meant for a website or a conference screen, horizontal is still the standard. But the majority of video views are happening on phones, and the majority of those are vertical. Luna: So what does a good vertical video strategy look like in practice? Walk me through it. Lucas: First, you need to decide what kind of story you're telling. If it's a product demo, vertical can work beautifully — you show the product in the user's hand, close up. If it's a customer testimonial, frame the person centrally with a clean background. Keep text overlays large and legible — remember, people often watch with sound off, even in vertical. Luna: Right, captions are non-negotiable. Lucas: Absolutely. Second, think about the first two seconds. Vertical video is designed for the scroll — you have to stop the thumb. That means a strong visual, a bold word, or an intriguing question right at the start. Luna: And that's different from horizontal. In horizontal, you can rely on a slow build — a landscape shot that gradually reveals something. Vertical doesn't have that luxury. Lucas: Exactly. Third, consider the vertical canvas in layers. You have the bottom third where you can place captions, logos, or progress bars. The middle third is where the action is. And the top third is for branding or a hook. Some creators use the top third for a headline — 'Three tips for better SEO' — while the middle shows them talking. Luna: That's a good mental model. I've seen Red Bull do this really well — they'll have a vertical video of an athlete doing a trick, but they'll use the top third to show a timer or a branded logo, and the bottom for speed data. Lucas: Red Bull is a great example. They were early adopters of vertical because their content is action-packed and mobile-friendly. But it's not just about extreme sports. Think about a brand like Mailchimp — they use vertical for quick tutorials and feature announcements, very clean and branded. Or Warby Parker does vertical try-on videos. Luna: What about repurposing? If I have a library of horizontal content, can I convert it to vertical without starting from scratch? Lucas: You can, but you have to be smart about it. The worst approach is to just add black bars. Better to reframe the shot — zoom in on the speaker, or use a split-screen effect. Some tools let you use AI to track the main subject and crop dynamically. But honestly, the best vertical content is shot vertical. Repurposing is a stopgap, not a strategy. Luna: So if a marketer is listening right now and wants to test vertical video, what's the first step? Lucas: Pick one platform — say, Instagram Reels — and commit to posting vertical-only for thirty days. Doesn't have to be perfect. Shoot on your phone, use natural light, keep it to sixty seconds or less. Measure engagement and completion rates against your horizontal benchmarks. I bet you'll see a lift. Luna: And if you don't, at least you've learned something about your audience. Lucas: Right. And that's the point. Vertical video is not a magic bullet. But in a mobile-first world, ignoring it is a missed opportunity. Luna: Speaking of missed opportunities — you know, if these marketing conversations have sparked something you've actually used or tested, even just the idea of trying vertical video, that's exactly the kind of value we hope you get from this show. Lucas: Yeah, and if today was worth a coffee to you, honestly, that's the link — buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. It's literally how we keep this ad-free and focused on what works. Luna: No pressure ever. But if you've found value, that's where you can show it. Lucas: Exactly. And back to vertical — I want to mention one more thing I've been tracking. There's a growing trend of vertical video used in webinars. Platforms like Zoom and Riverside now support vertical recording. Some brands are doing vertical Q&A sessions where the speaker is framed centrally and slides are overlaid on the top third. Luna: That makes sense for mobile attendees. If someone's watching a webinar on their phone during a commute, a vertical format is way more comfortable. Lucas: Right. And I think that's the frontier — vertical video moving from social gimmick to core marketing channel. So my takeaway for listeners: don't dismiss it. Test it. And when you do, shoot vertical from the start. Luna: I'm convinced. I'm going to try it with my next client project. Lucas: Let me know how it goes. We can do a follow-up episode on your results. Luna: Deal.