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How Long Should a Video Be? Video Length Best Practices [2022]

Written by: Masooma Memon

Wondering what the best video length for your social media videos is in 2021? You’re in the right place. Because in this guide, we’ll dive deep into video length best practices for all important social media platforms including TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and more.

Ready to create videos with optimal lengths for your audience on social media?

Let’s get on with it.

Video Length Best Practices for 2021: Categorized by Social Media Platform

Platform #1: Facebook Video Length

Platform #2: Instagram Video Length

Platform #3: Twitter Video Length

Platform #4: YouTube Video Length

Platform #5: LinkedIn Video Length

Platform #6: Snapchat Video Length

Platform #7: TikTok Video Length

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Why you need to know video length best practices.

First, let’s get this straight in case you’re having any second thoughts: you need to add video production to your marketing strategy.

Not only because 87% of the marketers are tapping into video as a marketing tool, but because your consumers expect to see more video content from you. In fact, over half, 54% of the consumers to be specific, want to see more videos from businesses.

However, there’s more that goes into video marketing than simply churning out videos after videos.

Here are just three of the most essential aspects of video production:

Tap into different types of video to get your viewer’s attention.

Experiment with tutorials, webinars, video ads,  social media videos, explainer video content as well as promo videos and live streams. This way, you can tell what hold’s your audience’s attention best.

Understand the right length for your video.

Essentially, the optimal video length depends on its use case, the industry you are in, the channel where the video will live, and which part of the marketing and sales funnel the video content belongs to.

So, a video that’s lower down in your marketing funnel is going to be longer than one that’s at the top of the funnel. Similarly, your live streams can be long, but home page videos need to be quick at getting to the key message.

Understand the relationship between video length and engagement rate.

Again, this depends on the video’s use case and where it’s in the marketing and sales funnels. But, the key is to create videos that get straight to the point and engage viewers from the get-go. This is how you can ensure good completion rates.

In short, finding out the ideal length for your online video, therefore, takes a lot of work (and experimenting).

Overwhelming, right?

The good news is that we’ve got your back as we share video length best practices to give you rough benchmarks to keep in mind.

And, two, while you obsess over the ideal video length, Visme helps you do the rest of the legwork by giving you video templates. This way, you can experiment while spending only a few minutes on creating video content since you don’t have to start from scratch.

Here’s a pool of video templates from Visme , with this one being my favorite:

With the basics out of the way, let’s dig into the ideal video length for each social media platform individually.

Facebook Video Length

Marketers don’t need research or numbers to prove that Facebook video has been all the rage on the social platform lately.

If you’ve found yourself stopping to watch Tasty’s videos even if you aren’t into cooking 😳 (don’t worry, I’m the same.  We’ll keep that as our little secret), then you know that video is doing great.

In fact, 15% of all content on Facebook is video. There, now we’ve a number proving it too.

On top of that, engagement on Facebook videos is also high with video posts getting an average of 59% more engagement than other post types.

So what makes the optimal video length here? Here you go:

• The ideal Facebook story video length is up 20 seconds.
• The ideal length for an organic Facebook video post is somewhere between 24 to 90 seconds.
• The optimal length for a Facebook ad is around 15 seconds or less preferably. The shorter the ad, the better its completion rate.
• Lastly, live streams are best as longer videos. The reason? It takes time for viewers to join and engage with your live stream.

That said, let’s give you some video length best practices for Facebook video content.

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Facebook Video Tips

Make sure that you live stream for at least 10 minutes.

Yes, that’s because you want your target audience to join you in that time, but also because post the 10-min mark, Facebook notifies your audience that you’re live.

Always add captions to your social media videos.

85% (!) of Facebook users tend to watch videos on the platform without sound. After all, not everybody has their earphones handy. The solution? Always add captions to your videos so you can maximize the odds of getting viewers to continue watching your video.

Upload a video natively to the platform than sharing a link.

It’s always a good idea to share a YouTube video link. Saves you time and all that. But the Facebook algorithm favors native video content. So walking this extra mile will help you improve your video engagement in addition to the occasional please-watch-my-video-till-the-end prayer.

Mention your brand within three seconds of a Facebook video ad.

Lastly, be quick about featuring your brand in an ad no matter how badly you feel the desire to develop some suspense. Why? Because Facebook says 23% of the consumers are likely to remember which brand made a video if it was mentioned within the first three seconds of the video.

Image Source

Here’s more on creating compelling video ad funnel content for your Facebook account.

Instagram Video Length

Foremost a visual platform, you’ll need to double down on creating video content for Instagram that’s both creative and high quality.

Look at this video from Amazon to see how it checks off both quality and creativity.

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Amazon (@amazon)

Not feeling particularly inspired? Pick a video template and share it as your Instagram story video. Here’s one, for instance.

Don’t forget to tweak the color and fonts, so the video meets your brand style.

This would take only a few minutes, but if you want to go faster, consider setting up your brand kit in Visme.

Now, for the ideal length for Instagram videos:

• Keep your in-post videos around 30 seconds long (you get 60 seconds in total, but 30 seconds seems to be the sweet spot for engagement).
• You can experiment with longer videos for IGTV videos. Best keep them 10 minutes long for optimal completion rates.
• For Instagram story video length, up to 15 seconds seems to be ideal.
• Similar to IGTV videos, live streams on the platform can tip toward longer length. You can take them to 60 minutes max with ten minutes being the minimum length to bear in mind.

Instagram Video Tips

Keep the following in mind.

Pick an engaging thumbnail for your videos.

Since Instagram is a visual platform, competition can be stiff. But a good thumbnail for your video can get people to stop scrolling and watch your video.

Encourage engagement with GIFs, stickers, texts, and other design elements.

Instagram’s zillions of design elements can help you up video engagement rate in no time. Get people to rate with the sliding sticker.

Or, give them a poll sticker with options to pick from. You can also throw in a question sticker to get them talking.

Not to forget, the sound-on sticker is great for reminding people to turn on their volume.

Twitter Video Length

Video does well on the blue-bird platform too with two billion people watching videos on the platform every day.

To add to this, tweets featuring videos get ten times the engagement than tweets without videos.

You get it.

So what’s the ideal video length that you should be aiming for?

Keep the following in mind:

• For both video tweets and video ads, the optimal length lies between 20-45 seconds. These can be as long as two minutes and 20 seconds. But considering the fact that Twitter revolves around brevity, it’s best to stick with short video content.

Twitter Video Tips

Use captions or get creative with text overlay..

Videos on Twitter autoplay as GIFs do. On top of that, 93% of all the videos are played on mobile devices so you need to ensure that your video takes into account the sound-off viewing mode.

It’s here that you can use captions and text overlay to make sure you hook your target audience right away and get people to engage as well.

This video tweet by Glossier does this well.

The Joy Of Blushing 🎥 https://t.co/dEGtGduAg3 pic.twitter.com/xluOrZqBDU — Glossier (@glossier) March 2, 2017

Add people or your product in your video’s early frames.

Adding people at the beginning of your video can help increase your views significantly as they bring in a 40% increase in the overall response.

Alternatively, start with your product as doing so gets 34% increased click intent and 24% increase in positive interest.

Here’s a video template that can help you do this.

YouTube Video Length

YouTube is the second most visited site after Google.

This alone is enough to tell you that there’s a vast audience watching videos on here.

But, to confirm, here’s an interesting stat: users consume over 1 billion hours of videos on YouTube , more than Facebook and Netflix combined.

So you better know the ideal video length for this platform, right?

We’ve got you covered:

• For YouTube video ads, aim for six seconds for bumper ads and 15-20 seconds length for pre-roll ads.
• Shoot for videos between 7-15 minutes. Social Media Examiner suggests this is the ideal video length for best performance.

Generally, however, the ideal YouTube video length depends on who your audience is and the video type. For instance, a how-to video explaining a concept can be longer than a product showcase video.

YouTube Video Tips

Steer clear from fluff..

Just because you’ve the liberty to post longer videos on YouTube doesn’t mean you go on and on in your video. Remember: the crispier your video content, the better your completion rate. This, in turn, helps with YouTube SEO and better ranking on the platform.

Design an engaging thumbnail.

As with a typical search engine, when you search YouTube for something, you’ll note that several videos show up in the results.

So what do you think makes people click on one video and not another? The thumbnail.

A captivating thumbnail can help you stand out and encourage viewers to watch your video too.

Note that in the example below, I searched for ways to increase my productivity and the first example has way more views (2.1K views) instead of 13 views on the third video.

A simple guess for why it’s so: because the first video has a properly designed thumbnail.

Worried you’ve more work on your plate as you need to design the thumbnail too? Fret now. Here are 50 YouTube banner templates to help you save time and design well.

Always begin with a hook.

Once a viewer clicks on your video, you need them to stay. How? With a hook. For example, you can start with a story.  Or, you can share the end result first — this always works wonders because your viewer can tell exactly what it is that they’ll get from watching your video.

Alternatively, tell the viewer their problem is real but there’s a solution to it.

Our team at Visme does this all the time. Mike Ploger who hosts our YouTube videos gets straight to the point, even introducing himself later.

Case in point: in this video, Mike talks about how exercises can actually help boost creativity, then gives his intro.

LinkedIn Video Length

LinkedIn is home to professionals mainly, but do these executives watch online videos?

You bet they do!

Three-quarters of executives share they watch work-related videos at least weekly. The takeaway? You need crisp video content for Linkedin that’s packed with value.

Let’s look at what’s crips enough for business professionals:

• Keep LinkedIn in-feed videos to 30-300 seconds. Try not to go over ten minutes.
• Aim for at least 15-minute long live streams on LinkedIn.

With LinkedIn though, longer video content can be effective too.

In fact, research by LinkedIn concludes that long-form video on the platform can drive the same number of clicks as short-length videos.

But here’s the catch: long videos need to tell a story to be able to captivate viewers.

LinkedIn Video Tips

Shoot from various angles..

Even if it’s an interview, it’s great to take different angles so your viewer doesn’t get bored of looking at a talking head constantly. Or, include some B-roll with voice over to prevent things from being static in the video.

Make vertical videos that are optimized for mobile viewing

.As with most other platforms, LinkedIn users consume video content on their mobile devices with 91% of people watching videos on their phones.

This means you can increase your video engagement by capturing it in vertical mode — a good way to improve the mobile viewing experience as viewers don’t need to twist their phones to watch the video.

Snapchat Video Length

Snapchat doesn’t give you any more than ten seconds for video content. So a good rule of thumb is to shoot from 3-10 seconds in video length for Snapchat.

For Snapchat video ads, you get between three seconds to three minutes.

Again, the shorter the better.

Snapchat Video Tips

Keep it short but intriguing..

Play on viewers’ curiosity since it can be challenging to pack your key content in three seconds. Leverage a strong hook and add in a link or hashtag to get your target audience to engage with your content further.

Keep it simple.

Besides leaning on brevity, think of keeping your key message simple. Snapchatters check the app in short bursts throughout the day ( 30 times to be specific) so they’re flooded with content.

On top of that, attention spans are lower than a goldfish lately, so keeping your message simple helps you leave a memorable impression.

TikTok Video Length

As with Snapchat, TikTok users love bite-sized video content.

Ideally, the optimal length there is between nine to 15 seconds although you can do 60 seconds in total.

If you don’t upload the video natively, however, you can exceed the 60-second mark.

But, again, make sure you know how to hold your audience’s attention if you want to play with longer videos.

TikTok Video Tips

Leverage background music..

Since TikTok gives you a sound library to play with, make the most of it to make your video entertaining. Better yet, use a trending song.

Create trending videos.

As with trending music to your videos, you can also create video content that’s based on the trends.

Ready to Create Your Next Video?

Now that you know video length best practices for all social channels, I’m sure you’re feeling pumped to start creating videos. Make it easy and exciting for yourself by signing up for Visme to start creating videos today. Remember, short videos with a strong hook are the way to making popular videos.

Q1. How long should social videos be?

Social videos should be no longer than two minutes according to various studies. Engagement tends to drop after the one-minute mark so it makes sense to keep the complete video length short.

Q2. Why are short videos more effective?

Short videos get straight to the point, which helps them hold your audience’s attention. Not to mention, viewers stop watching videos after one minute, so keeping your video content short can help improve its completion rate.

Q3. What is the ideal length for a YouTube video?

The ideal length for a YouTube video is ten minutes. Generally, videos between seven to 15 minutes perform well on the platform. However, keep in mind that your video only needs to be as long as it needs to be. Meaning: don’t drag the content. Instead, cut straight to the point.

Q4. Is video better than text?

Online users consume more video content than text with people watching 500 million hours of video content on YouTube alone and only 16% reading text word for word .

People also remember more of what they watch than what they read with 80% retaining a video they consumed in the past month and 10% of what they read . This gives video content a better position than text.

Q5. Can you post a 10-minute video on Facebook?

In-feed Facebook videos can be as long as 90 seconds. To be able to share a 10-minute video on Facebook, divide your video into series and share them ten minutes after each other. Or, host a live stream that can be eight hours long.

Q6. Why do popular YouTubers make 10-minute videos?

Because the best performing YouTube videos tend to be 10-minute long, popular YouTubers stick with this optimal length benchmark.

Q7. Are longer YouTube videos better?

Longer YouTube videos are only good at getting engagement if they’re filmed creatively so they’re able to hold the viewers’ attention. The ideal length of a YouTube video, however, boils down to the video’s use case and the industry you are in.

Q8. What is the maximum size video you can upload on Facebook?

According to Facebook , the maximum video size you can upload on the platform is 10 GB with a resolution of 1080p or less. But remember, the longer the video is, the larger its file size and the longer the time to upload it (particularly, if your internet connection is a slow one).

Q9. How long can a YouTube video be in 2022?

In 2022, you can upload a 15-minute long video. If you have a verified account, you can upload longer videos.

Q10. What is the best online video maker?

Not to be biased, but Visme is a good online video maker. This is, particularly, because it makes video production a breeze for you by giving your free, easy-to-customize templates to create videos.

Create engaging videos and GIFs easily with Visme.

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About the Author

Masooma Memon is a pizza-loving freelance writer by day and a novel nerd by night. She crafts research-backed, actionable blog posts for SaaS and marketing brands who aim to employ quality content to educate and engage with their audience.

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Video Length: How Long Should a Course Video Be?

Ever wondered what the maximum length a course video should be? Read what the research suggests below.

As the use of video in both online and on campus education has grown substantially - whether due to democratization of video-making hardware and software, or out of necessity - a common question arises repeatedly: what is the maximum length a course video should be?

The Short Answer

An educational video should ideally be less than 12 minutes long, and definitely no more than 20 minutes long.

The longer answer to this question is what you might expect: it's complicated. The research literature is rife with competing recommendations that - perhaps necessarily - make varying assumptions about what constitutes engagement and pedagogical efficacy. In addition, most of the research surrounding attention span focuses on in-person lecture, making its applicability to asynchronous multimedia tenuous at best (Bradbury 512).

Ultimately, "attention span" may be a red herring when it comes to determining a maximum video length. Attention is usually measured by heart rate or galvanic skin response, both of which don't seem particularly indicative of engagement or learning. Instead, let's look at research that focuses specifically on video engagement as it pertains to video length.

One particular source of confusion may be a 2013 blog post from EdX, the Massive Open and Online Course (MOOC) provider. The short article presented watch data from EdX course videos that indicated that most students stopped watching a video after 6 minutes (Guo 2013). EdX's celebrity and the sheer volume of their data (6.9 million video views) led many to believe, then, that research had definitely demonstrated that instructional videos should be no longer than 6 minutes.

