Social Media Video Length: Platform by Platform Guide

Want your social media videos to perform better? The key is tailoring video lengths to each platform. Here’s a quick guide:

Quick Tip: Grab attention in the first 3–5 seconds, keep your message clear, and match your content to platform preferences.

Platform Best Length Max Length Formats
Instagram 30 sec–2 min (Feed) 60 min (IGTV) Feed, Stories, Reels, IGTV
TikTok 21–34 sec 10 min Standard, Extended
YouTube 7–15 min (Standard) No set max (Standard) Shorts, Standard
Facebook 15–60 sec (Feed) 240 min (Feed) Feed, Stories, Live
LinkedIn 40–46 sec (Feed) 5 min (Feed) Feed, Stories

Tailor your videos to each platform, and you’ll boost engagement and keep your audience hooked.

How Long Should Videos Be? The Ultimate Guide to Video …

Instagram Video Formats and Lengths

Instagram provides several video formats tailored for different content types and audience interactions. Here’s a breakdown of each format, along with their ideal lengths and tips for maximising engagement.

Feed Videos

Feed videos can range from 3 seconds to 60 minutes, but the sweet spot is between 30 seconds and 2 minutes. Videos longer than this often struggle to hold viewers’ attention.

Make sure to deliver your main message within the first 3–5 seconds. This takes advantage of Instagram’s autoplay feature as users scroll through their feed.

Now, let’s look at how Instagram Stories use shorter clips to keep viewers engaged.

Stories: 15-Second Format

Instagram Stories allow videos up to 60 seconds, automatically dividing them into 15-second segments.

For longer, more dynamic content, Instagram Reels provide a flexible alternative.

Reels: 90-Second Format

Reels support videos up to 90 seconds, a big jump from the original 15-second limit. Instagram’s algorithm often favours short-form video content, making Reels a great option for visibility.

Reel Length Best Uses
15–30 seconds Quick tips, product highlights
31–60 seconds Tutorials, behind-the-scenes glimpses
61–90 seconds In-depth how-tos, storytelling pieces

As with other formats, grab attention within the first few seconds to keep viewers watching.

Long-Form Videos (IGTV)

For content that requires more time, Instagram supports long-form videos up to 60 minutes. These are perfect for:

Consider breaking longer videos into chapters and adding timestamps to make navigation easier. You can also use Instagram’s editing tools or split content into carousel posts for a more digestible format.

TikTok Video Length Guide

TikTok, like Instagram and YouTube, requires videos that grab attention immediately. With its evolving formats, understanding the ideal video length can make all the difference.

60-Second Videos

Here’s how different video lengths perform:

Video Length Best For Average Performance
21–34 seconds Quick tutorials, product demos Highest engagement rate
35–45 seconds Brand storytelling Common for accounts with fewer than 500 views
46–60 seconds In-depth explanations Typical for accounts with over 50k followers

A great example comes from content creator Naomi Burtt. Her 46-second Chipotle tutorial kept viewers engaged and racked up over one million views. This shows how timing your content well can lead to impressive results.

Extended Videos

TikTok’s extended video format (90–180 seconds) allows for more detailed storytelling. Data from early 2024 suggests this range achieves the best view rates.

Kevin, CEO of Chai, demonstrated this with a 90-second review of Emma Chamberlain‘s chai powder mix. His video earned over 180,000 likes. Longer videos are perfect for educational content, in-depth tutorials, and thorough product demonstrations.

First 3 Seconds

The opening moments of your TikTok video are critical. TikTok’s data highlights:

"Over 63% of all videos with the highest click-through rate (CTR) highlight their key message or product within the first three seconds"

To keep viewers hooked, start with strong visuals, a clear value proposition, and concise text overlays. Even as TikTok leans into longer content, a compelling start remains essential. As TikTok points out:

"users are getting increasingly comfortable with settling in for long-form videos on the platform if the hook is strong enough"

sbb-itb-806912c

YouTube Video Length Guide

YouTube offers various video formats, each requiring a specific approach to maximise viewer engagement. Adjusting your video length to fit the format can help improve both engagement and retention. Let’s break down how different video lengths can work best on YouTube.

60-Second Shorts

As of October 2024, YouTube Shorts can now run up to 3 minutes, an increase from the earlier 60-second limit. Despite this, shorter videos often perform better in terms of engagement:

Video Length Engagement Insights
15–30 seconds Best for grabbing attention and achieving high completion rates
41+ seconds Tends to see 31% higher engagement compared to shorter clips

To make your Shorts stand out:

7–15 Minute Videos

Videos in the 7–15 minute range are great for educational or tutorial content. While HubSpot‘s studies suggest viewers prefer videos under two minutes, longer formats work well for more detailed topics.

