February 17, 2026
SpicyTruffel/Depositphotos.com
Are Brands Sleeping On YouTube?
In a recent column, Malique Morris, senior e-commerce correspondent for The Business of Fashion, argued that fashion brands are “sleeping” on the opportunity to employ longer-form content via YouTube to take consumer engagement to the next level.
Morris notes that many brands only use YouTube to post their runway shows (or advertising spots), and are wary of developing longer-form videos “because of a perceived pressure for high-production value — many people watch YouTube on 4K television screens.”
Morris cited a number of firms — including handbag maker Parker Thatch, menswear boutique Canoe Club, and German e-tailer Zalando — recognizing that consumers are interested in longer-form videos to learn more about their favorite brands.
He wrote, “There aren’t usually massive sales bumps in the short term, but the level of engagement brands can get on YouTube through comments and shares can help build a new legion of passionate customers who will eventually purchase, and want to stay connected with the brand for years once they do.”
Sprout Social in its social media outlook for 2026 stated that short-form video continues to rank as “one of the best ways to connect with your audience and reach new followers,” with TikTok’s average video post lasting 35 seconds.
While Short Video May Drive Brand Interest, Long-Form Video Is Also Seeing Uptake
However, the social media management and analytics platform said brands have recognized the value of lengthier video, with TikTok videos initially having a maximum length of 15 seconds but now lasting as long as 10 minutes, Instagram Reels expanding from a 15-second limit to as long as three minutes, and YouTube Shorts expanding from a 60-second limit to up to 3 minutes.
Sprout Social also noted that, according to its 2025 Impact of Social Media Report, 68% of marketers agreed YouTube was among social media platforms driving the most business impact, second only to Facebook, at 70%.
“Social-first video will remain central, but audiences are fracturing across platforms,” Tameka Bazile — creator and associate director, B2B Social and Content at Business Insider — told Sprout. “YouTube is especially well-positioned to win on both sides: it’s capturing streaming eyeballs in the living room and still holding strong influence in creator culture. That dual power is only going to grow.”
In a blog entry, Kim Pederson — SVP, client partner, Kantar — writes that YouTube has evolved from an advertising platform defined by reach and impressions supporting brand awareness to a “cultural ecosystem” delivering relevance and influence. She urges brands to shift from traditional pre-roll ads, or the short video advertisements playing before the main video content, to lean into lengthier videos playing up storytelling, authenticity, and creator partnerships for a more full-funnel approach.
Pederson writes, “YouTube is no longer just a media channel. It’s a cultural stage. But too many brands still treat it like a dumping ground for repurposed TV creative. The result? Wasted spend and missed opportunities.”
BrainTrust
Tom Ryan
Managing Editor, RetailWire
Recent Discussions
Discussion Questions
Are brands underestimating the marketing opportunity around long-form videos (and original content) on YouTube overall?
Will short-form videos continue to dominate social-media engagement or do long-form videos have unexplored advantages?
Poll
When it comes to social channels, YouTube is a way down the batting order for brands in both advertising dollars and content creation. The latter is largely because brands can only do so much, and other social outlets tend to be prioritized as they are easier to monetize. On the advertising front, there is likely an untapped opportunity – especially among younger audiences. However, with the rise of retail media and other marketing channels, there is only so much spend to go around.
With YouTube consistently pushing 15s or 30s unskippable ads before their videos, advertisers are foolish not to see this as a viable medium to advertise.
This topic is quite difficult. I spent a career relying on long form advertising. Clearly, consumers and potential customers want to know more than companies are offering today — meaningful things about how a product brings value. Shifting to YouTube, though, it is easy to get video of any length online but very hard to get it watched at a level significant enough to make a difference.
For a YouTube long form campaign to add value for a company, viewing must be driven by other advertising and communication work. IF a company can find the right ways to do that, it can be brilliant. The communicating leading people to view YouTube, though, is extraordinarily difficult and not often successful.
Yes, I think brands are missing an opportunity. It’s not as easy, though, as making long form content and putting it up on YouTube.
Things seemed to be getting hinky on YouTube. Lately, I’ve noticed long-time YouTubers using code words, saying “for entertainment purposes only” every five minutes, and encouraging listeners to head to their Substacks for unfiltered content. Some are openly sharing fears of being de-monetized lest they slip up (by whatever new standards are triggering warnings). Those who don’t rely on YouTube for income (but “play” their content on the platform) seem to still be letting it fly. Not sure what’s going on, but it sounds like the opposite of the “authenticity” that brands strive for.