However, Larry Lagerstrom at Stanford astutely pointed out in his own study that this article's conclusion was being misinterpreted through no fault of EdX. He underscored that the data were based on video views within a MOOC - a vastly different context from degree-granting postsecondary courses. According to Lagerstrom, “Some are seeking a serious instructional experience, while others may be interested in the MOOC as a free refresher course on previously studied material, and still others may intend only to sample the covered topics here and there” (Lagerstrom 2015). In other words, the folks watching MOOC videos likely don't have the same level of investment in the course material as an average college student.

With this in mind, Lagerstrom did his own study on two computer science courses at Stanford. These classes had 50-75 minute video lectures that could take the place of attendance at the live lecture if students chose. The detailed watch data from the specialized player used in the study indicated that on average about 90% of students watched the entirety of a video, though usually across multiple viewing sessions. The data also indicated that the median watch time for an individual viewing session was 12-13 minutes, with the mean being 17-20 minutes, leading him to conclude that a good guideline for college instructors making course videos is that they should be ideally less than 12 minutes long, and certainly no longer than 20.

For in-person didactic instruction, the length of time that you're assigned to be in the lecture hall naturally dictates how long your lecture should be. But when you're creating course videos, you're freed from those physical and temporal constraints. Try to rally each video around what you might call a "micro objective" - a skill or piece of knowledge that students must acquire in order to achieve the larger learning objectives of your course.

Independent of any pedagogical benefit to your students, there are also a variety of logistical advantages to creating shorter videos:

• Less production time : As you might imagine, shorter videos are easier to design and deliver.
• Fewer captions : You can revise captions for shorter videos more quickly.
• Fewer interruptions : You're less likely to get interrupted (e.g. by family, noise, etc.) when filming shorter videos. Easier re-shoots: It’s easier to do a re-shoot if there’s a problem with your recording.
• Quicker availability : Shorter videos are available more quickly in Kaltura/Canvas since they take less time to process on the back end.
• Better reusability : The more you isolate individual skills and knowledge into separate videos, the more likely it is that you can re-use your videos in other courses as prerequisites, refreshers, remedial resources, or additional instructional material.

Video should still be used selectively and strategically. Lecturing to the camera with a handful of slides isn't a great use of the moving picture. (Check out our article on effective course videos for some ideas.) If you have existing videos that exceed 20 minutes in length, consider finding natural break points in the video and using the Kaltura video editor to make the cuts. You can then link them together thematically using playlists .

Bradbury, N.A. (2016). Attention span during lectures: 8 seconds, 10 minutes, or more? Advances in Physiology Education, 40 , 509-513. https://doi.org/10.1152/advan.00109.2016

Guo, P. (2013, November 13). Optimal video length for student engagement. Retrieved May 28, 2020, from https://blog.edx.org/optimal-video-length-student-engagement/  

Lagerstrom, L. (2015). The myth of the six minute rule: student engagement with online videos. Proceedings of the American Society for Engineering Education , 14-17.

Have additional questions about course videos at UCSD? Contact the Multimedia Services team at [email protected] .

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by Emma Rose

Video Length: How Long Should a Video Be For Each Platform?

The best length for an explainer video is one minute or less. That’s a general guideline with room for interpretation on different video platforms. In reality, the ideal video is exactly as long as necessary to guide your viewer to the next step. 

Different platforms, messages, and audiences need different video lengths. If you are aiming for distribution to broadcast, cable or OTT , you will need to fit the outlet’s specifications. Most expect 15-second, 60-second, or 30-second explainer videos. Digital platforms are more flexible, but trend toward shorter micro-content even if they allow longer-form videos.

This guide will help you find the optimal video length for social media platforms and distribution plans. We’ve even organized the most important points into a handy infographic.

How Long Should a Video Be?

Video attention spans seem to have shrunk over the last few years. Back in 2016, a study by Wistia found that audience engagement drops off considerably after about 2 minutes. The 2023 version of the study found that average engagement dropped around the 60-second mark. 

A good portion of your audience will hang around for about five minutes, but will start to drop off steadily after that. However — and this is important — long-form videos of 30 minutes or more delivered the highest-quality leads. That makes sense, because only those who are really interested in your product or service are likely to stick around that long. 

All this shows that people don’t automatically walk away at the one-minute mark. Yes, some people will start to leave at that point, but you still have the bulk of your audience. If your video needs to be five minutes long. Make it five minutes long. Plenty of people will stick around. 

The most qualified leads will stay with you through a long video. As long as you’re offering something useful and entertaining, your audience will stay engaged. Your goal is to deliver a clear message in an entertaining way without tangents or fluff.

There are a few limitations to the Wistia data that should be pointed out. Wistia is a video software and hosting company that works mostly with businesses. Their data includes about 1.1 million videos that have not been segmented based on audience, goals, or industry. That means we’re dealing with averages here. In short, your results may vary.

How to Choose the Best Length for a Business Video

Your video should be exactly as long as it needs to be and no longer. That doesn’t necessarily mean you’re aiming for a specific number of minutes or seconds. Instead, you should focus on how to make your message clear, concise, and engaging. These best practices will help.

1. Know where your video fits in the marketing funnel

If someone has never heard of your business or product, you may not commit to a long video.  On the other hand, videos for your established audience can be much longer as the Wistia data shows. 

2. Know your audience

If you are making a healthcare video about your target audience’s life-threatening disease, it stands to reason that they will be more willing to grant you their time than if you are telling them about your new flavor of popcorn. Higher stakes and more invested audiences buy you some extra time.

3. Know the context

If you are making a video for an event or a training session, your audience is at least somewhat captive. You can afford to go a bit longer than in a purely digital application, where clicking away is always a possibility.

4. Plan your video length based on your platform

From social media to self-hosting, the platform will determine how long your video can and should be. Don’t just create a video and blast it out on every channel. Know from the start where you intend to share your video. We examine ideal video lengths for each platform in detail below.

Broadcast and Streaming Television Ads

Ad Requirements: 15, 30, or 60 seconds

We start with Broadcast, cable and OTT platforms because they have the clearest guidelines of all. You will need to fit their preset ad slots with videos that are exactly 15, 30 or 60 seconds in length. You might even create three different versions of your video to make sure you can cover any and all of these ad slots.

Self-hosted videos

Length: 1-30 minutes

If you’re embedding a video on your website or directing viewers to your Wistia, Vimeo, or another hosting page, assume that most of the audience will stick around for 1 minute and your most invested audience members (i.e. best-qualified leads) will stay for 30 minutes or more.

This isn’t a license to ramble, but it should give you the freedom to cover topics in more detail. Just remember, the longer the video, the more valuable it must be to hold audience attention.

Ideal Video Length for Social Media Platforms

Every social media platform has its own length guidelines based on what the platform is capable of hosting and what it thinks its audience wants to see. When selecting an ideal video length for social media platforms, keep best practices in mind. Here are some of the more common platforms and guidelines for each.

Ideal Length of Facebook Video Ads

Ideal Length: 15 seconds

Facebook feed video ads can be as long as 241 minutes. That’s minutes, not seconds. So theoretically, you could have a Facebook ad that runs for 4 hours! We don’t recommend doing so, since the ideal length of facebook video ads is more like 15 seconds or less according to Facebook . 

In-stream video ads (that is, ads played while someone is watching another video) can be no more than 120 seconds and should be much shorter to avoid annoying your audience. In that case, you’re serving an ad to someone who is actively watching something else. Minimizing the disruption is a smart strategy. 

Instagram: How Long Can IG Reels Be?

Optimal Ad Length: 15 seconds

Instagram Reels can be up to 90 seconds long , but we recommend keeping ads much shorter. Mata, which owns Instagram, loves to stress that videos from Facebook can easily be repurposed as Instagram ads, so keep that in mind when planning your video ads across both platforms. 

Also consider the fact that videos in an Instagram feed loop continuously. You may be able to get away with faster action and trust that people will keep watching if they don’t quite catch it all the first time. 

What About Threads? 

Optimal Length: 15 seconds

Threads is the latest offering from Meta. It tends to be more text-based, but you can share videos as long as 5 minutes on the platform. Best practices are still developing for this new social media platform. For now, it’s probably best to aim for the same 15-second guidelines that apply to Facebook and Instagram.

LinkedIn Video Length

Optimal video length: 10 seconds

LinkedIn video ads can range between 3 and 1,800 seconds long. However, buried in the video ad tips section of the LinkedIn Marketing Solutions guide you’ll find the advice that viewer attention tends to drop after the first 10 seconds. Ideally, you’ll pack the most important information into those first 10 seconds even if your video runs slightly longer than that.

Average TikTok Video Length

Ideal Length: 9-15 seconds

There’s some tension at TikTok over how long videos should be. Users seem to want shorter videos, around 30 to 45 seconds. However, the app has been pushing for longer and longer videos, mostly in an attempt to get more ad revenue. If you’re creating ads, aim for 9-15 seconds to make sure audiences get your full message. 

Length of Video On Twitter (X)

Best Video Length: 6-15 seconds

The switch from Twitter to X has been a bumpy one, but the ad guidelines seem to be about the same. Videos on X can be up to 140 seconds long. For ads, the platform recommends videos between 6 and 15 seconds long. Keep in mind that the app formerly known as Twitter is all about quick content consumption, so shorter is almost certainly better whether sharing to followers or serving an ad.

The Social Media Exception

Live video: as long as reasonable

Live videos are the exception to the shorter-is-better rule. With live videos, your goal is not to deliver a quick, focused message. Instead, you want to engage your audience in a more personal way. Longer videos give more opportunity for your followers to see that you’re live, join the stream, and maybe even interact with you directly.

When the live is over, you might take 20 to 60 seconds of it and repurpose that into a video for wider sharing. Only do this if you have a section of the video that includes a clear, concise message. Slicing out any random section of your livestream won’t achieve much. In that case, you’re better off shooting a scripted video that gets your message across. 

Ideal Youtube Video Length

Length: 2 minute

The average YouTube user can upload videos that are up to 15 minutes long. Verified accounts can go much longer. The platform hosts such a wide range of videos that it’s hard to make sweeping statements about video length. 

Many of the top most viewed videos of all time are music videos featuring celebrities. The rest are videos aimed at children. It would be a mistake to assume that what works for them will work for you. 

Many YouTubers recommend making your video between 10 and 15 minutes, but these are professional YouTubers who want to make money from sponsorships and ad revenue. If your goal is to promote your business, choose your length based on where your viewer is in the funnel.

Business Video Length by Location in Funnel

Viewers who already know and trust you are more likely to watch longer videos. As you plan your videos, consider where in the marketing funnel your viewer should be in order to appreciate this video. Let your goals and audience dictate the video length.

Top of funnel: Awareness

15-30 seconds

Top-of-funnel audiences have never heard of you or don’t really know what you do. These audiences are least likely to invest time into watching your message. Keep your videos aimed at them as short as possible. Ruthlessly remove anything that isn’t absolutely essential.

This video from Repipe Specialists outlines a problem and how they solve it. They pack all the essentials into a 30-second video so people who have never heard of them will be aware of their service.

Mid Funnel: Interest and Desire

Up to 2 minutes

Audiences who already know you exist are more likely to watch your video. People like the familiar. This gives you a few more seconds of their attention. Most people have an idea of what Alcoholics Anonymous does. That gives this video room to focus on a compelling use case that shows why someone might want to join their organization.

Bottom of Funnel: Action

Up to 30 minutes

At the bottom of the funnel, viewers are almost ready to act. They’re willing to invest more time to make sure they’re making the right decision. Webinars, tutorials, and other long-form content can perform well if they’re aimed at customers who are almost ready to act.

Test For Optimal Video Length

The secret to finding the perfect video length is that there is no perfect length that applies to all industries and situations. You set your video up for success when you test several different video lengths and track your results. 

Remember that video views are not the best indicator of success (unless your goal is awareness). Choose a video metric that directly correlates to your goal for the video:

• Did the person click the link at the end? That shows engagement.
• Did they share it or tag a friend? That shows it informed or entertained them.
• Did they actually purchase something or at least sign up for a consultation call? If so, that video is effective, whatever length it is.

You can streamline this process by partnering with a video creation company with experience in your industry. They’ll know what works and what doesn’t.

So How Long Should a Video Be?

Guidelines for video length are just that, guidelines. Different audiences, messages, industries, and goals demand different video lengths. Your video should be as short as possible and as long as necessary. 

Your goal is not to cram your message into eight seconds or less. Instead, focus on giving audiences a reason to keep watching. Your audience must immediately know what your video is about. They must quickly understand why it matters. And they absolutely must be either informed or entertained. Instead of focusing on length, focus on quality. Concise, engaging, focused videos outperform the competition every time.

Fortunately, the video creation experts at IdeaRocket have helped businesses in all kinds of industries to create the ideal video for their audience and goals. We make videos in 2d , 3d and whiteboard animation, as well as live action . Contact us today to start creating videos that are exactly as long as they need to be.

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The Ideal Video Length for Each Platform: A Quick Guide

Did you know that almost two-thirds of businesses use video as part of their marketing strategy ? 

And rightly so because videos are more engaging and easier to consume than plain text. 

For the best results, it’s important to get video production right. 

And a big part of getting your video creation right is answering the question, “How long should a video be?” (AKA, the length of video for different channels)

How has optimal video length changed?

In recent years, the optimal video length for content has significantly shifted. Previously, shorter videos were considered ideal, with attention spans limited and users preferring quick and easily digestible content. However, with the rise of platforms like YouTube and Facebook, longer-form content has become more popular, with users willing to spend more time engaging with the content they find valuable or interesting. Changes have also influenced this shift in how we consume media, with the rise of mobile devices and on-demand viewing allowing us to watch longer videos at our leisure.

Video length & audience platforms

Today, content’s most effective video length varies depending on the platform and target audience. Shorter clips are still popular on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, where users expect to consume content quickly and easily. However, on platforms like YouTube, longer-form content has become increasingly popular, with many creators producing videos that are 20 minutes or longer (like ‘how to’ videos’). This change has been driven by a desire to create more in-depth content that provides value to viewers and helps build a loyal audience over time. As a result, the most effective video length for content has become more fluid and dependent on the needs and preferences of the audience.

Whether you create short, TikTok-style social media videos or long videos for webinars or professional purposes, there is an audience for both (and respective video lengths). 

If you want maximum engagement and conversions from your videos, it’s important to consider what video you’re making, where it lies in your marketing funnel, and which platforms you’ll share it on.   

This guide will walk you through all of these video content factors and recommend the optimal length for each video content and distribution platform type. 

Table of contents

Video length: why it matters.

• Ideal video length for social media

Ideal video length for different types of videos

Get the right video length the first time with Piktochart Video . Try it for free .

Why should you be concerned with video length? 

Because the amount of time that your audience is willing to spend in watching a video is not fixed. It varies with their state of mind, platform, where they are in the  sales funnel , and many other factors. 

While you can’t completely control all the possible factors, you can optimize the ones you can. 

For example, early-stage prospects (like the ones browsing their social media feeds) are usually just curious and not seriously considering your product.

They aren’t open to watching a long video. 

If you provide them with a long-form video early in the funnel, they will likely get intimidated and leave; you won’t capture your audience’s attention.

The right call at this stage will be to present them with shorter clips. 

However, the further prospects go in the funnel; the longer your videos can be.

Interested prospects are eager to learn more and engage with extended tutorials or expert-led webinars.  

By considering factors such as your target audience buyers’ journey, you can tweak your video content and implement video length best practices to engage your audience at the right time with the right message. 

With that in mind, let’s discuss the ideal video lengths for common social media platforms, video types, and use cases. 

Ideal video length for social media 

Each social media platform has its unique audience and specifications that impact how long a social media video should be. 

