Why vertical video pushed everything else out

Not long ago horizontal video was the standard, and vertical was considered "wrong." Today it's the opposite: short vertical videos became the dominant content format, and brands and media are restructuring around it. Why did this happen?

The phone won

People consume content on a phone they hold vertically. Vertical video takes up the whole screen and requires no rotation — it's the most natural format for mobile. Platforms saw that such content holds attention longer and started promoting it first.

Algorithms love short

Short videos give a platform more points of engagement: in a minute a person watches several videos and leaves a signal on each (completion, like, reshare). That's fuel for recommendation algorithms. So TikTok, Reels and Shorts promote precisely the short vertical format — it keeps the user in the app.

A low barrier to entry

To shoot a vertical video you don't need a studio — a phone is enough. This opened the doors to millions of authors and made content cheaper to produce. For brands it means you can test dozens of videos instead of one expensive one.

What it means for brands

• Shoot for vertical from the start, don't crop a horizontal video.
• Bet on the first seconds — the hook decides whether the video gets watched.
• Produce a lot and test — the format forgives quantity and punishes "polish" without an idea.
• Think in feed logic, not TV ads: content should blend with the organic feed, not stick out like a banner.

Takeaway

Vertical video isn't a fad but a consequence of how people consume content today. Brands that learned to work in it get cheap reach and audience trust. We produce content for vertical platforms from the start — from idea to distribution.