The Best Video Length For Any Platform

When creating content for your social media platforms, videos are a sure way to grab your audience’s attention. Putting together videos that are the perfect length is tricky, and varies by platform. While some content, such as photos, can be shared across platforms, it is best to optimize your videos to each platform. So what is the best length for each platform, and how can you make the most out of your videos?

Video Tips:

No matter the platform you are using, make sure that you have good lighting, a clear picture, and clean audio. If the audience cannot see or hear the video, they are going to lose interest quickly. It is also a good idea to include captions if your audience wants to watch the sound without audio. Avoid cluttering your video with too many sounds and images, or too much movement. The easier your video is to watch, the better it will do.

Facebook Video:

While Facebook allows videos up to 240 minutes, you want to keep yours well below that. For videos such as announcements, polls, ads, or teasers, Facebook recommends keeping videos at a minute or less for maximum success. Videos that are uploaded to Facebook directly, rather than shared via YouTube or Vimeo, tend to do best with the algorithm. It is not always possible to keep your file size small enough to directly upload to Facebook, but keep that goal in mind when creating your Facebook videos.

Instagram:

Instagram videos are separated into three different categories: Instagram Videos, Reels, and Stories. Instagram Videos are videos that will show up on your grid, and should not exceed one minute. If you must go over a minute, keep your video under 5 minutes, or your audience will lose interest. Instagram Reels are similar to TikToks, but tailored specifically to Instagram. Try to keep these videos between 15 and 60 seconds. Instagram Stories appear on the top of your page, and last for 24 hours. You can film live videos, or upload them to your story. For Instagram Story videos, the ideal length is 15 seconds or less. Although this seems short, they are intended to be short clips that your audience can quickly view.

Twitter:

Twitter users are used to short, concise posts, so make sure that your videos fit in. Twitter allows videos up to 2 ½ minutes, but for best results keep your video under 45 seconds. If you want to show your audience a longer video, use your Twitter video as a teaser and include a link to the full video on another platform.

TikTok:

TikToks can be tricky to time just right, with the app allowing videos up to 3 minutes. The most successful TikToks tend to be between 7 to 15 seconds. If you have too much information to cram into that short time frame, consider doing a short series of 30 seconds to 1-minute videos. That way, your audience can choose to watch the whole series, or skip to the part that they are interested in. TikTok viewers typically have short attention spans, so refrain from keeping your videos too long.

LinkedIn:

LinkedIn allows videos up to 10 minutes long. As you might have guessed, keeping these videos shorter will boost your completion rate and engage your viewers. The sweet spot for LinkedIn videos is around the 30-second mark, although if you have compelling content a longer video has the potential to do well. Make sure that you are not adding unnecessary information, or dragging out topics to keep your audience watching.

Overall, shorter tends to be better when it comes to videos. Try different video lengths to see what works best for you, and what kind of content your audience responds best to for video success wherever you post! What is your favorite platform to watch videos on?