Some social media channels also restrict social media video length; we have noted those wherever applicable. Here’s a summary:

• TikTok video length: 10 to 15 seconds
• Pinterest video length: 15 to 30 seconds
• Twitter video length: 20 to 45 seconds
• YouTube video length: 5 to 15 minutes
• Facebook video length: 30 to 90 seconds
• Instagram video length: 30 to 45 seconds
• LinkedIn video length: 30 seconds to 5 minutes

Ideal TikTok video length: 10 to 15 seconds

Similar to Snapchat video length, TikTok users gravitate toward bite-sized videos.

While your TikTok video’s length can be up to 60 seconds, the optimal duration lies between 10 and 15 seconds. 

However, you can exceed the 60-second cap with the same video file by uploading the social media video non-natively. Here’s an example of the right TikTok video length by Duolingo .

@duolingo pride is forever dont @ me #Duolingo #DulaPeep #pride #DuaLipa #trend #comedy #dogtalk ♬ original sound – Jacob Sutherland

Ideal Pinterest video length: 15 to 30 seconds

Pinterest is popular as a discovery platform and a place where people go for quick answers. 

The recommended length for Pinterest videos is 15 to 30 seconds.

Nevertheless, your videos can be a little longer in case of explainers or product demos. The maximum video length allowed is 30 minutes. 

Overall, try to keep your Pinterest videos short and sweet, like how they do it at Inspire Uplift .

Ideal Twitter video length: 20 to 45 seconds

Technically, your Twitter videos can be as long as 2 minutes and 20 seconds.

But the recommended video length for both video tweets and Twitter video ads is between 20 and 45 seconds. 

Brands like  Epik  know that the platform is built for brevity, as reflected in their Twitter videos. 

#HoldingTheLine at $8.49 .com renewal rates, with $6.99 inbound transfers, and $7.99 on new domain registrations. Our customers deserve better than multi-year arbitrary price increases, given the challenges so many face in current times. So do yours. #domains pic.twitter.com/1BoiRyiPpn — Epik.com (@EpikDotCom) August 31, 2021

Ideal YouTube video length: 5 to 15 minutes

YouTube is best for social media videos slightly longer than those on other social media platforms. 

On your YouTube channel, you can share tutorials, case studies,  interviews , YouTube video ads, and other video content lasting 5 to 15 minutes.

Here’s an excellent example of how long should a YouTube video be from  Garage Gym Reviews .

Ideal Facebook video length: 30 to 90 seconds

Facebook lets you upload videos with up to four hours of runtime. But just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. 

Less than two minutes is the best goal to aim for, considering Facebook users’ attention spans.

Meanwhile, thirty seconds to one minute is the sweet spot for Facebook videos and ads.

Also, make sure to put forth the most interesting bits in the first 10 seconds of your Facebook video, like what  Nintendo  did in the social media example below. 

Ideal Instagram video length: 30 to 45 seconds

From 5-second stories and feed videos to one-hour streams, Instagram allows a variety of video lengths (Instagram feed videos, Instagram stories, and so on).

The best Instagram video content is still short, bite-sized clips under one minute.

Even when creating Instagram videos for ads or Instagram Stories, try to capture your core proposition in the first 20 seconds.

Look at this video from  Harley-Davidson  for inspiration. 

Ideal LinkedIn video length: 30 seconds to 5 minutes

inkedIn users are professionals looking to learn and grow.

They are more likely to watch medium-length videos if the content interests them.

As a result, LinkedIn videos can be anywhere between 30 seconds and five minutes.

The following video from  Boeing  is a good example.

There is no one-size-fits-all video length for different types of videos and video content. For example, Instagram Stories and Reels max out at 15 seconds, feed videos are at 60 seconds and IGTV videos are at 60 minutes.

As with social media platforms, it depends on what your prospects expect and the nature of your business. Here’s a summary:

Ideal company culture video length: 2 to 4 minutes

• Ideal sales video length: 30 to 90 seconds

Ideal homepage video length: 30 to 60 seconds

Ideal landing page video length: 30 to 60 seconds, ideal explainer video length: 60 to 90 seconds, ideal email video length: 30 to 45 seconds.

• Ideal testimonial video length: 2 to 4 minutes

A video showcasing your  company culture  should be two to four minutes long.

You can use this video to cover a fun holiday or attract new talent by highlighting key benefits and office perks.

For a good example of optimal video length, look no further than  HubSpot .

Ideal sales video length: 30 to 90 seconds 

The length of your sales video depends on whether you’re sending it to early-stage or late-stage prospects. 

Sales videos for cold prospects should be around 30 seconds as the maximum video length, but it can go up to 90 seconds for audiences further in the sales pipeline.

You can have longer videos if you respond to a pressing question or helping them solve a problem.

Here’s an example of optimal sales video length following video length best practices from  Aiia Promo Gifts .

Powerblink — smart power bank by Aiia Promo Gifts from Aiia promo gifts on Vimeo .

Planning to add videos to your website ? Like your homepage?

The right length for a homepage video is the same as that of a TV commercial: between 30 and 60 seconds, following video length best practices. Homepage videos aren’t meant to provide complete answers like you would find in long form videos.

Instead, they act as a teaser of your offerings and demo videos, such as the video below by Jackson Galaxy .

A landing page has a single, focused objective: grab attention and  drive conversions  fast.

As a result, the recommended landing page video maximum length is 60 seconds, but your key message should emerge in the first 30 seconds, following video length best practices. For example, watch this video from RetroFoam of Michigan’s  landing page .

Explainer videos are supposed to be educational. And since the viewer is interested in learning more about your product, you can quickly go beyond a minute to deliver your answer. 

The most important message should always come early, ideally within the first 30 seconds, following video ideal length best practices. 

Headspace  has a good example.

Embedding marketing videos in your outreach email and saying “video” in the subject line can lead to better click-through and open rates to assess users watching videos. 

Also, ensure your  email content  has an attractive, clickable video post thumbnail.

The right video length for emails is less than a minute, so avoid longer videos when you create video content. 

Monica Vinader  does this well. 

Ideal testimonial video length: 2 to 4 minutes 

Testimonial viewers watching videos are usually mid or late-stage audience members willing to consume up to five minutes of native video content.

However, the sweet spot for video posts and testimonials is around three minutes.

The following example from  Rethink Robotics  illustrates this well. 

Get the right video length the first time with Piktochart Video

If we were to boil down all the advice about how to create videos and ideal length to just one point, it would be this:

People are busy. The right video length is whatever your audience is willing to consume and engage with. 

How to factor in audience type to video length

Determining the best video length for a particular audience requires deeply understanding of their preferences and behaviors. For example, younger audiences are often more comfortable with shorter content, while older audiences may be more interested in longer, more detailed content. To determine the most effective video length, it’s essential to gather data on your audience’s viewing habits, including what types of content they engage with and how long they typically watch videos.

One effective way to determine the ideal video length is to conduct surveys or focus groups with your target audience. This allows you to get direct feedback on what types of content they prefer and how long they are willing to watch. Additionally, you can use analytics tools to track engagement and viewership data for your videos, which can help you identify patterns and trends in your audience’s behavior. Combining these insights with your own creative vision and goals for your video content lets you determine the video length that resonates with your audience and helps you achieve your objectives.

In summary, make sure to understand their needs and respect their time at each stage of the marketing funnel before you create video marketing content. 

When in doubt, err on the side of brevity. Whether you’re creating YouTube videos or Instagram reels, try to cover only the most essential information with the shortest possible video. 

Instead of creating longer videos, it’s safer to create several bite-sized explainer videos in the form of multiple stories. And you can do that easily with a tool like Piktochart Video. 

You can record and edit short videos and trim or split your long videos into multiple clips. 

The short video tutorial below shows you how to make your first video clip in Piktochart.

Plus, you can automatically generate subtitles and captions, add intros or outros, or even change aspects like colors and typography to ensure the videos match your brand. Try Piktochart Video for free today .

Other Posts

10 Promo Video Ideas for Your Next Marketing Campaign

How to Make an Instructional Video With a Screen Recording

Guide to Selling Information Products Through Video (Plus Examples)

Video Length: How Long Should Instructional Videos Be? (New Data)

Marketing Content Strategist

Table of contents

How long should instructional videos be, new research: video statistics, habits, and trends you need to know, video success isn’t determined by length, learn to right-size your videos, don’t try to do too much, how to get their attention (and keep it), bonus tip: video quality isn’t a game-changer.

• There’s no such thing as the perfect video length 

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We get the question all the time: “What’s the ideal length for a video?”

It makes sense. Grabbing and keeping a viewer’s attention is challenging, and creators want to be sure they aren’t making videos that are too long (or short).

The thing is, there is no ideal length for all videos — no one video length to rule them all.

But, viewers definitely have a preference.

And when we analyzed over 50 of our tutorials to measure our videos’ engagement and found that the average length of our tutorials is 3:13.

Ultimately, the ideal length of a given video is determined by the content and the target audience. The optimal video length for a YouTube video is different than a Facebook video.

Every video has its own perfect length. Some times you need a long video. Other times you need a short video.

The key is finding the sweet spot.

But that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to ensure each video you make is the right length.

Learn how to create instructional and informational videos that get watched.

Download PDF

The default answer you hear about video length is that shorter is always better. And, while that’s a good notion to keep in mind, it’s not quite gospel. 

And have research that backs it up!

Our recent study “ Video Viewer Habits, Trends, and Statistics You Need to Know ,” found that more than 50% of people preferred a video length between three and six minutes.

That’s not really surprising — and it’s in keeping with the notion that shorter is better. 

But, that’s not the whole story. The next highest preferred length was for videos in the 10-19 minute range. This strongly suggests that people will watch longer videos if the content is what they’re looking for. 

The research also analyzed nearly 100 videos that participants identified as examples of “great videos.” Of those, 22% were in that 10-19 minute range — the same percentage of those videos that were in the three to four minute range.

The verdict? People will watch longer videos, and they’ll even identify them as “great.” 

So, if video length isn’t the best way to determine whether your video will be successful, what is?

Content is (still) king

As I noted in a recent post , coming at your video with a length in mind is, in many ways, putting the cart before the horse. 

Think of it like cooking. The amount of time you need depends on what you’re making. You can’t make a homemade baked lasagna in 10 minutes and you don’t need three hours to make a box of macaroni and cheese.

The dish determines the length of time it takes to cook.

Similarly, your content should inform the length of your video.

Before creating any piece of content (not just video), ask yourself two questions:

1. What do my viewers need to know? 2. How can I best cover this topic in the most efficient and useful way?

Then, create a video that does that. That may seem simplistic, but using the tips and information highlighted in this post, you can turn those questions into a winning formula for determining the best length for your video. 

When we ask about the perfect video length, what we’re really asking is, “How can I keep my viewers’ attention long enough to give them the information they need?” 

We all know attention spans are shrinking, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to keep someone watching. 

Turns out good content is still effective — we just have to provide it!

The number-one reason that people stop watching a video has nothing to do with the video length. In fact, 83% of the people we surveyed will continue to watch a video if they’re genuinely interested in the topic. 

So the first step in keeping your audience engaged is to know what they’re looking for. You want to know these things:

• Who is my audience?
• What problem are they trying to solve?
• What are their goals?
• What will they need from me to accomplish those goals?
• What is their skill level?

Then, figure out the goal for your video based on the answers to those questions. How can you address them in the most effective and efficient way?

When you know what your audience needs and how to address it, you can plan your video accordingly. 

But be careful. If you’re anything like me, when you have something you’re excited about, you want to talk about it at length. To everyone. 

It can be the same with your content. You’re excited to share your knowledge, so it’s natural to want to share ALL of it. But remember, you want to create a video that addresses a specific problem or topic. Make sure you create a video that does that and nothing more. 

That doesn’t mean the other information isn’t important. It just means that you’ll want to share other information with other videos. No one ever said you had to make just one video. Make as many as you need to address as many topics, problems, pain points, etc. as necessary. 

So, now you know that video length isn’t the reason people stop watching videos. But, how do you keep them watching? Give them what they need and expect.

People stop watching a video because they didn’t get the information they expected. Whether your video is a minute long or 30 minutes, if your viewers don’t get what they came for, they will click away.

Be sure your video’s title accurately describes what your viewers will get when they watch. It’s tempting to use click-bait to get people to watch, but what good is that if they drift away after 30 seconds? And, once you’ve burned them, they’re much less likely to come back for more.

Additionally, here are a few things to keep in mind if you want to grab and keep your audience’s attention: 

1. Be interesting 

Use storytelling techniques and/or an engaging speaker/voiceover to help even dry topics seem less boring. You can also try adding some personality to your video by featuring a real person speaking.

Include practical, real-life examples your viewers can easily apply and be sure to make extensive use of good visuals like images and icons to illustrate your concepts.

2. Be funny

Who doesn’t like to laugh? Humor can be a great asset to keep viewers engaged and entertained. But, be careful of being silly or too off-the-wall, which can make your content seem less useful.

Also, be wary of humor for international audiences. What may be funny in one culture can be bland (at best) or offensive (at worst) in another. 

3. Use plain language

Use familiar, everyday language in your script. One of the biggest mistakes we make when we’re trying to teach a new concept or show someone how to do something is use language terminology, or jargon that is unfamiliar to the audience.

Using big words and long, drawn-out sentences may seem scholarly, but it can come across as pompous, out of touch, and even just confusing.

One thing from our research that may surprise you about keeping and engaging viewers: Video quality was not a common reason for viewers to stop watching a video.

In fact, only about 5% of viewers listed poor video quality as the main reason they stopped watching a video.

Take this example from Andy Crestonia from Orbit Media :

This video is a great example for a few reasons:

• The audio quality is solid
• The video quality maxes out at 480p
• At five years old, the video still ranks well and has nearly 300,000 views!

Remember, good content trumps perfect production . You don’t have to be a video pro to make great videos.

There’s no such thing as the perfect video length 

Video creators spend a lot of time wondering if their video is the right length.

While video length IS an important consideration for creating great instructional and informational videos, the real question to ask is, “How can I best cover this topic and drive value for my viewers?”

Then, plan your video to achieve that specific goal.

Additional Resources

The ultimate guide to easily make instructional videos, explainer videos: examples, step-by-step guide, and best practices, how to screen record on windows 10 or 11 (with audio).

Blog > Technology

How Long Should Videos Be: Finding the ideal video length (2024)

Posted on date: 12 Feb, 2024

In a world where 85% of businesses use video as a marketing tool, understanding the intricacies of video length is not just a skill—it's a necessity.

The digital landscape is flooded with videos, from snappy social media clips to in-depth tutorials and everything in between.

But here's the catch: while everyone agrees that video is vital, there's a debate over the ideal length. Should videos be quick and to the point or detailed and comprehensive?

This isn't just academic musing; it's a question with a real impact on viewer engagement and content success.

Let's take a look at what constitutes the ideal video lengths and how you can uncover the sweet spot for your video content.

Average Video Lengths

Video content, today's digital storytelling medium, comes in various lengths, each serving a unique purpose and audience. Understanding the nuances between short-form, medium-length, and long-form content is key to crafting videos that resonate and engage.

• Short-Form Videos: The Power of Brevity

Short-form videos, spanning from a brisk 60 seconds to a more leisurely five minutes, are the dynamos of the video universe. Their strength? Instant engagement. In a world where the average attention span is shrinking, these videos are perfectly engineered to hook viewers swiftly, convey your message, and leave an indelible mark.

Particularly on social media, where scrolling is the norm, these quick, impactful videos shine. They're tailor-made for snappy tips, intriguing brand teasers, or vibrant stories delivered in a flash. Think of them as your digital elevator pitch - concise, compelling, and memorable.

• Medium-Length Videos: The Sweet Spot of Engagement

Medium-length videos, ranging from five to ten minutes, hit what could be termed as the 'engagement sweet spot.' They offer just enough time to dive deeper into subjects, providing a richer narrative without overstepping the viewer's attention threshold.