"I think creating content at a length that is authentic to you with a clear yet concise message is most important." – Olivia Catania, fitness creator

To keep viewers engaged, use clear chapters and mix in dynamic visuals to maintain interest throughout.

20+ Minute Videos

Longer videos are becoming increasingly popular on YouTube. When creating extended content, plan carefully:

"Examine your audience and their viewing behaviours. Do they also watch long-form videos? And more importantly, do they also watch long-form videos in the same niche as you’re currently creating?" – Aprilynne Alter, YouTuber

"How long should a YouTube video be?" is the wrong question. People often try to "algorithm hack" instead of focusing on what makes compelling content." – Alec Opperman, Producer and Writer

Facebook Video Length Guide

Facebook allows videos up to 240 minutes, but shorter formats tend to attract more engagement.

Feed Videos: 15-60 Seconds

For feed videos, aim for a length between 15 and 60 seconds to increase views by 48%.

Video Length Best Use Case Engagement Impact
15-30 seconds Quick updates, product demos Best completion rates
30-60 seconds Brand stories, announcements Great for feed engagement

"Keep your videos as short as you can while still telling the whole story, and ensure every scene and image has earned its place in it and contributes to the big picture."

Using a 4:5 aspect ratio can help maximise your video’s on-screen presence.

20-Second Stories

Facebook Stories, located at the top of users’ feeds, are perfect for time-sensitive content. With a 20-second limit, you can:

In January 2022, Creator Studio introduced a clip feature to simplify this process. It automatically adds a "See More" button, guiding viewers to the full video.

For more interactive content, consider switching to live broadcasts.

Live Videos: 20-60 Minutes

Facebook Live videos are highly engaging – they generate six times more interactions than traditional videos and are watched three times longer.

Here’s how to make your live streams effective:

1. Pre-broadcast Preparation

2. During the Broadcast

"Appearing authentic is not the same as being unprepared." – Hootsuite

3. Post-broadcast Engagement

"Perfection is not a human trait. Perfection is not a relatable trait. Saying ‘uhms’, stuttering, losing your train of thought – those are relatable experiences. So if that happens on your live stream, just own it! People will understand." – Megan, MeetEdgar

LinkedIn Video Requirements

LinkedIn thrives on professional and concise video content tailored to its audience. Here’s what you need to know to create effective videos for the platform.

Feed Videos: Ideal Lengths and Formats

Data from over 2 million content pieces shows that short videos between 40 and 46 seconds perform exceptionally well on LinkedIn. For more detailed topics, videos of 3 to 4 minutes are also effective.

Video Length Best Use Technical Specs
Short (40–46 sec) Quick updates, insights Bit rate: 192 Kbps–30 Mbps
Long (3–4 min) Tutorials, detailed analysis Max file size: 5 GB

LinkedIn supports MP4, MOV, and AVI formats with the following specs:

"Use the above data as a guide, and don’t add fluff to your content to stretch it out. It will crush your reach. And don’t cut your content to make it shorter if your content is amazing. The data above should be a guide. Being off a few seconds or words isn’t a big deal." – Neil Patel

20-Second Stories

LinkedIn Stories are another way to engage viewers, but they come with their own guidelines:

When creating LinkedIn Stories, focus on delivering clear and purposeful content within the 20-second limit. Avoid unnecessary trimming or padding – LinkedIn’s audience values videos that get straight to the point while offering meaningful insights.

Platform Length Requirements Summary

This section sums up the key video length guidelines for major platforms, helping you plan your content effectively across multiple channels.

Length Requirements by Platform

These benchmarks are a quick reference to align your video content with platform-specific expectations.

Multi-Platform Video Planning

Creating videos for multiple platforms requires thoughtful adjustments to match each platform’s style and audience.

  1. Start with Platform-Specific Standards
    Focus first on the platform you’re prioritising. For example, LinkedIn prefers concise, professional videos – studies show shorter videos often perform better there.
  2. Adjust Content Thoughtfully
    Trimming a 1-minute video to 44 seconds can help maintain viewer attention while fitting platform norms.
  3. Fine-Tune for Each Platform
    Make sure to grab attention in the first 5–10 seconds, use captions, stick to the correct resolution and aspect ratio, and keep your message clear.

"Customising your videos to your platform is the key to holding your audience’s attention and ensuring your video content performs." – Venture Videos

Keep in mind, platforms like YouTube often attract viewers willing to watch longer videos, while Instagram users may only engage for around 15 seconds.

Related posts