Of all the content you can implement into your marketing strategy, video is one of the most important. It can see up to 10x more engagement versus other things like written content, and incorporating it into your strategy is a must if you want to maximize engagement.
That said, videos are no straightforward thing. Just because you made a video doesn’t mean it will do well. There are many factors to consider, and one of those factors is video length.
Today, we’re going to talk about video lengths and social media: the best length to pick for each platform:
1. Facebook Videos
Facebook videos can be as short as 15 seconds or as long as a minute and a half. This is great news because it allows you to test out different lengths to see what gets the best engagement.
According to a Facebook blog post by one of their data scientists, the sweet spot for Facebook video is right around the 20-30 second mark. This is where you’ll get the most amount of shares, reactions, and comments. On the other hand, videos that are shorter than this (15 seconds) or longer than this (45 seconds) consistently perform worse in terms of engagements.
2. Instagram Videos
Instagram video is a bit different from Facebook video and YouTube video. Because it’s a visual platform, you don’t necessarily have to have a long video.
Videos can be as short as 15 seconds, but they can also be longer. Our recommendation is to keep it short and sweet, though, typically around the thirty-second mark. That would be the optimal length of a video on IG.
3. Pinterest Videos
Video is a huge driver of engagement on Pinterest, so you can imagine that you’ll want to make videos that are on brand and fit well with your Pinterest aesthetic. According to a study from Compete, the average video length on Pinterest is about 50 seconds, which is a good length for making sure your video is optimized for this platform.
4. YouTube Videos
YouTube videos can be as short as five minutes or as long as 30 hours. That’s quite a range. There are no specific studies on the optimal length here, but our recommendation is to keep your videos around the one-to-one-and-a-half minute mark. One minute videos get the most engagement, but it’s also effective to have videos that are longer. It will depend on your content, so do some testing and see what works best for you and your audience.
Conclusion
Social media is a place where you have an opportunity to create a relationship with your audience. One way you do that is by allowing your audience to get to know you through your videos. There are different ways to do this, but the optimal length of the video will depend on what you’re trying to achieve.
For example, if you’re creating a video that is educational in nature, you’ll want to keep it short and sweet, around the 30-45 second mark. That way, you can keep your audience engaged and get your point across quickly.
But if you’re trying to build a relationship with your audience and showcase a little bit of your personality, go for the longer video—a few minutes. You’ll be able to build rapport and have a more in-depth conversation with your audience!
OpenEye Studios is a video marketing agency in Ohio, offering video marketing services for social media and online content. If you need animated video production services for your social media marketing efforts, work with us today!
