Burnout doesn't care if you're chasing trends or just trying to keep up.

Ditch the productivity hacks. This weekend, let yourself binge that reality show, revisit an old album, and scroll through memes with zero guilt.

Here's the thing: your best ideas show up when you stop forcing it. Sometimes, the spark comes from the stuff you do just for you, not from another "how to win at work" thread.

Before you sign off for the weekend, catch this week’s edition of The Resource—your guide to staying sharp in social-first video, creative strategy, and culture-led marketing.

• Inside The Work: Most brands are still posting the same video everywhere and it’s costing them.

• Weekly Moodboard: What used to be a mistake is now your most powerful storytelling tool.

• The Agency Toolkit: Forget funnels. Tap in with Gen Z talent. Nike is winning at storytelling again. Tyler, The Creator says drop the perfection act.

What We’re Telling Our Clients About TikTok, Reels, and Shorts Right Now

Read time: 2.5 minutes

The ground is shifting under social media. Just when you thought you had your platform strategy on lock, the game changes. 

Social media has completely shifted from text and images to video-first, bite-sized content in the past few years. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram (with Reels), and YouTube (with Shorts) have trained audiences to expect entertainment in 60 seconds or less. The numbers tell the story: short-form video is now the most widely used social media format and is reported to deliver the highest ROI of any content type 

In fact, nearly half of Gen Z adults (48%) are on TikTok every day, with Instagram Reels (40%) and YouTube Shorts (35%) not far behind. 

Short-form video isn’t a passing trend—it’s a cultural change in how people consume content, and brands that embrace this shift are reaping the benefits. Here’s what’s changing and why it matters right now.

1. TikTok’s Still Running the Show, But the Vibe’s Different

TikTok is the platform that ignited the short-form revolution, and it remains the most engaging platform by far, with an average engagement rate of ~2.3% per post – roughly 50% higher engagement than Instagram Reels, and 2-3x higher than Shorts socialinsider.io.

TikTok’s not going anywhere, but the energy has shifted. Creators are adapting, and the platform’s pushing new behaviors.

• Longer videos are creeping in. If you can hold attention past the punchline, you’re in a better spot than most. Take a look at Black Rifle Coffee, for example. They’re a notable brand that’s been experimenting with TikTok’s that tell short, narrative stories, often longer than a minute (an outlier strategy, as most brands are still clinging to ultra-short clips).

• Search is the new scroll. People are typing in “how to style cargos” or “best Philly brunch spots” like it’s Google. If your content isn’t optimized for discovery, you’re missing out.

• Engage in the comments. TikTok fosters community via comments (users love to riff and respond – TikTok sees about 3x more comments per post than Reels on average). Brands like BarkBox and Habit are especially adept at this strategy, creating lively comment sections by often replying to fans of the videos.

🧠 Use TikTok to build awareness, but don’t expect it to carry your whole strategy. It’s a fast-moving target (trends can come and go in a week), and it’s faced regulatory scrutiny.

2. Reels Is Quietly Winning

Instagram revamped its experience around Reels, blending TikTok-style discovery into a photo-based app. The result? Reels now reach 2+ billion users monthly and have become Instagram’s answer to TikTok.

It isn’t flashy anymore, but that’s exactly why it’s working. It’s baked into the app people already use every day, and the algorithm’s been showing love again.

• Reach is up. Consistent posting with trending audio is getting rewarded. Healthy candy brand SmartSweets regularly produces humorous, TikTok-style Reels set to viral audio, which brilliantly engages their target audience

• Cross-posting is smarter now. Creators are editing natively in IG to avoid the watermark penalty.

• Brands are showing up. Reels is where product drops, creator collabs, and behind-the-scenes content are landing without it feeling forced. Candy brand Sugarfina once rolled out a new collection via Reels by partnering with micro-influencer bakers. The creators showcased creative ways to use the candies, tied together with a branded hashtag, generating buzz for the product line.

📈 Reels can leverage your existing Instagram community while reaching new audiences via the Explore page. If you’re not posting Reels weekly, you’re leaving reach on the table.

Something to note: Instagram’s audience skews slightly older than TikTok’s (the largest age segment is 25-34), so if you’re targeting young professionals or an older Millennial crowd, Reels might hit the sweet spot.

3. YouTube Shorts Is the Underdog to Watch

YouTube Shorts is finally finding its lane. It’s not just a TikTok clone; it’s a discovery engine for long-form creators and a real monetization tool. Shorts shines as a funnel for reach. YouTube itself is the second-largest search engine in the world and the go-to for long-form video; Shorts tap into this massive user base.

• Shorts funnel to long-form. Think of them as trailers for your main content. A great example is home goods retailer Brooklinen, which took a long-form YouTube home-tour video with an artist and cut a 30-second Shorts version as a teaser.

• The algorithm sticks. One viral Short can bring in thousands of new subs if your channel has a clear POV. Glossier used this to its advantage by launching its #WrittenInGlossier Shorts challenge, where 100+ influencers created Shorts featuring the brand’s eyeliner. This resulted in a huge visibility boost and drove traffic to Glossier’s site for purchases.

• It’s SEO-friendly. A clever use of keywords in your Shorts title and description can surface your video when users look up related topics.

🎥 If you’re already making vertical content, there’s no reason not to post it here too. Essentially, Shorts are a bridge – they require minimal effort to consume, and when done right, they leave people wanting more from you.

The Bottom Line

Each platform has unique strengths. 

TikTok is your culture lab for viral engagement and youth reach; Reels is your brand showcase for visual storytelling and community building; Shorts is your visibility booster to widen the funnel. 

Smart brands are repurposing content across all three – but not in a cookie-cutter way. A one-size-fits-all approach won’t cut it when algorithmic “For You” feeds on TikTok reward different creative approaches than social graphs on Instagram. 

It’s worth tailoring your content to play to each platform’s algorithms and audience expectations. That could mean adjusting the editing style, format, or even the message. The extra effort pays off in relevance.

Staying on top of platform shifts from TikTok to Threads (and whatever comes next) can feel like chasing a moving target, but you definitely don’t have to do it alone. Turn your social strategy into content that Millennials and Gen Z actually like by hitting us up today.

Blurry visuals are no longer mistakes; they’re intentional expressions of mood, movement, and authenticity. In a feed full of perfection, blur breaks through with emotion and humanity. When used with purpose, it helps brands feel more relatable, present, and culturally in tune.

Thank you for being a part of The Resource. This digest is powered by REC Philly, a premier creative agency based in Philadelphia specializing in connecting brands authentically with Gen Z and Millennial audiences through social-first video content.

Want to connect with Gen Z or Millennials — or take your social strategy and video content to the next level? Work with us. Submit this form and we’ll be in touch to schedule a call.