This format excels in areas like tutorial videos, detailed product reviews, or captivating mini-documentaries. It's about giving your audience a full-flavored experience that’s still easy to digest, blending information with engagement seamlessly.

• Long-Form Videos: Deep Dives and Storytelling

When you cross the 10-minute mark, you enter the realm of long-form videos. Here, storytelling takes center stage, allowing for intricate narratives and comprehensive explorations. These videos are for when you need to unfold a story or explain complex concepts in detail.

Ideal for documentaries, elaborate tutorials, or episodic content, long-form videos invite viewers into a more immersive experience. They're about building worlds and journeys, engaging the viewer in a sustained, in-depth exploration of your subject.

How Does Video Length Impacts Viewer Engagement

When we think about video content, one critical question often surfaces: "Do viewers really consider length when deciding whether to watch or skip?" To get to the heart of this, we delved into an insightful analysis, focusing on the dynamics between video length and viewer engagement.

Our initial thought was straightforward: as video length increases, viewer engagement probably decreases. It seemed logical that a person might be more inclined to watch a whole 1-minute video than a 2-minute one.

The intrigue, however, lay in the scale of this change. We hypothesized that doubling a video from 1 to 2 minutes would significantly affect engagement, more so than adding a minute to a longer, say, 10-minute video.

We expected a non-linear relationship, perhaps akin to exponential decay. And indeed, our findings painted an interesting picture:

• Under 60 Seconds: Engagement Peaks

It's no secret that super short-form videos, those under 60 seconds, are popular to create. They're also kings of engagement. These quick hits are perfect for:

• Social Media Videos: Bite-sized clips for platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok.
• Help Center Shorts: Quick answers to FAQs or support tips.
• Video Voicemails: Personalized messages to encourage product or service discussions.
• One to Five Minutes: The Engagement Shift

Once you cross the one-minute mark, viewer retention starts to shift. Videos up to five minutes still hold strong, with audiences generally watching at least 50% on average. This duration suits:

• Product Explainers: Great for demonstrating product benefits and features.
• Promotional Clips: Ideal for hyping events or launches.
• Sales Presentations: Using tools like Videomagic, you can craft compelling sales narratives within this timeframe.
• Five to Thirty Minutes: Steady Decline

For videos stretching beyond five minutes, we noticed a steady decline in engagement, with an average rate hovering around 38%. This length is fitting for:

• Testimonial Videos: Perfect for building trust, usually within a 5 to 10-minute window.
• Internal Training Videos: Detailed content for employee onboarding or training, where polish isn't as critical.
• Over Thirty Minutes: Lower Engagement, Higher-Quality Leads

Long-form videos, those exceeding 30 minutes, showed the lowest engagement rates, averaging at about 26%. However, they tend to attract high-quality leads. A notable 16% of viewers commit to over an hour of viewing. Ideal for:

• Live Events and Webinars: With tools like Videomagic, these can run from 30 minutes to an hour, often concluding with a Q&A session.
• Video Podcasts: Recording podcasts in video format can attract viewers who enjoy both visual and auditory content.

While shorter videos generally boast higher engagement, longer formats have their unique advantages, attracting dedicated viewers and potentially higher-quality leads. The key is to match the video length with your content's purpose and your audience's preferences, ensuring your message is both heard and seen.

So, How Long Should a Video Really Be?

When it comes to crafting videos for different purposes, the one-size-fits-all approach doesn't quite cut it. The ideal length of your video should be dictated by its content and the message you wish to convey. Let’s break it down:

• Quick Sales Pitches: The 15-Second Rule

For a snappy sales message, 15 seconds is your magic number. This is especially effective for those who prefer brevity or might feel hesitant about lengthy narrations. The key here is clarity and quality – ensure your audio and visuals are sharp, making a strong, trustworthy impression in a brief window.

This short format is ideal for highlighting key benefits or a special offer, making it perfect for viewers making quick purchasing decisions online.

• Product Showcases in 30 Seconds

A 30-second video hits the sweet spot for product promotion. It's long enough to be informative yet short enough to keep the viewer's attention. This duration is perfect for a lunch break watch or a quick browse.

Your goal should be to create excitement and curiosity about your product, prompting viewers to seek more information with just a click. Platforms like VideoForm allow for personalization, adding a personal touch to your message and making it more engaging and relatable.

• Delivering Important News: One to Two Minutes

When you have significant news like new features or products, a one to two-minute video is ideal. This length gives you enough time to delve into details without overwhelming your audience.

For product overviews or feature announcements, two minutes allows you to showcase what’s new while keeping your audience engaged comprehensively. Remember, in today’s fast-paced world, even a minute can make a big difference in keeping your audience hooked.

To summarize, the best video length depends on your content and what you're trying to achieve. Whether it's a quick 15-second pitch, a 30-second product showcase, or a more detailed one to two-minute announcement, tailoring your video’s length to its purpose is key to capturing and maintaining viewer interest. Ensure that every second counts and conveys your message effectively to make the most out of your video content strategy.

Finding Your Video’s Sweet Spot

In the end, the journey to pinpointing your video's ideal length is one of trial and experimentation. There's no universal formula, as the perfect duration varies depending on your content, audience, and objectives.

And let's face it, continuously churning out a variety of videos to test the waters can be a costly and time-consuming endeavor.

Enter Videomagic

This innovative platform changes the game by harnessing AI to help you swiftly generate quality videos. Whether you're experimenting with different lengths or styles, Videomagic offers an affordable solution, with pricing starting as low as $5. It's an efficient, cost-effective way to refine your video strategy without breaking the bank.

So why wait?

Start exploring the potential of your video content today.

Get started for free on Videomagic

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• Try for free

How long should your video be? Video length best practices 2021-22

Wondering what the optimum length is for different types of video? Then this is the blog for you. In this guide we walk you through the best practice for videos on different social media platforms, plus the ideal length for video on websites. 

Let's dive in! ⏱

Overall video sharing best practice

Before we get into the platform specific advice, there are a few best practice tips that apply to all types of video. Let's recap them now:

1. Harness your analytics

While we'll be sharing the best practice for social media video lengths, nothing beats your own data. All social media platforms have analytics suites that can give you insights into viewer engagement, demographics and success. So while reading our best practice, compare it with your own results and consider blending the two for optimum results. After all, every video is unique in some way and so your own tests will always show extra insights 💡

2. Create different types of video to tap into different audience preferences

It's not only the length of video that's good to test - it's also the type. With so many different video sharing options on each of the social media channels, it's important to experiment and see what works for your brand. For instance, you might find you can achieve greater results with one TikTok video that taps into recent trends than you can with 3 Facebook videos. Or even the opposite might be true and longer form YouTube content is the way to go. 

Either way, you won't know until you try so get experimenting!

3. If in doubt, keep it short and sweet

As you'll see, just because videos can be longer on certain platforms, doesn't necessarily mean they should be. So don't be afraid to cut your video short if you've told your story, there's no need to lengthen it out if it's not needed. 

Your video will always have more impact when there's less waffle, you get to the point quickly and you focus on giving value and engaging your audience, not spilling everything you know about a subject! 

Website video length

Before we dive into the social media best practice, we want to focus on videos on websites. This is arguably more overlooked since most sites feature some sort of video but you might not have thought so much about optimizing it for the platform. So, how should you approach video creation for your homepage?

• The optimal length of a homepage video is similar to that of a TV commercial - 30 to 60 seconds.
• You can share longer videos but generally unless they're tutorials or support related content, they don't need to go into lots of detail and should act as a teaser or overview rather than complete answers.

Source: Vidyard

Facebook video length

Now let's tackle the biggest social media platform first. What length of video works best on Facebook? Research showed the following:

• The optimal video length for improved engagement is between 2 and 5 minutes. 
• Vertical videos are the most engaging video format (especially when combined with short captions).
• However, when looking at live videos - those that last over one hour increase engagement rates from 0.26% to 0.46%.

Instagram video length

Moving on to Instagram, arguably the first platform that made visuals the focus. There's now lots of different options for sharing video content on the platform including in in-feed posts, Stories , TV and Reels - each type has it's own maximum video length:

• Instagram Stories: 15 seconds maximum. 
• Instagram in-feed videos: 60 seconds maximum, though you can stack those videos in a carousel post.
• Instagram TV: 15 minutes max if posting via mobile device and up to 60 minutes when posting via desktop.
• Instagram Reels: 60 seconds maximum.

As these forms are generally so short, you'll want to use all the available time. But when it comes to IGTV 2 to 6 minute videos have shown to perform the best. 

Sources: Influencer Marketing Hub , Hootsuite and Later

YouTube video length

Next up is the king of video content, YouTube. There's an incredible appetite for video on the platform with over 1 billion hours of video being watched on the platform each day . So how do you best appeal to this audience? Here's the best practice: 

• While you can upload a maximum of 12 hours of video, videos around the 10 minute mark have proved most popular.
• It's likely to be because we head to YouTube for more informative or entertaining content with a specific goal in mind rather than scrolling a feed between meetings. 

Twitter video length

From breaking news to opinion pieces, video works really well on this more time-sensitive platform where content refreshes quickly. Here's our best practice advice:

• Twitter's maximum video length is 140 seconds.
• However, Twitter recommends videos are 15 seconds or less to attract 10x more engagement than tweets without videos. 

Source: Twitter

LinkedIn video length 

Whether you're looking to boost your employer brand or reach out to B2B customers, LinkedIn is a fantastic platform to engage audiences with video content. The platform recommends:

• The maximum length for LinkedIn videos is 10 minutes. 
• However, LinkedIn has seen a 200% lift in video completions when the video is 30 seconds or under. So consider trimming your video down to the key message.

Source: LinkedIn

TikTok video length

The newest player to the table, TikTok, has really shown the power of video with their short-form videos that are sparking global trends and huge opportunities for individual content creators and brands alike. Here's best practice on this channel:

• Ultimately, the length of your TikTok ads should make sense for the message you’re trying to get across.
• However, TikTok see that shorter videos perform better - 1 in 4 top-performing videos have a duration between 21 and 34 seconds and on average achieve a 1.6% lift in impressions.  

Source: TikTok

Snapchat video length

Lastly, we head to Snapchat where again visuals are the main focus - either photos and images or video. Here is Snapchat's own advice on sharing videos:

• Video ads can be up to 3 minutes of vertical video, and then offer the option to add an interactive element.
• However, the first 3 - 5 seconds is the sweet spot for video length to drive action so ensure you have your call-to-action up front.

Source: Snapchat

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Your Guide to Video Presentations: Ideas, Benefits & How-To

Sep 1, 2023

The remote workforce has reshaped business dynamics, introducing both challenges and opportunities. Surprisingly, one aspect that remains unchanged is the mode of presentation. PowerPoint transitions seamlessly from the office to virtual meetings, yet unfortunately, static presentations fail to excite in this new digital space. Video presentations , on the other hand, offer a dynamic and engaging platform for sharing information effectively. According to Social Media Week , viewers retain 95% of a message conveyed through video.

10. Quarterly or annual report video

Shake up your usual end-of-quarter presentation by transforming your findings into an engaging, attention-grabbing recap video. Not only does this wrap up the previous quarter, it kicks off the next one with more energy and excitement than any dense report could.

11. Event presentation

Have an upcoming event? The Webinar Event Promo template is a great way to get the word out! Videos are more likely to be shared than other content and will help make the details of your event stick. You can use it for anything from webinars to happy hours to increase your turnout.

<CTAButton href=" https://animoto.com/builder/templates/all/webinar-event-promo”>MAKE THIS VIDEO

10 Video presentation tips to boost engagement

Here are ten tips to enhance your video presentations:

• Use a video presentation maker: Make your life easy by starting with a template and video presentation maker .
• Write a video script: Plan your content meticulously to stay focused and concise.
• Keep it simple: Avoid cluttering your presentation with excessive text or animations.
• Introduce yourself and your brand: Set the stage by briefly introducing yourself and your brand.
• Create an impactful intro and outro: Hook your audience from the start and leave a lasting impression.
• Add audio narration: Personalize your videos with voice-over feature to connect with your audience. You can even take it one step further by recording a webcam video where you speak directly to your audience!
• Add background music: Enhance the mood and appeal of your videos with licensed music tracks.
• Ask your audience questions: Foster collaboration and engagement by encouraging audience interaction.
• Incorporate quotes: Use impactful quotes to reinforce your message.
• Use humor: Inject humor to make your content more relatable and engaging.
• Practice before recording: Conduct practice runs to refine your delivery and boost confidence.

Create video presentation with animoto

Animoto offers a user-friendly video presentation maker for creating professional video presentations! Here’s how it works:

1. Choose a video presentation template from our library to get started. 2. Upload your photos and video clips and then drag and drop them into your presentation. 3. Personalize your video presentation with text, animations, and your brand colors and logo to make it truly your own. 4. Download and share your video presentation via email, on screen, or to your desired social destination.

Don’t let your presentation time go to waste. With video presentations, you’re more likely to impress and engage your audience and make your information stick.

Which creative and fun video presentation idea do you think you’ll use first? Share your creations with us in our Facebook group, The Animoto Social Video Marketing Community . You can share your videos there for feedback and support or just get inspired by fellow group members.

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Video presentation FAQ

How long should a video presentation be.

Ultimately, the length of your video presentation depends on how much content needs to be shared, who you’re sharing it with, and where you’re sharing it. Thirty to sixty seconds is a great starting point; it’s short enough to keep your audience engaged yet long enough to include valuable information.

Are presentation videos better than slideshows?

Video presentations offer more opportunities to excite and engage your audience than static slideshows. Whereas slideshows can become monotonous or predictable, videos keep your audience on their toes with animations, video, narration, text, and images. Viewers claim they retain 95% of a message from videos too! More engagement = better recall.

Where can I find royalty-free background music?

Animoto has a library of over 3,000 licensed music tracks to choose from. You can browse our library and sort by genre, music, artist, and more to find the perfect track for your video presentation.

How to convert ppt presentations to video:

To convert PowerPoint presentations to video, open the presentation, click on "File" > "Export," then choose "Create a Video." Adjust the settings as needed, such as slide duration and narration options, then click "Create Video" to generate the video file. Or, record your screen as you present and save it as an .mp4 file.

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How Long a Video Should Be

Chris Gillespie

The rule of thumb is to keep most videos under two minutes, but optimal video length varies depending on where you share or embed it. Tips for each channel.

How long should a short video be? Most marketing videos should be two minutes or less. First outreach sales videos, under 60 seconds if you can swing it. But the length of any particular video depends entirely on the use case, channel, industry, and where it fits in the marketing and sales funnel. The earlier the stage, the shorter. The later, the longer. Below are recommendations for nearly every conceivable scenario.

Quick Hit Video Length Recommendations

What are the length restrictions when posting video content, how long should a social media video be, how long should a video be on different digital channels, how long should different types of video be, video length best practices, how do you edit the length of a video.

• The average length of all business-related videos is 15.5 minutes
• The majority of videos (60%) are less than 2 minutes long
• Only 3% of business videos are 10 to 20 minutes long
• 66% of viewers watch a business-related video all the way through if it’s less than 60 seconds
• Only 22% will finish a video if it’s longer than 20 minutes
• Nearly 60% of viewers believe that that is too long will deter them from watching.
• Facebook recommends that small businesses try keeping videos to around 15 seconds as much as possible. They shared that 47% of the value in a video is delivered in the first 3 seconds
• Videos that are an average of 26 seconds receive the most comments on Instagram

Bonus:  Find out how long your video will be using Vidyard’s free script timer tool or get AI to write you a video script to your ideal length with the Vidyard AI Script Generator .

When it comes to posting video content, understanding the length restrictions will save you time and headaches. However, it’s important to note that these restrictions can vary depending on the social media channel you’re sharing on or the video hosting solution you’re using. Below we’ll cover specific restrictions per channel as well as the recommended video durations to garner you the best viewer engagement and retention.

