How Fortune 500 companies are rethinking internal live video – and why you should too

Video content is getting shorter. TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts have reshaped video consumption, forcing creators and brands to distill their messages into mere seconds.  

But does this trend extend to the enterprise world? Are internal communications and corporate events shifting toward short-form content, or is long-form video still king? 

If you're leading enterprise communications, you’ve likely noticed a shift. Prominent organizations spanning industries from consulting to pharmaceuticals are embracing a mix of both long and short-form videos, each suited to different use cases. Early patterns suggest that a hybrid approach is the future – one that balances brevity with depth. 

Is 15 minutes > 50 when it comes to live video?  

Short-form content is gaining traction in internal communications for its efficiency and sustained engagement. Our own data insights into enterprise video consumption support this: in 2024, short-form and on-demand video exceeded the volume of live streamed events by nearly a factor of 4 – some live events running as short as a mere 6 (!) minutes.  

If employees are inundated with long meetings and email threads, quick, to-the-point videos can be a game-changer. You might consider short-form videos for: 

• Short leadership updates  

• Training & micro-learning snippets   

• Urgent announcements, such as large-scale policy changes  

• Recaps of major events (spanning hours to days) 

• Crisis communications  

Short-form content ensures that employees stay informed without requiring them to sit through long meetings or sift through emails. 

When long-form is the way to go 

But not everything can be condensed into a bite-sized clip. Some communications require depth, discussion, and detail. Long-form content is still essential for: 

• Corporate town halls & all-hands meetings  

• Complex updates, Q&A sessions, and cultural messaging  

• In-depth training & onboarding 

• Strategic discussions & panel talks  

• Extended compliance & regulatory updates  

While short-form video is powerful for quick updates, long-form video remains the backbone of enterprise communication. The reason: Some messages simply can’t be condensed into a highlight reel. 

How to make every video count  

With video consumption steadily on the rise and the global enterprise video content management market projected to reach $29.1 billion by 2030 (growing at a CAGR of 9.2% from 2023 to 2030) the importance of versatile and reliable video solutions cannot be overstated.  

No matter what mix of short and long-form video you choose, ensuring high-quality, seamless delivery remains critical. This is where many organizations struggle. How do you guarantee that every employee – regardless of where in the world they are located – can access video communications without buffering, delays, or disruptions? 

Hive Streaming has been operating in the enterprise video space for nearly two decades. Having supported multiple Fortune-listed organizations with their internal video communication efforts, Hive’s product and engineering teams have developed a range of essential video event management tools, which enable companies to:  

• Ensure seamless streaming of videos of any duration – even at low-bandwidth sites  

• Pressure-test the network and the entire video infrastructure chain to secure events 

• Be able to act on video stream disruption alerts in real time 

• Access actionable analytics individually tailored to IT or Communications stakeholders 

• Get unique insights into video performance, viewer experience & engagement 

Whether it’s a short video message or a two-hour town hall, the Hive VX Platform will ensure that your IT team can deliver it without buffering or technical issues.  

Hive eCDN reduces strain on corporate networks, allowing enterprises to scale video communications without costly infrastructure upgrades, while products like Control the Event ensue that you can quickly remediate – or prevent the escalation of – unexpected disruptions. And with Hive’s advanced analytics suite, you can measure who’s watching, how they’re engaging, and how to optimize future content to improve both the reach and quality of your communications. 

In the enterprise, it’s all about balance  

The rise of short-form content in B2C is undeniable, and enterprises are beginning to follow suit – but not at the expense of long-form content. Instead, forward-thinking organizations are using both strategically: short videos for immediate engagement, long videos for in-depth impact. 

Regardless of format, one thing is clear: video is central to internal enterprise communication. And the challenge isn’t just deciding on the right length – it’s ensuring reliable, high-quality delivery.