Video advertising creative is perhaps the most painstaking for advertisers to deal with during the planning and production stages. While there’s no magic formula to creating the “best” video ad, direct response-focused advertisers are inherently test-oriented, and they will eventually find creative that works well with their target audiences to achieve their larger objective.
No two social media sites are the same, so no two video lengths are the same. A YouTube viewer, for instance, may happily watch for four minutes whereas an Instagram user probably won’t give it more than 15 seconds. On top of all that, social algorithms are always being updated, so what’s true today may change.
What’s The Best Video Ad Length?
Video ad length for these advertisers is most frequently 11 to 20 seconds long, with 62 percent of all studied gaming video ad creative within this 10-second range. An additional 10 percent of video creative for gaming advertisers comes in at 31 to 35 seconds long.
Once again, there is no one video length best practice. It depends on the channel, how users behave there, what they expect, their vertical, use case, buying stage, the product, and the video format. A rule of thumb, though: If it’s cold outreach, keep it under one minute.
What’s The Best Length for Social Media Video Ads?
Facebook:
Your videos should be no more than two minutes in length. Multiple studies have shown that for most videos, engagement tends to fall off sharply after the two-minute mark.
Short videos that are fun and/or informative and are able to be easily understood without sound tend to be the best performers on Facebook. Keep in mind that videos on Facebook will auto play without sound first, so be sure to include appealing visuals that will make sense whether the audio is on.
It is better to upload your video directly to Facebook rather than including a YouTube link, as Facebook’s algorithm tends to prioritize native video content.
Your videos should be no more than 60 seconds in length, as that is the upper limit for what the platform will support. Data compiled by HubSpot suggests 30 seconds might be an ideal time frame, as Instagram videos that received the most comments typically averaged about 26 seconds in length.
Perhaps more than any other platform, Instagram is all about the visuals. Make sure your videos are visually stunning so they can easily grab the attention of viewers.
Time-lapse and back-and-forth looping videos are perennially popular on Instagram. You can use their Hyper lapse and Boomerang apps to create these fun and engaging video formats.
YouTube
For optimal engagement, keep your videos around the two-minute mark.
As the preeminent digital video platform, YouTube lends itself to more in-depth content such as product demos, how-to tutorials, FAQ sessions, video blogs (vlogs), etc.
Consider YouTube to be a “digital library” where you can store a repository of video content that can be organized into various playlists by topic. As you continue adding videos to your channel, you will accumulate an impressive catalog of visual assets that will be engaging and helpful to the audience you’re trying to reach.