No two social media sites are the same, so no two video lengths are the same. A YouTube viewer, for instance, may happily watch for four minutes, whereas an Instagram user probably won’t give it more than 15 seconds. O n top of all that, social algorithms are always being updated, so what’s true today may change. Below are tips for each channel.

Instagram Video Length

Does Instagram limit video length? Short answer, Yes! But if you’re wondering what length of video you can post on Instagram, it will depend on the format of your video post and how you share it. 

As a response to the meteoric rise of TikTok, Instagram Reels are now often prioritized over photos in algorithms that you can share in-feed or on their own. The length restriction for reels is up to 90 seconds. But you might not want to make them that long for optimal viewership retention.  

Story video length: 15 seconds each and disappear after 24 hours. Instagram Live video length: 1 second to 4 hours. For ideal engagement, aim to make your Instagram videos in-feed around 15-30 seconds long. This can be a sweet spot for Instagram’s busy, multi-tasking, often traveling audience. Try covering your key message in the first 15 seconds regarding video and Instagram Stories ads.

For Instagram Live Videos, hit record and just keep filming. The longer you roll, the larger the audience you’ll have the opportunity to attract. For a live (especially if doing some sort of demonstration) shoot for at least 10 minutes, but longer is often better for this format.

Video Length on Threads

The Threads app from Instagram is relatively new to the game as a direct alternative to Twitter. Although not video-first focused at the moment, if you want to know what length a video can be on Threads—the limit is up to five minutes.

Facebook Video Length

What length video can you post on Facebook? Successful in-feed Facebook videos tend to be 24 to 90 seconds long. Facebook videos are permitted to roll for an epic four hours, but just because you can upload Gone with the Wind doesn’t mean you should. It probably far exceeds the Facebook user’s attention span, and that’s a lot of video to produce.

On the other end of the spectrum are Facebook Stories—those user-generated videos that expire after 24 hours—which can’t exceed 20 seconds. For Facebook ads, put the juiciest information in the first five to 10 seconds, though these can also be four hours long.

Facebook Live is a great way to connect with customers in real-time. You can broadcast for up to four hours, and, as with Instagram Live, the longer your live video runs, the greater your chances that people will discover it. Just make sure not to go below 10 minutes, which is how long it takes for people to be notified and tune in.

Pro Tip: To make your brand’s Facebook page more engaging, replace the cover photo (the large picture at the top of your profile) with a 20 to 90-second video , or swap your profile picture with a seven-second profile video or animated GIF .

LinkedIn Video Length

We recommend that LinkedIn videos run between 30 seconds and five minutes, with a maximum of 10 minutes. LinkedIn’s viewers aren’t your standard social media surfers: They’re professionals at work with more time to digest. Nearly three-quarters of business executives, almost all who are on LinkedIn, say they watch online videos every week.

If you’re running LinkedIn video ads, a shorter form is better: 15 seconds is ideal, with a maximum of 30 seconds.

What is the Ideal YouTube Video Length

Does YouTube have a video length limit? YouTube videos can run for up to 12 hours, but demand for that type of content probably isn’t there for most branded content. YouTube shorts (vertical videos) can be up to 60 seconds long.

Make B2B videos on YouTube for two minutes or less. However, you can go longer if they’re how-to or educational videos. Just ensure you add video chapters to your content. Not only is this a better viewership experience, but it’s also great for SEO.  

As for video ads, our advice is to stick to 15 to 20 seconds if you’re using pre-roll ads or six seconds for what are known as bumper ads, which are intended for brand awareness.

Twitter Video Length

Video tweets and Twitter ads should be 20 to 45 seconds long. However, they can be as long as two minutes and 20 seconds. It should come as no surprise that people don’t linger long on the platform built for brevity.

Pinterest Video Length

Pinterest videos should be 15 to 30 seconds unless they’re an explainer or demo, in which case, longer is fine. The site bills itself as “the discovery platform,” and people go there for how-to answers similar to how they use YouTube. While demos on Pinterest can be up to 30 minutes long, yours shouldn’t be. Offer a short and sweet answer with a beautiful, pinnable thumbnail.

Snapchat Video Length

True to its name, Snapchat videos are over in a snap: 10 seconds, that’s it. Don’t try to compress your entire message into that tiny blip. Rather, give your audience an intriguing taste of what you do and leave them with a link, hashtag, or URL to learn more.

TikTok Video Length

The length of TikTok videos has increased in recent years to accommodate longer-form storytelling and content sharing. A TikTok video can be up to ten minutes, which is useful considering more brands and creators making TikTok videos for B2B .

Once again, there is no one best video length. It depends on the channel, how users behave there, what they expect, their vertical, use case, buying stage, the product, and the video format. A rule of thumb, though: Keep it under one minute if it’s cold outreach. Below are guidelines for each channel and format.

Website Video Length

The optimal length of a homepage video is similar to that of a TV commercial—30 to 60 seconds. You can go over it, but only if the video is substantive. Website videos don’t necessarily need to offer complete answers, either. Homepage explainer videos that tease the value of your product but leave some questions unanswered are more likely to drive viewers to schedule a sales call.

Landing Pages Video Length

Make your landing page videos short: 30 to 60 seconds. Studies show that one-fifth of landing page viewers bounce after 10 seconds. One-third bounce within 30 seconds. Videos can help hold their attention and can do a lot to increase conversions; simply including them increases conversions by 80%.

Pro Tip: Place your video above the fold so it’s one of the first things viewers see.

Video Email Length

There’s no optimal length for video marketing emails or sales video emails , but in most cases, we recommend keeping it to 45 seconds or under (unless you have a highly engaged audience). Try adding the word “video” to your email subject line to see if it increases open rates.

Make your top-of-funnel videos short and snappy—think in seconds, not minutes. Window shoppers and unaware prospects typically won’t invest much time. However, the further you go down the funnel , the longer your videos can afford to be—think minutes. The optimal or best video length is whatever viewers are willing to consume.

How Long Can a Vidyard Video Be?

Before we jump into length recommendations for different types of video, we often hear a question: How long can a Vidyard video be? If you’re recording a video with Vidyard , you can record up to 30 minutes if you’re a free user and up to an hour on a Pro plan. For users on a Team’s plan or above, you can record for any limit you need!  If you’re uploading a video, it’s based more on the maximum file size, which is 20GB.

Explainer Video Length

Make your explainer videos 60 to 90 seconds. These are generally top-of-funnel assets, but, unlike ads, they imply some intent on the viewer’s part to learn about the product. If it takes over a minute to deliver that answer, it’s not the end of the world.

How-To or Tutorial Video Length

Mid-funnel educational videos or how-to videos should be between two and 10 minutes. By this point, you have your audience’s interest and engagement, and the goal is to teach more than it is to entertain. Or, perhaps they’re customers, and the goal is to teach them how the service or product works, in which case, they’re probably fairly forgiving. But the more you can condense your message, say things concisely, and let viewers get on with their day, the more the videos will be appreciated and perhaps even shared.

Demo Video Length

Demo videos are the most popular type of video used for both video marketing and for sellers . Make your demo videos two to five minutes long. It’s better to produce several smaller demos, each on one aspect or feature of the product, than one big one. It’s a lower barrier to entry for your viewers, and you can always string them together in a playlist for those who want the whole thing.

Case Study Video Length

Case study video length can vary widely, but viewers are likely mid or late-stage prospects who are apt to consume five to 10 minutes of video. You can always cut up longer video case studies into shorter videos or bite-sized 60 to 90-second testimonials, which are useful on your website, in email, and on social channels.

Ideal Webinar Length

Live webinars are typically up to 60 minutes long but aim to keep them 25 minutes or less for optimal viewer retention and engagement. Over 30% of marketers leverage on-demand webinars as a video marketing strategy . You could keep the full length of your live webinar when you post your on-demand, but editing it down to just the highlights will be a much better experience for viewers. If you can edit your on-demand webinar content to under 20 minutes, it could net you nearly 60% more viewer retention .

How Long Should a Sales Video Be?

Sales outreach videos , especially to cold prospects , should be 30 to 60 seconds short. You’re liable to spoil their appetite for talking any longer. Mid- and late-stage sales outreach to reconnect with prospects who have gone cold or who have paused their evaluation should be about the same. But the video can be longer if you answer a prospect’s question or send a video proposal .

Pro tip: Add video chapters to your longer-form sales videos so your viewers can easily navigate through the content.

Promo Video Length

If you’re wondering how long should a promo video be, you can approach the same as traditional digital and TV advertisements: 15 to 60 seconds. It’s a tried and true format; if it’s good enough for the big advertisers, it’s also good enough for most B2B companies.

Brand and Culture Video Length

Make your company culture videos two to four minutes long (think fun holiday video, or if you’re trying to attract candidates with a recruiting-style culture video, go shorter: One to two minutes.

Interview Video Length

Interview videos are a special case that can be on the lengthier side. If your CEO interviews a special guest for a fireside chat, it’s probably okay that it runs longer than most—say, six to 10 minutes. That gives them enough time to go back and forth a few times and for the conversation to explore multiple stories and perspectives.

Thought Leadership Video Length

Thought leadership video length depends heavily on the use case, format, and content. If you’ve got a well-rehearsed, revelatory message, 10 to 15 minutes is appropriate. (That’s about the length of a TED Talk.) If you’ve only got a short, informal update recorded on your smartphone at a conference and bound for Twitter or LinkedIn, 45 seconds to two minutes is probably all you need.

FAQ Video Length

The right length for FAQ videos is finding the sweet spot between answering all your top questions and retaining your viewer’s attention as much as possible. As a general rule of thumb, aim to answer four to six questions in your FAQ video and keep the total length under 10 minutes. Adding chapters for each question or breaking each question into a shorter video will help with engagement and retention.

The best practice for video length duration is to test and find what works for your audience. If the video will be viewed by someone who doesn’t know you and hasn’t signed up to view it, assume it should be less than two minutes. If they’ve requested the video, it can probably be longer.

Shorter is (Almost) Always Better

66% of viewers watch business-related videos all the way to the end if they’re less than 60 seconds, but only 22% will finish a video if it’s more than 20 minutes long. Use video analytics to find out where people drop off, then edit accordingly or, at the very least, apply the lessons to future content. Another way to retain and engage more of your view is to consider adding chapters to your long-form video content . You can increase that retention, and your content is easier to discover and consume.

Average Engagement for Different Lengths of Video

Chart via the Video in Business Benchmark Report .

Different Objectives Call for Different Lengths

Video length depends on the video’s ultimate goal and the target viewer’s funnel stage, and therefore a viewer’s level of investment and commitment to you. Remember, too, that view counts don’t necessarily equal success. Judge video success by richer metrics like signups, conversions, pipeline , and revenue.

Track Your Efforts

Use video analytics so you know what’s working and what isn’t, what changes to make to increase conversions, and your return on investment (ROI). The average click-through rate (CTR) on a video call-to-action (CTA) is 3.21% , video analytics like viewer retention, engagement, and drop-off rates can help you further optimize your video content and know exactly where to place your video CTAs to get the best engagement.

Capture Attention Quickly

If the majority of your viewers only make it halfway through your video, but the most important message is three-quarters of the way in, then they’re missing the point entirely. Get to your message quickly—ideally within the first quarter of the video.

You should now understand the ideal video length for best viewer retention across platforms and channels. But you may now be asking yourself, “How do I shorten the length of a video if it’s too long?” The great news is, it’s easier than ever before. Many of the social platforms and video creation tools come with built-in editing features if you need to trim or make basic edits to your content. However, paid and free video marketing tools are becoming more ubiquitous, so everyone can be a creator and editor.

Check out the tutorial below on how to use CapCut from the Sales Feed team if you want to see one of these tools in action.

This post was originally published on September 19, 2019. It was updated on July 14, 2023.

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The Truth About Instructional Video Length

When you’re planning your instructional or training video, deciding on how long it should be before you know more about your topic and audience is a little bit like putting the cart before the horse.

Conventional wisdom says that when it comes to the length of your video, the shorter the better. In fact, many experts will tell you that two to three minutes is the video length sweet spot because you’ll lose viewers if your video is too long.

But is that really the case? Is a shorter video inherently better than a longer one?

While capturing and keeping a viewer’s attention can be difficult, as you might have guessed, the answer is a bit more complicated. The truth is, that there is no perfect video length for all videos, and shorter is not always better than longer. In fact, too short can be just as bad as too long if you fail to deliver the information your viewers need.

Instead of thinking about making your video shorter, think about right-sizing it.

The Goldilocks Principle

You likely know the story of famed breaker-and-enterer Goldilocks. After entering the Three Bears’ house, she found porridge that was either too hot or too cold and beds that were either too hard or too soft. But then she found the porridge that was just the right temperature and a bed that was just the right softness.

It was perfect. Until the bears showed up.

There’s a “just right” length for your video, too, and it’s…drum roll, please…the right size for YOUR video.

See, before you determine the length of your video, you need to figure out what you want to teach or explain. Some videos probably can do the job in a minute or even less, while other topics may take much longer to explain.

For example, a video showing how to log in to an e-mail account may only take a minute or two, but a video showing the steps to creating, addressing, and sending an e-mail likely will need more time.

Then you need to consider your audience. Going back to the e-mail example, a person who has been using computers and sending e-mails their whole life probably doesn’t need to know the nitty gritty details of what it means to compose and send an e-mail. They just need to know how to log in and then they’re on their way.

But imagine you are teaching your great-grandmother who has never used a computer. She’s going to need more time. And, in fact, she’ll probably need more than one video, so you don’t overwhelm her with new information.

Survey Says…

People will watch longer videos—but they need a reason to do it. TechSmith recently did a study of the habits and preferences of people who view instructional and informational videos, and we got some surprising results.

First, we found that more than 50 percent of people preferred a video length between three and six minutes.

That’s not really surprising—and it’s in keeping with the notion that shorter is better. But that’s not the whole story. The next highest preferred length was for videos in the 10- to 19-minute range. This strongly suggests people will watch longer videos if the content is what they’re looking for.

The research also analyzed nearly 100 videos that survey participants identified as examples of “great videos.” Of those, 22 percent were in that 10- to 19-minute range—the same percentage of those videos that were in the three to four-minute range.

The verdict? People will watch longer- videos, and they’ll even identify them as “great.”

How to Right-Size Your Video

When we ask about the perfect video length, what we’re really asking is, “How can I keep my viewers’ attention long enough to give them the information they need?”

And while viewers can get bored easily, that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to keep someone watching.

Turns out good content is still effective—we just have to provide it!

The No. 1 reason that people stop watching a video has nothing to do with the video length. In fact, 83 percent of the people we surveyed will continue to watch a video if they’re genuinely interested in the topic.

So the first step in keeping your audience engaged is to know what they’re looking for. Ask yourself these questions:

• Who is my audience?
• What problem are they trying to solve?
• What are their goals?
• What will they need from me to accomplish those goals?
• What is their skill level?

Then figure out the goal for your video based on the answers. How can you address them in the most effective and efficient way?

The biggest mistake most people make when they’re creating instructional or informational videos is that they try to do too much (or sometimes too little).

When you know what your audience needs and how to address it, you can plan your video accordingly. Be careful, though. You’re excited to share your knowledge, so it’s natural to want to share ALL of it. Remember, you want to create a video that addresses a specific problem or topic. Make sure you create a video that does that and nothing more.

That doesn’t mean the other information isn’t important. It just means you’ll want to share other information in other videos. No one ever said you had to make just one video. Make as many as you need to address as many topics, problems, pain points, etc., as necessary.

Your viewers will thank you (and keep coming back for more).

