Amazon Prime Video Launches Vertical 'Clips' Feed for Short-Form Content
Amazon Prime Video is injecting a TikTok-style vertical video feed directly into its app, aiming to change how subscribers stumble onto new shows and movies. The new "Clips" feed, now part of the app’s homepage, delivers a scrollable stream of short-form videos pulled from Prime Video’s movie and TV library. Each clip offers a frictionless jump-off point—users can watch the full title, rent, or buy the content with a tap.
This isn’t Amazon’s first experiment with vertical feeds. Prime Video previously tested the format with NBA game highlights, but the new Clips section broadens the idea to essentially all entertainment on the platform. According to The Verge, the feature is designed to refresh constantly, with new snippets recommended based on each user’s viewing history. The Clips carousel doesn’t just tease—it’s wired directly into Prime Video’s core business, offering instant access to purchase options and watchlists.
Prime Video’s take on vertical video isn’t just about catching up with current UI trends. By fusing short-form discovery with its deep content library, Amazon is betting on a new way to hook viewers who might otherwise get lost in endless scrolling.
How Prime Video’s Clips Feed Enhances User Engagement and Content Discovery
The Clips feed represents a tactical shift in how Amazon surfaces content. Unlike the NBA highlights experiment—which was limited to live sports snippets—the current iteration unlocks clips from the entire catalog, making the homepage feel more like a personalized feed than a static storefront.
Personalization sits at the core. Prime Video says every visit to the Clips carousel brings something new, tuned by your watch history. This isn’t just algorithmic window dressing; it’s a direct attempt to tackle the problem of choice paralysis. If a user hesitates to commit to a two-hour film, a tailored thirty-second clip might be enough to nudge them over the edge.
Crucially, the Clips feed is not a passive scroll. Users can add a show or movie to their watchlist right from the feed—no need to dive into menus or remember a title for later. Each clip includes clear prompts to start watching, rent, or buy, blurring the line between sampling and commitment. The experience aims to collapse the traditional journey from discovery to conversion.
This puts Amazon in lockstep with Netflix and Disney Plus, which both rolled out vertical short-form feeds in their mobile apps. But Amazon’s approach could prove more aggressive in driving purchases, given the integrated rent/buy options. While the source doesn’t specify whether all content types are included, the emphasis on snippets from "titles offered on the platform" suggests broad coverage.
MLXIO analysis: The Clips feed could also serve as a testing ground for what content resonates in short bursts. If a particular genre or actor consistently drives click-throughs from clips to full-length viewing, expect Amazon’s recommendation engine to double down. The interplay between short-form engagement and long-form conversion is likely the real experiment here.
What to Expect Next from Prime Video’s Short-Form Video Strategy
Amazon hasn’t laid out a public roadmap for expanding the Clips feed, but several scenarios are in play. The most immediate is deeper integration of interactive features—such as the ability to react to clips or share them directly from the app. While the current feature set focuses on discovery and conversion, social or community elements could surface next if Amazon wants to keep users engaged longer.
Opportunities for studios and creators are obvious. The Clips feed could become a prime launchpad for teasers, exclusive behind-the-scenes shots, or even micro-episodes designed for vertical consumption. If Amazon opens the pipeline to more custom short-form content, it could attract both eyeballs and marketing spend from partners looking to cut through the noise.
What remains unclear: Amazon hasn’t detailed how content is selected for the Clips feed beyond personalization, or whether users will be able to customize the feed further—such as filtering by genre or muting certain shows. There’s also no word yet on whether the feature will roll out globally or remain limited to select markets.
The stakes are high. If Clips succeeds in driving more full-title views or purchases, it could become a pillar of Prime Video’s subscriber retention strategy. But if users see it as noisy or intrusive, it risks being just another UI experiment that quietly disappears.
What to Watch: The Next Phase of Prime Video’s Content Discovery Push
All eyes are now on how Prime Video users respond to vertical short-form discovery. Watch for Amazon to iterate quickly—especially if engagement metrics spike or if competitors roll out similar upgrades. User feedback, adoption rates, and any hint of integrated social or sharing features will signal how far Amazon plans to take this format.
For content creators and studios, the Clips feed could become an essential tool for launching new series or reviving interest in back-catalog hits. The real test will be whether short-form engagement translates into measurable lifts in rentals, purchases, and total watch time.
Bottom line: Amazon has plugged TikTok logic into Prime Video’s core experience. Whether subscribers embrace it—or swipe past—will shape the future of streaming discovery.
Key Takeaways
- Amazon is leveraging short-form, vertical video to boost content discovery and engagement on Prime Video.
- The new Clips feed offers personalized recommendations, helping users overcome choice paralysis.
- Direct integration of rent and buy options streamlines the path from discovery to viewing or purchase.
