How long should a marketing video be?
You’ve decided you want a video to market your brand, product or event.
Now what?
The first thing you need to ask yourself is how will the video be used?
The answer to that question will help determine the appropriate length of your video.
Shorter is better
A general rule of thumb for video length is no more than three minutes.
The sweet spot is about one minute and 30 seconds.
If your video goes longer than three minutes, you risk losing people, as the average attention span is decreasing.
In the last 15 years, the average attention span has decreased by 30%.
People now focus for a mere 8.25 seconds, compared to 12 seconds in the past.
Stopping the scroll ON SOCIAL MEDIA
If you want to hold someone’s attention, you’ve got to have a high-quality, compelling video that keeps them engaged— especially if your content is going on social media.
Because people are inundated with loads of content on social platforms, users only stop to watch the good stuff.
They don’t have time for or interest in watching long, low-quality videos.
The best video length for social media is anywhere between 15 seconds and one minute.
It really comes down to where you plan to place the video.
Consider placement
Which social media platform will you be uploading your video to and where it will go on the platform?
This is an important consideration, because many platforms put limitations on video length.
Below, we’ve outlined Meta (Facebook and Instagram), X (Formerly Twitter), LinkedIn and YouTube video length specifications for quick reference.
How long can Meta videos be?
Facebook Feed: 240 min. max
Facebook In-steam Video (mobile): 5 sec.-10 min.
Facebook In-stream Video (desktop): 5–15 sec.
Facebook Marketplace: 240 min. max
Facebook Stories: 1–15 sec.
Instagram Stories: 1–120 sec.
Instagram Feed: 1–120 sec.
Instagram Explore: 1-120 sec.
Audience Network Native, Banner and Interstitial Ads: 1-120 sec.
Audience Network In-stream Video: 5-30 sec.
Audience Network Rewarded Video: 3-60 sec.
How long can LinkedIn videos be?
LinkedIn Native Video: 3 sec.-10 min.
LinkedIn Ads: 3 sec.-30 min.
LinkedIn Live Videos: 10 min.-8 hrs.
LinkedIn Video Message: 3 sec.-5 min.
How long can X videos be?
X Feed: 140 sec. max
X Feed for Premium Subscribers on X.com and X for iOS: 4 hrs.
X Feed for Premium Subscribers on Android: 10 min.
How long can YouTube videos be?
YouTube Uploads: 15 min. max
Verified Account YouTube Uploads: 12 hrs.
YouTube Shorts: 15 sec.
YouTube Vertical Videos: 60 sec.
YouTube Skippable Video Ads: No minimum or maximum length
YouTube Non-skippable In-stream Video Ads: 15 or 20 sec., depending on regional standards
YouTube Bumper Ads: 6 sec. max
Just because you can doesn’t mean you should
While the above platforms allow for longer-form videos, just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.
Those platforms also provide length recommendations that encourage shorter videos for higher engagement.
The data doesn’t lie!
66 percent of social media video viewers will watch the entirety of a video if it’s less than 60 seconds long.
Of course, there are times when a longer-form video makes more sense, but more often than not, your best bet is to go short.
When it comes to video marketing, brevity wins.
Want to produce a compelling video for your brand?
Contact the video experts at Coghill Communications to get started today!