Mystery Solved

You now know that when you’re planning your instructional or training video, deciding on how long it should be before you know more about your topic and audience is a little bit like putting the cart before the horse.

Think carefully about what you need to teach, as well as your audience’s needs, skill level, and prior knowledge or experience. Then create a video that solves their problem. If you need to make other videos, you can do that, too.

Matt Pierce is Learning & Video ambassador at TechSmith Corp ., the go-to company for visual communication. TechSmith empowers people to create remarkable content to share knowledge and information. A graduate of Indiana University’s School of Education’s Department of Instructional Systems Technology, Pierce has more than 10 years of experience working in learning and development with a focus on visual instruction. He has directly managed the training, user assistance, video, and other teams for TechSmith.

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The Dos and Don'ts of Videos in Presentations

Posted Monday, January 09 2017 by Dirk

Videos can enliven a presentation. They can be used to illustrate something that would be hard or impossible to recreate on stage or with static slides. So there's nothing wrong with showing a video, presuming it is short.

But how long is "short"? Think back to the last time you watched a video in someone's presentation. 30 seconds are fine. One minute, however, can already feel long. Get to 3 minutes and all you want is for the video to end.

Why is that so? Why can't we bear to watch a 5-minute video but sit through entire movies which are 90 minutes or longer?

Another reason is of course the different purpose: We go to the cinema to spend an evening, possibly with friends and family, to be entertained. Even if we came to watch a documentary, we expect the movie to be well-made, engaging, and a self-contained experience. Add any hassles, minor as they may be, and the audience rather stays at home, watching a bootlegged copy or doing something else entirely. Cinemas try to make watching a movie a positive experience, using the latest technology in projection and sound, offering comfy seats, and selling you something to eat. So even if you came to learn something, it's an entirely different experience from attending a presentation.

So, other than picking short and relevant video clips, what else can you do so that videos in your presentation feel less awkward?

Don't mention the mechanics. Don't say "and now I'm going to show you a video" . Instead, mention the purpose or open with a question. "But how does photosynthesis work on a cellular level? Let's have a look." And without further ado, you show the video. (That's a fictitious example, btw. I have no idea if you can actually film a cell doing photosynthesis; but I'd like to see it if it was possible!)

Embed videos. You've all seen presenters drop out of the presentation, switch to the desktop, search for the video, double-click on it (several times, since it doesn't work on the first try), maximise the video, adjust the sound, move the mouse cursor out of the way (hopefully) - and then they have to switch back to the presentation software when they're done. It's just killing the flow and any suspense you may have been able to build up to this point. Modern computers and presentation software can easily cope with presentations a few 100 MB in size. Embed the video in the slide, enable autoplay, and test it - both the technical side (Does it play? Is the sound on?) and how you would lead up to the video in your narration.

Test it. Not only should you test the presentation with the embedded video, but you also need to test things at the venue, before your talk. Is the computer connected to the sound system? How loud is it? If it's not your own computer: Does it still work? Is there maybe a delay when it loads and you make the switch to the slide with the video on? If so, adjust your buildup.

Rule of thumb: The video should come up just as naturally as any other (static) slide in your presentation. Only then can it have the full intended impact.

(Graphic by OpenClipart-Vectors, from pixabay , CC0)

Dirk Haun [email protected] (or use the contact form ) Tel. +49 176-457 169 76 www.dirkhaun.de

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Video Length Best Practices: How Long Should Your Videos Be?

How long should your videos be? Let's have a look at some of the video length best practices.

A recent study reported that 75% of leads chose to not purchase a product because the sales video annoyed them.

When you have a creative medium that leaves as strong an impression as videos do , it is best to learn how to do it right.

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Video as a sales strategy comes with empowerment through a few restrictions. Shorter video content is enjoyed by people throughout platforms, explaining the boom in short-length video platforms like Snapchat, TikTok, etc. But, there remains a die-hard audience for longer formats of videos like video podcasts, tutorial videos, webinars, etc.

Depending on the nature of your business, the format you take, and the platform you use to upload it , the optimal length of your video varies.

Overall, deciding the video length is a subjective call for the creator. For an optimal output that represents your business and quality, you need to keep a few things in mind. Through the course of this read, we will explore how the length of a video affects user impressions like bounce, buying decisions, replays, etc and how to optimize video length for a given audience on a specific platform.

Video Length: Does it Even Matter?

Statistics say that viewers have a definitive preference when it comes to video length and that preference largely lies between the 3 to 6-minute range .

The 3-minute mark is where most user engagement is seen. That has again and again been seen to be a timestamp where the user is willing to take action .

Given that leads enjoyed the video, and were convinced of the product you had to offer, you are looking at a possible conversion between 2-3 minutes. It is a definitive sweet spot .

Post the 4-minute mark , user engagement starts decreasing. It is not a meteoric decrease, but it is a decline nonetheless. That is not appreciated for a sales video that mostly has an objective of conversion. Longer videos, more often than not, can be intimidating for viewers.

Viewers tend to make a conscious decision to bounce looking at a long duration. Simply because they assume they won't have the time to go through with the entire video. Users won’t even hit the play button for long videos sometimes, because they don’t want to get into a video they won’t watch through.

That being said, once you prepare your audience for it, viewers will engage in longer content , especially web streams, and video podcasts with expert panels. Depending on what stage of the funnel you are thinking about plugging a video in, and the type of audience you have, you can actually pull off longer video content, especially in the B2B space where the majority of your consumers are viewing the video on their desktop .

The general rule of thumb is, videos can be as long as necessary but as short as possible.

This simple rule will help you create quality content for every stage of your sales funnel.

Depending on the product, and the type of content you wish to create you tweak this rule to fit your business. This means that even if you want to create a longer video for the first few stages of the funnel, where you don’t have a loyal, patient audience that will sit through it: create a video library.

Trim videos to shorter clips of under three minutes, retaining the entire video as a playlist instead of a long video.

You may use an end-to-end video platform such as StoryXpress to record and edit your videos. Further, you may use the same tool to host and organize your videos into playlists. This way you have the engagement you are looking for, without compromising on the value and quality of the content. Subsequently, you can create teaser content. This will be like a trailer of sorts for the actual video. Depending on how you are using videos in your sales strategy, and what your focal point is, you can create a video of any length and still get good engagement.

How Long Should Your Videos Be?

Leads come through every stage of the funnel with a certain set of qualities that decide the characteristics of the content for that stage.

At every stage, the lead opens up to a certain kind of content, and as leads flow deeper into the funnel you expose them to more exclusive information. Keeping that in mind, video content for every stage in the funnel, and every landmark position in the sales pipeline changes in length, as much as it does in shape and form.

Below we will discuss the optimal video length for certain landmark marketing elements, and video formats.

Landing Page Videos

Landing pages are a microsite with a very defined objective.

They are supposed to be flashy and attention-grabbing. To create and embed a video on a website , you have to keep it as engaging as possible.

This means a short video. Shorter than short actually. The ideal length is 60 seconds, with the 30-second mark being the sweet spot for action. Create a flashy, attention-grabbing, visually rich video. You can create a teaser or trailer for a longer video for the landing page.

Videos in Emails

Plugging in a video in emails makes the outreach extremely successful, giving you a 65% increase in click-through rates.

That should give you an insight into the user preferences, users want to watch the video. Despite the interest, the optimal video length still is under a minute for a video in email.

This is because, for an outreach campaign, we are not too sure if the lead is interested or will engage. Specifically for videos in email, you can lead viewers into watching a longer video.

You can create video content that starts with an engaging intro followed by a summary.

Plugin a short 45-seconds video, with a watch more call to action button at the end that leads the user to a page that hosts the entire video.

Explainer Videos

Explainer videos are educational videos, but users don’t expect to receive a long drawn explanation for each feature.

These are somewhat like ads but with an aspect of learning involved. Explainer videos should ideally be under 2 minutes and the most important information should come within the first 30 to 45 seconds.

This is what will retain user attention, and get them sold on the product. Here is an example of a good explainer video:

How-To Videos

When people think about How-To videos they think, “Okay, here is my chance to give away all the knowledge I have about this topic”. But that doesn’t see much viewer retention. How-to content serves a specific purpose. It is not a subjective type of content that allows much room for abstraction.

Therefore, it is best to stick with the actual procedural steps of the topic. Depending on the subject matter this could be anywhere between 1-10 minutes. Anything more than that should be reserved for actual clients. Here is an example:

Demo Videos

Demo videos are the type of video content that allows room for abstract creativity.

Yet, it is one of the more well-rounded marketing videos that work well throughout the sales pipeline. For that and other reasons, demo videos should generally be short. Anything between 1 to 3 minutes works best for demo videos. Demo videos are all about showing the product in the best light possible, without making it hard to interpret.

Quick in action video footage of your product works well here. Here is an example:

Tutorial Videos

Tutorial videos are a longer version of the how-to content.

These are true blue educational videos, which will address everything about your product and every concept surrounding it. If you are selling LEDs, you could very well be making tutorial videos about how a filament works. Since it is a subjective medium and allows for all-encompassing videos, you can make a slightly longer video that will see good engagement.

2 to 10 minutes is good enough for a tutorial video. Keep in mind though, the audience for a tutorial video is looking to learn something. Don’t stretch videos for no reason. Maintain the quality with the quantity.

Video Pitches

Now that you have almost bagged a sale, and just the last lap is left, it is best to keep it short and concise. Video pitches can extend up to 5 minutes if you have to address certain questions and requests from the prospect.

But 2 minutes is a good enough duration for a good, hearty video pitch.

Keep the content for a video pitch to the point, and objective.

Case Study Videos

Case study videos are generally longer.

Since a lot of content of a case study video comes from a client, it can be a little long.

The customer doesn’t know how to phrase things for conversions or create a feature list. Therefore, they need to be slightly trained before the recording. Subsequently, case study videos should be edited to perfection, and mostly trimmed.

Overall, a testimonial video placed on the check out page should be under 5 minutes, and around 3 minutes. Here is an example:

Thought Leadership Videos

The most lovable content that came out of digital marketing is thought leadership videos.

These videos have viewing beyond target audience boundaries and a loyal viewership for quality channels. These videos can be slightly longer, 2 to 10 minutes.

But short, <2 minutes thought leadership videos are also much appreciated.

This is one of those extremely abstract types of videos, therefore it will work well through a larger spectrum of length.

How Long Should Social Media Videos Be?

Every aspect of a video changes depending on the platform it is hosted on. Social media is no longer limited to Facebook or Myspace, it has expanded into horizons unknown. And platform to platform, you will find unique audiences, with unique tastes; depending on which, the optimum length of your video changes.

Some platforms restrict the length of the video you can post, but most platforms relevant to business will give you some flexibility.

LinkedIn Video Length

LinkedIn is a professional man’s social media.

And yet you will find a lot of traditional social media content here like cute kitty videos.

Despite having an audience for that, videos placed on LinkedIn can be anywhere from a minute to 5 minutes.

You can plug longer videos on LinkedIn but you might not get the views.

Regardless, you find a niche audience that might give you good engagement ratios. If you are doing outreach, try to keep it shorter.

Especially for LinkedIn ads, a 30-seconds video is good enough. But for more knowledge-based content, you will get engagement for longer videos.

Instagram Video Length

Instagram became a platform for business without even trying.

And now it is trying very hard to facilitate businesses.

To that effect, Instagram allows everything from 5-second stories to a 60-minute stream. The best content on Instagram is still the shorter videos, under 1 minute. These can be demo videos or explainer videos as posts giving an insight into your product and that will lead to engagement for outreach.

For stories, keep it 15 seconds or under. Consider making teasers or anything attention-grabbing. For more visibility, consider getting some Instagram likes .

IGTV allows you to post videos above 10 minutes, this can be utilized for longer tutorial videos.

Facebook Video Length

Facebook has started giving businesses a major boost by plugging in sponsored content within their feeds. This invariably increases views, and thereby shares. To keep viewer retention on Facebook, it is best to keep feed videos under 2 minutes.

That’s how much a user will give you out of their feed browsing time. And that should be enough for almost all types of sales videos.

For feed ads, videos under 1 minute with the sweet spot being under 30 seconds works best. For other ads on the platform, keep it under 15 seconds. You can utilize Facebook Live for webinars and impromptu interviews above 10 minutes.

YouTube Video Length

YouTube revolutionized the way humans created and viewed videos. And the best part is, it now caters to all kinds of videos for whatever length you like. The video content that will work best for reach on YouTube is the slightly longer content like tutorials, interviews, case study videos.

These will open up an audience that you didn't know existed. YouTube will work well with videos over 5 minutes. But, it also works well to create B2B relations for video length under 5 minutes with the 2-minute mark being the sweet spot. For YouTube video ads, it is best to keep it under 5 seconds for unskippable ads, and under 20 seconds for skippable ads. Banner ads can be either GIFs or under 5 seconds.

Video Length Best Practices

Experiment and Analyse

If you are unsure of what length your audience will be open to, it is best to go with short videos. And then run analytics on it. You can use the StoryXpress Screen Recorder to get valuable user impressions, like what part retained the most attention, and at what timestamp did most bounces occur. Make use of these insights to create better videos. Like if you are receiving a lot of bounces on the 3-minute mark for a 5-minute video, you have to start trimming.

Create Multiple Edits

Once you start recording videos, you end up with a lot of footage. This can be utilized for multiple types of videos for different lengths. Once you have the footage, edit it out for different platforms with different goals and subsequently appropriate lengths.

This will help you create teasers, entice, and engage the audience, and even create longer videos with higher engagement.

Keep the Length Platform Friendly

Platforms like Facebook and Instagram allow you to post larger stories but cut the video to create multiple stories for one video.

This is extremely annoying to view and will give you a higher bounce rate. Keep the length of your videos appropriate to the platform.

Grab Attention Within 30 Seconds

This is extremely important. Viewers need something to hold onto to continue watching your video post the 30-second mark. Keep the visuals extremely high quality within the first 30 seconds, and for the shorter length videos within 5-10 seconds.

Quality Comes First

You can create larger videos, up to 60 minutes and you will find an audience for it if your content deserves it.

For sales and marketing videos, it is not recommended. But, if you are interviewing an expert, it can be around 20 minutes, and you will still find high user engagement. If the content deserves the length, go for it. This brings us to the end of this post. Keeping the quality in check, and being aware of the norms of the platform you are hosting your video on will help you create videos of appropriate proportions. You can create longer videos once you have a dedicated audience for them, but keeping it short is generally a safer option. Hope this read gave you an insight into video length and helped you decide the length for your video content.

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How Long Should Social Media Videos Be? The Ideal Length for Marketing

• February 28, 2023

This post is 1,008 words —a 5 minute read.

You already know video is crucial to your content marketing strategy. You’ve got some ideas, and you’re ready to start recording, but how long should your content be? Is there an ideal length for a social media video? Ultimately, the optimal video length is determined by the platform you share it with.

How long should video content be?

The meteoric rise of TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts might lead you to believe that shorter video content is always better. However, the answer is more complicated than you’d think. While bite-sized content grows, long YouTube video essays remain popular. Plus, TikTok has gradually increased its content limits from 15 seconds maximum to 10 minutes.

As social media video features evolve, user engagement changes as well. In this guide, we’ll share the ideal video content length for each social media platform and provide strategies for how to make every second count.

Although Reels can be as long as 90 seconds, research shows that shorter videos perform better. In fact, the shorter your Reels are the stronger the engagement. Because viewers are more likely to complete shorter Reels, creators should aim to keep videos between 15 to 30 seconds.

· Optimize videos for users who watch on mute

· Keep content under one minute for fun content

· Dedicate longer content to live video or episodic content

· Avoid posting links to other video platforms like YouTube or Vimeo

Additionally, like Facebook, LinkedIn is another platform where users generally view videos without sound , so keep that in mind when creating content.

