After our last blog about length of B2B and B2C videos, clients and prospects asked, what is the optimum length for different types of social media videos?
Just so you know, no two social media sites are the same, so no two video lengths are the same. After researching various sites such as Hubspot, YouTube, Google, and the most popular social media platforms, we put together this blog to show the optimum length for social media videos.
Video Length for Facebook or Meta
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%.
Video Length for Instagram
Instagram is perhaps the first platform that made visuals the focus. There are a lot of options for sharing video content on this platform including in in-feed posts, stories, TV and Reels. Each type has its 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. When it comes to Instagram TV 2 to 6 minute videos have shown to perform the best.
Video Length for YouTube
With over 1 billion hours of video watched each day, there's just an incredible appetite for video by those who use this platform. So how do you best appeal to this audience?
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.
Video Length for Twitter
From breaking news to opinion pieces, video works really well on this more time-sensitive platform where content refreshes quickly.
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.
Video Length for LinkedIn
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 maximum length for LinkedIn videos is 10 minutes.
Interestingly, 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.
Video Length for TikTok
TikTok, has shown the power of video with short-form videos that are sparking global trends and huge opportunities for individual content creators and brands alike.
Ultimately, the length of your TikTok ads should make sense for the message you’re trying to get across.
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.
Video Length for Snapchat
Snapchat is another platform where visuals are the main focus - either photos and images or video.
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.