Short answer — yes, many brands are still underestimating the opportunity around long-form video and YouTube. Short-form platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels dominate headlines for their speed and viral potential, but long-form video offers something different: depth, education, credibility, and sustained engagement. In a recent conversation on my podcast with Ajay Bam from Vyrill, I was reminded of how powerful video commerce can be when brands leverage both short- and long-form content strategically. Smart brands are using video not just for awareness, but to drive measurable sales — connecting product education, reviews, and authentic storytelling directly to commerce pathways on YouTube and TikTok.
Short-form will absolutely continue to dominate in terms of quick engagement and discovery — it’s snackable, algorithmically amplified, and culturally native to younger audiences. But long-form video has unexplored advantages, particularly for higher-consideration categories. When a shopper wants to understand how a product works, compare options, or see real-world usage, long-form content builds trust in ways a 20-second clip simply cannot. It also creates stronger SEO value and a longer shelf life, especially on YouTube, where content can continue to drive traffic long after it’s posted.
The opportunity for brands isn’t choosing one format over the other — it’s building a video ecosystem that moves consumers from discovery to education to purchase. Those who treat YouTube as just another ad channel are missing its role as a search engine, community hub, and commerce driver. As video increasingly shapes shopping journeys, brands that invest in thoughtful long-form storytelling alongside short-form engagement will likely see stronger conversion, loyalty, and lifetime value than those chasing virality alone.
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When it comes to social channels, YouTube is a way down the batting order for brands in both advertising dollars and content creation. The latter is largely because brands can only do so much, and other social outlets tend to be prioritized as they are easier to monetize. On the advertising front, there is likely an untapped opportunity – especially among younger audiences. However, with the rise of retail media and other marketing channels, there is only so much spend to go around.
With YouTube consistently pushing 15s or 30s unskippable ads before their videos, advertisers are foolish not to see this as a viable medium to advertise.
This topic is quite difficult. I spent a career relying on long form advertising. Clearly, consumers and potential customers want to know more than companies are offering today — meaningful things about how a product brings value. Shifting to YouTube, though, it is easy to get video of any length online but very hard to get it watched at a level significant enough to make a difference.
For a YouTube long form campaign to add value for a company, viewing must be driven by other advertising and communication work. IF a company can find the right ways to do that, it can be brilliant. The communicating leading people to view YouTube, though, is extraordinarily difficult and not often successful.
Yes, I think brands are missing an opportunity. It’s not as easy, though, as making long form content and putting it up on YouTube.
Things seemed to be getting hinky on YouTube. Lately, I’ve noticed long-time YouTubers using code words, saying “for entertainment purposes only” every five minutes, and encouraging listeners to head to their Substacks for unfiltered content. Some are openly sharing fears of being de-monetized lest they slip up (by whatever new standards are triggering warnings). Those who don’t rely on YouTube for income (but “play” their content on the platform) seem to still be letting it fly. Not sure what’s going on, but it sounds like the opposite of the “authenticity” that brands strive for.
Short answer — yes, many brands are still underestimating the opportunity around long-form video and YouTube. Short-form platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels dominate headlines for their speed and viral potential, but long-form video offers something different: depth, education, credibility, and sustained engagement. In a recent conversation on my podcast with Ajay Bam from Vyrill, I was reminded of how powerful video commerce can be when brands leverage both short- and long-form content strategically. Smart brands are using video not just for awareness, but to drive measurable sales — connecting product education, reviews, and authentic storytelling directly to commerce pathways on YouTube and TikTok.
Short-form will absolutely continue to dominate in terms of quick engagement and discovery — it’s snackable, algorithmically amplified, and culturally native to younger audiences. But long-form video has unexplored advantages, particularly for higher-consideration categories. When a shopper wants to understand how a product works, compare options, or see real-world usage, long-form content builds trust in ways a 20-second clip simply cannot. It also creates stronger SEO value and a longer shelf life, especially on YouTube, where content can continue to drive traffic long after it’s posted.
The opportunity for brands isn’t choosing one format over the other — it’s building a video ecosystem that moves consumers from discovery to education to purchase. Those who treat YouTube as just another ad channel are missing its role as a search engine, community hub, and commerce driver. As video increasingly shapes shopping journeys, brands that invest in thoughtful long-form storytelling alongside short-form engagement will likely see stronger conversion, loyalty, and lifetime value than those chasing virality alone.