Video length best practices

We aren’t great at paying attention – unless the content really grabs us, in which case, we stick around for the long haul. But how do you create marketing videos that compete with the entertaining content coming from influencers, content creators, and users’ own friends and family?

The trick is to cater to those short attention spans. Get to the point as soon as possible. Then, if you have more to say, go on with it. Generally, long-form video content performs well as long as you don’t waste viewers’ time.

Tell the audience what to expect in the first several seconds of your video. They’ll appreciate your transparency, start to trust your brand, and be more likely to devote more of their time to your content.

Cater to short attention spans

Research indicates the average adult's attention span is just 8 seconds. With an unlimited supply of video content out there, there’s always something else to watch. So you’ve got to win the hearts of your viewers and do it before they click off in search of the next 8 seconds of gratification. That's why it's essential to identify who you’re targeting and earn their trust.

Set audience expectations

Clearly describe what your video is about, and meet those expectations. Otherwise, you risk losing the attention and trust of your audience. For instance, if you're explaining a product, tell viewers what they're going to see right away. And allow audiences to skip to a later point in the video by clearly describing the sequence of your video. This helps you build trust with your target demographic.

How to decide the ideal length for your video

Although attention spans are shorter than ever, that doesn’t necessarily mean every piece of content should be 30 seconds or less. Just because we can comprehend a concept in 5 seconds doesn’t mean we won’t stick around for two minutes if we’re really interested. So when must you be brief, and when is it okay to slow down and drive the message home?

Setting your objectives is the key to deciding how long your video should be. If you’re highlighting the key components of a new product, then you might decide to go with a bite-sized clip. Meanwhile, longer videos may be better when you have a story to tell.

Recommended Reading: 3 Reasons Why Someone Would Share Your Video Content

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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in 2014 and has been updated for accuracy and relevancy in February 2023.

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• Categories: Content Marketing , Video Marketing
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What’s the right length for a video scene.

• 14 Sep 2021

Use scenes that are too long, and your audience drifts off. Scenes that are too short make it difficult for people to understand and retain your message.

Clear as mud, right? Actually, if you stick to a few tried and true parameters, choosing the right length for your video scenes is pretty straightforward.

Pro Tip:  Ready to get wordy? Check out our ultimate reference guide to  video word count .

Key takeaways

• Keep scenes between  one and six seconds .
• Give viewers enough time to register everything that’s going on (text and action)
• For fun, upbeat videos, stick closer to one-second scenes
• For complex information or a contemplative mood, skew closer to six-second scenes

The science of why scene length matters

It’s a commonly touted statistic that the average attention span has been trimmed to just eight seconds. This guides a whole lot of marketing strategies. But the eight-second attention span is  more myth than fact .

The original number comes from a  Microsoft study published in 2015 . The problem is that the study doesn’t prove (or even attempt to prove) an eight-second attention span. But it does reinforce something else brain scientists have long known about human attention.

The short story is that humans have four different types of attention: sustained, selective, alternating, and divided. In the digital age, we use alternating and divided attention more often than the other two. Things like frequent social media usage further amplify how much we use these two types of attention.

It’s not that modern humans have an eight-second attention span. It’s just that we’re programmed to adapt; our brains naturally become more efficient at the things we do most often. So we’re collectively getting better at short, intense bursts of attention.

What this means for video scenes

This is actually good news because it means that people can watch videos that are longer overall — internal corporate communications, HR policies, training and  onboarding videos , and so on — as long as you time your scenes in a way that leverages people’s proclivity for short periods of intense focus.

That’s how social media holds attention: it presents quick tidbits of information at a pace that enables users to focus for a brief period then alternate their attention by scrolling to a new bit of information.

You’ll use a similar strategy when you design your video scenes.

Finding the perfect length for your scene

When we talk about the perfect scene length, what we’re really saying is, “How can I keep my viewers’ attention long enough to give them the information they need?”

There’s no single length that will work for every scene. Instead, your content will inform the length of every scene in your video. Before creating any scene, you should ask yourself the same two questions you (hopefully) asked when you planned your video as a whole:

1. What do my viewers need to know?

2. How can I cover this topic in the most concise and useful way?

You need to give viewers just enough time to absorb all the information in any given scene. Once that happens, your job is to jump to the next scene before viewers start to feel like they’re waiting around for you to move on.

How long is long enough?

A good scene length is between one and six seconds.

According to Ben Stephenson, head  video template  expert here at Biteable, “Anything longer than this starts to drag and feel more like a PowerPoint presentation.”

You want to make your scenes as short as possible so your video feels snappy. This might mean paring down your text or breaking longer scenes up into two or more to keep things short.

That being said, there’s still quite a bit of difference between one second and six seconds. Keep these factors in mind as you pace your scenes.

Video topic matters

If you’re dealing with a more complex topic, like a new company policy or an employee training, you can skew your scenes closer to six seconds. A video like this is more complex and contemplative and you have a lot of information to communicate.

If you’re making a short, fun video — think marketing videos (or in the HR space, a quick kudos video to  build positive employee relations  — try to trim your scenes toward the one-second mark.

Scene length conveys mood

Bear in mind that the length of your scenes can affect the mood of your video. If your video is fun and has an upbeat soundtrack, you should make your scenes just long enough for someone to register the text and what’s going on. This keeps the mood snappy and vibrant.

But if you’re making a more sensitive and contemplative video, you’ll want to linger longer on each scene to give the ideas time to resonate.

Here’s an example of a video made with Biteable that uses lots of fast scenes to create an upbeat, snappy mood:

On the other hand, here’s an example of a more contemplative video with longer scenes:

Give people time to absorb everything — text and action

If there’s animation or footage in a scene, you’ll need to give an extra second or two for people to comprehend what’s happening.

Also, larger text takes more time to read because the viewer’s eye has to travel further to cover it. The same goes for multiple text boxes in different places on the screen.

Use this test for on-screen text: if you can read the text of the scene out loud at a normal conversational pace, it’s a safe bet that even the slowest readers will be able to keep up.

Our guide to  video word counts  covers this idea in greater detail.

Finish what you start

It also feels more satisfying if actions are completed. If a character is walking off the screen, let them walk off completely rather than cutting to the next scene before the character finishes their exit.

See how this  animated video template  only transitions scenes once the on-screen animations are complete or between repetitions for animations that loop:

Subconsciously, we don’t like to be left with unfinished business, even if it’s something as simple as an animated character stuck in limbo half on, half off the screen. Do yourself a favor and finish what you start. Your audience will appreciate you for it, even if they don’t consciously realize why.

Get your scenes just right with templates

Getting the length of your scenes just right is more of an art than a science. That’s why there’s no exact number for how long a scene should be. But, if you plan your videos so that you present the information in each scene clearly and concisely, you’ll be just fine.

If you still feel like scene length is too much of a catch-22, Biteable has templates designed by video experts who are masters of getting every scene just right. Biteable templates take all the technical details off your plate, so you can focus on getting your message just right.

Make stunning videos with ease.

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Distance Learning

Estimating how long it takes to make a video.

by Aaron Bannasch

A fairly common question for anyone involved in making videos is “How long will it take?”

A Venn Diagram triad is sometimes drawn in response to this question, it includes words like: Good, Fast, and Cheap. “Pick any two.”

So when estimating how long a video will take to make (and in some cases also how long a video should be), I use that framework along with some simple tools and prior experiences to generate a reasonably accurate estimate. While there isn’t a simple formula, I’ll take you through some easily repeatable steps in this post that will help you answer both questions:

• How long will it take to make my video(s)?
• How long should my video(s) be?

How long will it take to make my video?

To begin with the first question, I start with the lowest cost method available to generate any early rough draft. For some this may be a handy typewriter, others it’s standing in front of a mirror with a stopwatch, working on a napkin sketch, or narrating over an existing presentation slide deck. The common elements here are that a video lesson assumes A) there is someone or something generating sounds, mostly in the form of spoken words and B) there are moving images accompanying these sounds. In a typewritten draft of a video, all of the sounds and images are described by text. In a napkin sketch or while talking to yourself in the mirror, some of the sounds come from your voice or your indications in the illustration, and some of the visuals come from your gestures or diagrams. When you type out a script, you can estimate the length of the final video by using a free online word timer or by reading it aloud and timing yourself. If you’re working from a verbal performance or a sketch, you can time yourself during that as well, or better yet, record yourself with any available recording device (a phone, a laptop, a digital camera). As you repeat this process to generate more and more rough drafts with readily available resources you can start to build a system for yourself, a way to estimate your own video duration.

Now, this doesn’t build in the time it takes to turn a rough draft into a finished product. It also doesn’t account for the time it takes to write prepare the script, outline, sketch, or presentation materials in the first place. If you’re speaking about a concept that you’re very familiar with, or working from an outline or presentation that you’ve given in another format or setting in the past, then the scripting phase can be very short. But I usually work with at least one, if not multiple, rough drafts before recording the final product because I only have a faint idea of the concept I want to explain. The act of writing, drawing, or performing portions of the concept makes it tangible. I can then edit that draft to turn it into the pieces necessary to make a video.

Sometimes there are constraints that limit the amount of time that can be spent reworking a rough draft (Good, Fast, Cheap) and for this reason I don’t go past three iterations before I record a final version. There’s not a rule for why I choose that amount, it’s just a personal preference. Since video lessons aren’t multi-million dollar Hollywood blockbusters, there can’t be a lot of time spent developing something before you put it in front of an audience. The fourth element to Good, Fast, or Cheap is “Do the students care?” and you won’t know that until you give them something. Which brings us to Question 2:

How long should my video be?

Using available research to estimate video length helps us here. Not every concept can fit into the duration of an average video on YouTube. Some lessons require more time than that. This is why estimating a video duration before actually recording it is so important. You can assess your script to find out if there are places to remove content to save time, to simplify it to only the essentials, to find spots in the narrative where a natural break occurs that matches up conveniently with the recommended duration of a video. Converting your videos into a series of segments is helpful to everyone. It helps the instructor organize their thoughts, the learning designers and instructional technologists to edit the content and structure it in a course site, and the students to have a clear outline and table of contents to work with. It also helps measure student response to videos and makes it easy to identify which segments are most valuable to student learning. When videos are short segments, you can quickly record a replacement to improve an individual piece without having to replace the entire series. Keeping the scripting and recording process simple reduces the editing time as well.

Consider the following example.

I want to make a video to explain a concept. I arrive at my recording time, either in the DL Studio or on my own computer using a screen recording tool with and webcam, and I begin recording. After about 10 minutes I lose my train of thought, have stopped twice to restate a few phrases, and have repeated myself once because I forgot that I already mentioned something earlier. I begin again. And again. Each time a few pieces end up being usable, so I figure after about 7 takes I can splice together all of the pieces that are good. It works OK, but feels a little disjointed because none of the pieces of this 10 minute video were planned to fit together, they just happened to have to work because that’s what came out when I started recording.

Another example.

I begin recording without anything more than 5 slides, each with a few bullet points. I figure a slide can’t take me more than two minutes to cover, but somehow I end up talking for 35 minutes. Wow. That was a lot of time, and I feel like I covered everything. I don’t really want to spend another 35 minutes doing a second take, so this is good enough. Students watch the video, they skip around and ultimately stop watching.

A final example.

I write an outline and record myself talking about it. I draw a few sketches as I talk. I review my recording and realize that three topics in the video is too much, so I take my sketch and make another short video describing it. I stop the recording, I draw a more detailed sketch for each of the three parts in my larger sketch. I record a short video for each. I write down what I said in each rough recording and realize that the overview video can just be a simple diagram with a few labels. I now have three short scripts, each with a detailed illustration of a concept, that I want to record at a higher quality for students. I estimate based on the script word count that each video is 4 minutes long, and that if I budget for 3 tries for each video I can record them all in under an hour. Since I planned everything out, there’s no need to edit. I simply read from my script as I annotate my sketches in real time. When I’m done I export the videos. Students watch them and are able to apply the specific concepts detailed in each video to an assessment in the course. They go back and watch portions again. It’s a success.

Planning Ahead

The first example took 70 minutes to record. It took another 70 minutes to watch each recording and take string together the good parts.

The second example took 35 minutes to record, plus the time it took to make the 5 slides. Nobody watched it.

The third example is similar to the first example; it may take a few tries to record the rough drafts. But if you go into it expecting to make rough drafts, then at the end you don’t feel stuck with the output. You take that to build your final draft and record that a few times (maybe only once even since you’ve practiced so much) and then you have something that is succinct and structured. Editing it is a breeze, and updating it is just as easy, because you started out with the intention of having a modular, replicable process for your video creation. It wasn’t based on pure luck, and students are grateful for it.

For videos recorded in the DL studio we strongly encourage scripting. Or, if you prefer not to script, then budget ample time to practice over and over again. But for me personally, practicing over and over again while having multiple people stare at me, under bright lights, knowing that this is going to be the final version that someone actually watches, is a little stressful. I don’t want to sweat on HD video, so I’d much rather make a few no-cost recordings on my phone at home before I do the real thing.

Now, all of this planning is for videos that are going to remain in a course for awhile. Video is so instantaneous that you can quickly create a video without much forethought and post it for the world to see. Quick moments on video like this can make an asynchronous course site feel more lively and add some personality to otherwise static pages of text. I encourage spontaneous uses of video like this for those who are comfortable with it. But for videos lessons that require structure and that students expect a level of quality and efficiency from, planning is the way to go.

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Table of Content

Video length: how long should your training videos be.

The question of how long a training video should be is quite common and has always puzzled the content creators. The length of training videos depends on the platform used, the target audience, and the content. It is important to find an ideal spot to ensure that the video is of an appropriate length.

It also makes sense to grab and maintain the recipients’ attention and, at the same time, ensure that the videos are not too long or too short.

The success of a video does not depend on its length

There is always a belief that shorter videos are better than long ones. Whereas this can be justified, it is not always the case. The video viewer trends and habits reveal that some people prefer videos that are up to six minutes.

Others prefer videos in the range of 10-19 minutes, indicating that people are still interested in longer videos as long as they have the right content. People are likely to watch longer videos if they consider them “great.” Thus, the length of the video does not necessarily determine its success.

The view count can determine the success of a training video. The views show the reach of the content of the video. If you want many people to access your video, track the online views. However, take note that counting the views across the web is done differently- For instance, the views are counted after a video has been watched for thirty seconds on YouTube.

Finding a suitable run time

Online videos differ greatly from e-learning videos. As such, it is difficult to compare the ideal video length for social media with those used for classrooms and office training. Training videos should always be comprehensive to serve the desired purpose.

When creating a training video, take note that the information quality and the length matter a lot. Therefore, a learning video should not go beyond six minutes because such are said to be more engaging. If you want to introduce a new product or concept in a video, address every aspect concerning that within six minutes.

Your main goal should be to ensure that the audiences get maximum benefits from the content therein. You need to be careful because it could be challenging to deliver important information within six minutes.

An ideal video length is all about considering how you keep the viewers’ attention for a long time and deliver the important information. The attention span may shrink over time but it does not mean that grabbing and maintaining viewers’’ attention is impossible.

The length of the video is not the main determinant of whether people will stop watching the videos or not. The majority of people will watch a video for a long time if it has information they are looking for. Keeping the audience engaged requires that you know the following things:

• Your target audience
• The problem you intend to solve
• The audience’s learning goals
• What your audience may require from you to meet their learning goals.
• The skill level of your target audience

Having addressed the above questions, you can figure out your videos’ goals and address the issues efficiently and effectively. If you need to go beyond the six minutes, find a balance between maintaining a steadily engaged and actively engaged audience.

Grabbing attention on social media

One of the best ways of sharing training videos is through social media. Potential learners on social media tend to scroll down and skim through the newsfeed and this is a great chance to strike them with content.

