Video has become a fundamental part of a company’s content strategy. In fact, 91% of businesses today use video as part of their marketing strategy (Wyzowl). However, one of the most common mistakes many small businesses make is that they overestimate how long their marketing videos should be. So, what is the ideal length for a marketing video? The optimal length for your marketing videos depends on your goals, the purpose of the videos, and where they will be placed.
Marketing Videos for Paid Ads, Broadcast, CTV
Broadcast TV commercials are typically sold in either 15 or 30 seconds slots. One minute slots may be available as well, but this would be on the high end for TV spots. Paring your message down to 15 seconds may seem like a challenge, but when done well, short ads can provide a memorable experience that doesn’t demand too much of the audience’s time. If you are running ads on YouTube, another benefit to short videos is that marketing videos less than 15 seconds are non-skippable. Think of the first thing you typically do when you see an ad pop up. Unless the ad holds your attention in the first few seconds, you are going to hit the skip button. Non-skippable ads provide a competitive advantage, but keep in mind that they must still be relevant, targeted and engaging. Otherwise, they will irritate the viewer rather than engage them.
Best answer: 15 seconds or in some cases, 30 seconds
Social & Email Marketing Videos
The majority of videos produced for social content today are 1 minute or less. Some platforms limit the length of videos for certain types of content, such as:
- Instagram Stories: 15 seconds
- Instagram Posts: 60 seconds
- Facebook Stories: 20 seconds
- YouTube Shorts: 60 seconds
While Facebook does support longer videos in posts, videos over 3 minutes are best suited for episodes or learning content. These videos will also qualify for in-stream ads on facebook. However, most marketing videos delivered by email or on social media are best when limited to 1 minute or less.
Best answer: less than 1 minute
Explainer Videos
An explainer video is a type of marketing video that educates the viewer about a process, product or service. However, explainers still need to be compact with bite-sized information. Studies show that the sweet spot for audience retention is around 1 to 2 minutes for this type of marketing video. After about 3 minutes, audience retention declines sharply.
Best answer: 1-2 minutes
Long Form Videos
YouTube is the clear winner when it comes to long form videos. Producing long form videos are a great way to build brand awareness and can be a revenue source. However, they also require planning and consistency. Think of your videos as episodes and make them with a consistent format and length. The ideal length for long form video is 5 to 15 minutes, but some content creators are able to hold viewers for even longer.
Best answer: 5 – 15 minutes. Make “episodes” in a consistent format
-Sara E. Jones, CEO & Co-founder, RadBot Video
ps. Do you want to build your own video marketing plan but need a little more guidance? We are offering a free guide here.