TODAYonline is a Singapore-based international news outlet with a mobile-first strategy. They use Wochit for their video needs both across social media and on their own site. This piece from just last week has proven a hit on Twitter, and was cross-posted to TODAY’s Facebook and used on their website.

Check out the sharp video below:

This touching story about the Singapore zoo’s last polar bear, who recently passed away, is an excellent choice for TODAY’s audience. For their local, Singapore-based followers, the story offers something relevant and touching. But the story also taps into wider interest in conservation, zoos, and polar bears.

The video comes in just under 90 seconds, which is longer than most social videos have bee, according to our data. But over the last year, the length of videos has started to grow and viewers have responded positively. Online audiences are interested in full stories, and they’re willing to watch increasingly longer videos for those stories.

The creators start the video off with a variety of moving clips. Using video footage, especially through the first several seconds of a video, is key to keeping viewers watching. The first few seconds determine whether or not viewers will stick around, and thus has to be engaging and eye-catching. The creators make use of their own footage to ensure grab the local audience’s attention with their beloved polar bear before switching to editorial content provided by Wochit.

The overlay in this video really pops off the screen. Color is used to highlight key phrases, and those splashes of red also help draw the eye of viewers, while staying on brand for TODAYonline.

The text-overlay also jumps to different areas of the screen for different assets, as it’s important to always give visuals room to breathe, which the creators here are clearly aware of. Relocating on-screen text also helps maintain the attention of an audience.

Of course, the overlay here has been colored to match Today’s branding, as seen in the upper right. Wochit’s Text Styles make shaping video text to match your organization’s branding a breeze.

From start to finish, this is a great video that has been shaped for maximum impact online. The creators have tailored it to work across social and on their own site. As always, we look forward to more of TODAYonline’s great videos!