Maybe those who attempt to watch your videos may not do it for long because that is not what they came for. Therefore, ensure that the videos are very brief’ not more than three minutes. To make the course engaging and snappier, you could repurpose the content. Focus on driving the content succinctly and quickly and avoid dragging it on if it is not necessary.

The length of the video also depends on the social media platform you are using for training. You can restrict your Instagram videos to 30 seconds or, in some cases, go up to 60 seconds. The midway spot of 30 seconds is regarded as the sweet spot and is suitable for mobile audiences or people who like multitasking.

The video length for Facebook can be between 24 and 90 seconds. Facebook videos can run for up to four hours but shorter ones are better because the attention span for Facebook audiences is short. If you want to train users about the usage of products, ensure they can access the juiciest information within the first few seconds of the video.

Recaps and trailers

Recaps and trailers videos can range between two and five minutes as this is enough to ensure you don’t give so much away. Such videos are short of ensuring that the audiences don’t have a reason to skip them.

Since the information that can fit in such a short video is limited, focus on delivering specific information such as a course preview and module introduction. Getting to the details of the courses requires you to create something longer.

Tutorials, overviews, and guides

Research reveals that an optimal video should last six minutes. This case may be compelling but your content’s bulk is better in the range of six and ten minutes. The learners can absorb valuable content within six minutes and since this is not a long period, they can be encouraged to watch it even during short breaks.

Six minutes is an ideal length for tutorials, overviews, and guides. After watching one video, the learners may be interested in looking for more and they may feel like they have awarded themselves with something valuable and interesting.

Deep content

Complex topics that cannot be covered within a short time require longer videos lasting up to twenty minutes. A lot of content falls under this category and includes harassment and compliance training and job–related topics like software and hardware training. When creating longer training videos, you need to keep in mind that some learners are unlikely to watch them to the end.

The videos should be of high quality and engaging throughout if you wish to maintain the audience’s interests. Long videos are not suitable for mobile learners because they are awkward to absorb in public.

The demand for longer training videos is ever increasing. Deep content training videos can be good for improving the skills of employees at the workplace. You can use presentation videos and make them available for the audience who may not have had a chance to attend the physical event. This may mean recording the presentation audio or PowerPoint slides recording.

Avoid doing too much

After you have a complete understanding of your audiences’ interests and how to address their training needs, plan the video based on that information. Be careful because you may tend to talk more about something exciting. Remember, your focus is on creating a video to address a specific topic or problem, so ensure you don’t go beyond this goal.

Other information is still important, but you need to share it with other videos. Make many short videos, each addressing a specific concept, problem, points, or topic as per the need. As you create the video, choose an appropriate format, considering your timeline, resources, and audience’s expectations.

Grabbing the audiences’ attention

Having understood that the length of the video is not the ultimate reason for people to stop watching the videos, the next thing to do is to offer them their expectations. People fail to complete watching a video due to a lack of the information they were looking for. No matter the length of your videos, if the viewers fail to get the desired information, they will switch immediately.

The title of your video should accurately describe the key information the viewers will get after watching it. If the viewers drift away immediately they start watching, chances are that they may never want to look for more.

One of the most effective ways of grabbing the attention of your audience is by being interesting. Use engaging tone or storytelling techniques to “kill” their boredom. You can feature a real person to add personality to the video. Use real-life and practical illustrations that the viewers can apply and include good visuals such as icons and images for demonstration.

Try to be funny to keep your viewers entertained and engaged. Be careful not to drift away from the main topic, lest you make the content meaningless. If you are addressing audiences from diverse backgrounds, be careful because what may seem humorous in one culture may turn out to be bland in another. Using plain language in the video script can also ensure content understandability.

Perfect video length does not exist and so it is not necessary to spend so much time wondering whether a training video is of optimal length or not. Whereas the length of a video matters when you want to create good instructional videos, the main thing that matters is how best to cover the content and drive value to the viewers. Having considered that, you can plan the video that can achieve the specific learning goals.

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Explainer Video Length: How Long Should Your Videos Be?

The ideal explainer video length depends on the end destination. Learn how long you should keep your explainer video for optimal results.

The ideal length of an explainer video is one of the many debates you will face when creating your explainer video. Like all blogs on the matter, we can tell you right away that the ideal length for an explainer video is between 60 and 120 seconds. But in our experience, this is not the case in all contexts. 

First, the statistics reveal somewhat confusing results. 

• In 2016, the video production and marketing company, Wistia, conducted a survey that proved a correlation between the length of an explainer video and how viewers engage with that video. They analyzed over 500,000 explainer videos that have combined for over a billion views on the internet and found that the ideal length for an explainer video is 2 minutes.
• At the same time, a recent study by Animation Explainers showed that the average view for explainer videos falls from 77% to 57% when they reach 2 minutes in duration.

In other words, 50% of viewers find a 2-minute explainer video too long. 

So, what’s the ideal length for an explainer video?

Ideally, you want your video to be long enough to include all the information needed to make it compelling, but not so long that it bores your viewers, causes them to leave the video before it’s finished, and damages your results. We’ve got you covered. 

In this article, you will discover the ideal length for different types of explainer videos . But more importantly, we’ll explain why these lengths are best for optimal explainer video results.

Why Is It Important to Nail Your Explainer Video’s Length?

Creating an explainer video is a significant investment. You need to make it compelling to your audience, and that starts with making sure they watch the video from the first second to the last. 

The main reason you need to determine the perfect length of an explainer video is that there is an immediate correlation between the video’s length and the engagement metrics it gets—for example, the shorter the explainer video, the higher the view-through and retention rate. 

Case in point, studies show that the average retention rate for an explainer video of one minute is 77% . And audience retention rates gradually decrease as the length of the explainer video increases. In other words, the longer an explainer video is, the fewer viewers retain. 

That’s why most companies and marketers prefer to keep the average explainer video length to 2 minutes . That’s just enough duration to fit in all the necessary information while ensuring viewers don’t get bored and miss the main message. 

So, ensuring the ideal length for your video gives you the best chance to get your viewers to watch the entire video, retain your message and act on your CTA. 

If viewers leave your explainer videos before making it to the end, all your efforts and investments are lost. It’s simple logic. Because if they don’t stay in your videos long enough to properly engage and follow through with your CTA, your engagement metrics will plummet, and your churn rate will skyrocket.

How Long Should An Explainer Video Be?

Explainer videos are typically used for marketing or promotional purposes. They help provide an overview of the product or service offered by a company and highlight its benefits in a visually appealing and memorable way. 

Here is an overview of the ideal explainer video length you should consider based on its target destination. 

Explainer Video Length for TV Commercial

The ideal length for an explainer video you’ll use for a TV commercial is between 30 and 45 seconds. TV commercial videos should be short explainer videos with bite-sized information that connects viewers with your brand. 

Your goal is to create something that quickly highlights your brand’s value to the general public. So, you should aim for something fun, short, and memorable. 

Explainer Video Length for Social media

You need to keep your videos for social media between one and two minutes . People get bombarded with tons of social media content and marketing material. So, your ability to create a fun video and stick out of the crowd is essential to ensure an excellent performance to your videos. 

Explainer Video Length for your own website or blog

The ideal length for an explainer video on your website is between 60 and 120 seconds .  You can go up to 180 seconds if you have more to say. This is your website, so you must ensure that people engage with your explainer video and act on your call to action.

Explainer Video Length for Facebook Ads

The ideal length for Facebook ads explainer videos is between 15 and 30 seconds . Regarding Facebook ads, the shorter you can keep your explainer videos, the better off you’ll be. 

In-feed ad videos can be longer, but in-video ads only last 15 seconds (tops) before the user can skip them. And the last thing somebody wants is to be watching a fun video and get it cut for a boring explainer video; they’ll skip it every day of the week. 

So, not only do you need to make the videos really short, but you also have to ensure they’re punchy at the beginning—or people will always be quick to skip them as they appear. Understanding the 30-second commercial cost is essential for optimizing budget allocation when creating effective Facebook ad explainer videos within the ideal 15 to 30-second range.

Explainer Video Length for YouTube pre-roll

If you’re using your explainer videos for YouTube pre-roll, the ideal length is between 15 and 30 seconds . People go on YouTube to watch specific videos; your explainer pre-roll video is extra, so make sure you don’t take much of their time. 

Also, they’ll be quick to skip the video if it’s too long or irrelevant to them. Be sure to properly define your target audience, and make sure you start with a hook. 

3 Mistakes Companies Make When It Comes To Explainer Video Length 

There is no final length for explainer videos that you must always use. In fact, here are some controversies about the perfect length for explainer videos that you need to know about. 

Length doesn’t really matter.

As surprising as it may seem, one of your viewers’ first actions when they click to play your video, is to take a quick look at the video’s countdown timer. The duration they see and the impression it gives them will determine whether they stay for the whole video or leave. 

If they find the video short and exciting, they will certainly stick around and watch it until the last second. On the other hand, if they find the video too long and the first few seconds don’t hook them, they will most certainly bounce. 

At the same time, there is a theory suggesting that the viewer may well find the explainer video too long but still watch it through. This theory is known as “ The 5 seconds theory “. 

It implies that if you hook your viewers in the first 5 seconds of the video, they are much more likely to continue with the rest of the video. For proponents of this theory, the video length doesn’t matter. 

The shorter video, the better. But not always.

Given the tons of content available online and the sheer cost of human attention on the internet, it may seem like a good idea to always make your explainer videos as short as possible. This approach will most often work, but not in all cases. 

Sometimes you need to give your viewers enough time to really engage with the explainer video and its content—so viewers can absorb the content and act on your call to action. ThinkWithGoogle conducted a study that further proves this . 

They created three explainer videos for the same product. The three videos last 15 seconds, 30 seconds, and 2 minutes. At the end of the study, they noticed that the shortest video, 15 seconds, had the lowest view-through rate. However, the 30-second and 2-minute video had much better results regarding view-through and across-the-board engagement.

ThinkWithGoogle

So while it may be a good idea to keep the explainer video short, it’s even better to keep it just long enough to ensure that viewers have the time to assimilate the information and connect with your company. 

Also, there is a difference between a short video and a concise, succinct video. Both are not mutually inclusive. It all depends on the value you provide in the video and how you answer what your customers genuinely want to know about the product. 

Even more interesting, for some people, an explainer video that’s too short may indicate that the video has no real value. And for that, they may not find it useful for them. 

So, the shorter video is not necessarily the better one, but the one that’s concise and speaks to your prospects’ problems and issues is. 

People won’t watch long (5-10 minutes) explainer videos. Wrong!!

As we discussed earlier, the length of an explainer video is important, but not always. Ultimately, it’s up to your audience to find your video interesting or not. They determine if they should stay and watch the video all the way through or if they should leave it.

Let’s take the example of companies like Microsoft, Apple, and Google. These companies produce 5-10 minute explainer videos. But even so, these videos garner millions and billions of views online. 

So sometimes, the question isn’t always how long your explainer video needs to be for your audience to watch it all the way through. It’s about how exciting your product is. 

If you have a fantastic product and can get your audience excited about it, you can opt for longer explainer videos, a captivating 30-second explainer video can also be highly effective. People will watch your explainer videos and come back for more.

Know How To Choose The Best Length For Your Explainer Video

Here is one cold truth about explainer video length; no matter how short you keep your explainer video, if it’s boring, people will not engage with it. 

The best way to approach this is to balance the value you provide and the explainer video length. Ideally, between one and 2 minutes considering retention rate and the human attention span concerns. 

If you are sure your product is exciting and people can enjoy watching long explainer videos about it, you can always shoot for maximum length. In this case, you can go up to 5 and 10 minutes worth of explainer video. 

Also, you will need to consider the video’s destination before deciding how long it will be. Some specific video channels, especially when looking at B2B Video Marketing Statistics , require your explainer videos to be short for optimal results. So, you’ll have to align with those.

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Brief and to the point. If that’s your view of a recent meeting or phone call, could the same be said for your last presentation? Business meetings, committees and sales calls are judged by their brevity. And the same judgement applies to presentations; where less is definitely more. So, when it comes to your presentation length, then brevity is best. Because you don’t want that reputation as a  long-winded speaker . Because, as a presenter, the advantages are clear.

Brevity Is Best When It Comes To Presentation Length

How A Shorter Presentation Length Will Help You

Presentations with a shorter presentation length are more concise and focused. Since they get to the point, make the point and summarise the point. And that's important for any audience. And it's really important for you.

Thus, when you deliver a short or brief presentation you'll ensure that:

• There’s more attention on you.
• Your audience can focus on your content.
• There’s more time for questions.
• Your audience has time for discussion.

Shorter presentation lengths don’t eat into an executive’s valuable time. But they do also allow time for an audience to ask questions and listen to the answers.

“Focus on your key message”

Short presentations give an audience the chance to join a debate or discuss the implications of a presentation. Thus, they allow for insight.

Techniques For A Shorter Pitch

Some presenters use a 10: 20: 30 method. That’s ten slides, 20 minutes and 30 point. The rules allow for no more than ten  PowerPoint slides, no more than 20 minutes and no text on the presentation to be less than 30 point size (very readable).

• 30 point text

The first two rules are self-explanatory. But what about the third one? When you keep the point size of your text on the large side, you focus on your key message. That’s core of your argument then. Because, with a text size of 30 points there’s simply no room for anything else!

And there’s more. Because a 10: 20: 30 approach to your presentations also gives you plenty of time for questions, answers and subsequent insight into your subject. You can always find out more about  your presentation design choices  with our presenters tips.

So, with all the focus on you and your content for twenty minutes, less is definitely more.

We’ve looked at  time planning for presenters  with an earlier article. But you can also find out more presentation skills tips beyond presentation length on a PresentPerfect TM  public presentation  training course . And because you can train at more than 40  off-site training centres , you are never that far away.

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Leonardo Da Vinci

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How Long is the Perfect Presentation?

When it comes to creating a PowerPoint or Prezi Presentation , one of the most common questions is:

“How long should it be?”

The answer to this question is not a simple one , as the length of a perfect presentation or pitch will vary depending on a number of factors.

Let’s analyze five key subtopics that can help determine the ideal length of your presentation.

The first consideration when determining the length of your presentation should be your audience. You need to think about whether they experienced professionals in your field or can they be considered with little knowledge of the topic?

Will they be attending the presentation in person, or will they be viewing it remotely via online presentation tools?

The level of familiarity your audience has with your topic and the context in which they will be viewing the presentation will greatly influence how much information they can absorb and follow.

Presentation Topic

The complexity and difficulty of the topic also plays a big role in determining the overall length of your presentation.

A simple topic with a clear message can be effectively communicated in a shorter amount of time, while a more complex topic may require a longer presentation and a Q&A at the end.

The purpose of your presentation should also be taken into account when determining its length.

Are you trying to inform, persuade or simply entertain your audience? The purpose of your presentation will influence the amount of information that needs to be covered.

Attention Span

The average attention span of an adult is around 5-10 seconds, so it’s important to keep your audience engaged throughout the presentation.

Too much information at once can be overwhelming and cause everyone to tune out at some point. In order to maintain the attention, you should aim to keep your presentation concise and to the point at all subtopics.

It’s important to consider the timing of your presentation, including how much time you’ve been allocated and how much time you need to effectively communicate your message.

It’s better to have a shorter, more focused presentation that leaves a lasting impact on everyone, rather than a longer one that may not be fully understood.

The length of the perfect PowerPoint presentation will vary depending on:

• attention span;

A general rule of thumb is to keep the presentation as short as possible while still effectively communicating the information you need.

Most experts recommend limiting your presentations to 15-25 minutes to keep the audience engaged and avoid overwhelming them with too much information.

Remember, it’s not about the number of slides, it’s about the amount of information that needs to be conveyed.

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