How Long Should My Business Video Be? [Here Are a Few Great Tips]
No matter what type of video you are creating, branded videos can quickly become lengthy and overwhelming. Especially as you work to include all the important details without missing a beat. Unfortunately, overly presenting a topic, even when done tactfully, can lead to viewers feeling bored or losing their desire to sit through the message. We’re answering the question, “How long should my business video be?” and providing some great tips to help you out.
Branded Video Length Basics
The first step to knowing just how long your branded video should be is to define the basics. What’s the goal of your video? How quickly can you achieve that goal?
For instance if the goal is to raise awareness of your band and encourage people to come visit your website or brand, you probably don’t need to spend a bunch of time discussing your products and services, but you definitely need to introduce yourself.
Your video should be short, sweet and to the point. It must be attention-grabbing while offering the details necessary to pitch the message without over-complicating things. One minute or less is usually sufficient.
Awareness Videos
As you consider creating awareness for your brand, you should spend one minute or less sharing the details with your viewers. Anything beyond this could border on being complicated and would weigh down your message.
Consideration Videos
If your audience is in the stage of potentially considering your brand for their next move, you can consider a video that is one to three minutes in length. This is the time to engage users in your information and provide real value. Although videos can be a bit longer at this point because the viewer already has an idea of who you are and an interest in you, they should not be overly long still as you could lose interest.
Decision Videos
If you are attempting to convert viewers into purchasers, you can spend two minutes or less trying to convince them to make this decision. At this stage, your viewer is aware of who you are and what you are offering, so you don’t need to explain all of that. Instead, offer information that will help them to make that final decision. This is the time to provide a final value proposition and make it count.
Short Videos of 15 Seconds or Less
Sometimes, business videos should be extra short. The average Instagram Business video length is about 15 seconds. Similarly, we see the following videos being produced in very short, robust spurts:
- Social content videos
- Outtakes
- Bloopers and funny takes
- Tips and tricks
- Promos
These are perfect to grab the viewer’s attention without taking up too much of their time. These types of videos are ideal in the attraction stage when you’re trying to reach potential new customers for your brand. Here is an example of a short video we produced for a law firm that is around 15 seconds:
Videos of 16 to 60 Seconds in Length
Videos that are up to 60 seconds in length are ideal for a wider range of content styles. In fact, one minute videos are extremely common in video production even at Beverly Boy Productions. These types of videos include:
- Product Videos
- How to Videos
- Branded Videos
- Commercials
If you are considering hosting a video on YouTube, Facebook or Linkedin, one minute or less is ideal. These are also great for use in email marketing campaigns. A one minute or less video allows you to captivate your audience while communicating to the viewer who you are and what you do. Don’t over-complicate things though! Here is a promotional testimonial video under 2 minutes that we produced for Home Advisors, featuring Vanilla Ice:
Videos of 1 to 2 Minutes in Length
Sometimes we see videos that go slightly beyond the one minute scope and, as long as you keep the viewer’s attention, that’s acceptable. These kinds of videos include:
- Branded videos
- Case studies
- Team videos
- Event videos
Most of these are shown to an audience that already is familiar with your brand and will stick around for a bit longer to watch what you have to say. These types of videos require an enticing narrative that builds over time, hooks the viewer and provides a catchy offer of some sort to keep them interested. Below is a promo video we created between 1 to 2 minutes for TIDE. This one we filmed in Kentucky:
Videos of 2 Minutes or More in Length
As you reach the 2 minute point, it is more vital than ever to be effective at keeping viewer interest. These types of videos include:
- Testimonial videos
- Product reviews
- Tutorials and how-to videos
- Product demos
- Service demos
These target an audience that likely knows you or your brand and is prepared to spend more time listening to what you have to say. Complicated tutorials and product demos may take slightly longer than the couple minute length but be sure you don’t take steps to make the production overly complicated as this will cause your viewers to lose interest. Here is a promotional video we filmed in North Carolina that is over 3 minutes.
Long Form Videos of 15 Minutes or More
The longer videos are generally reserved for those who are truly interested in what you have to say such as employees, those interested in becoming members of your brand or service or those seeking your expert advice. These include:
- Expert Q and A sessions
- Webinars
Before you produce a 15 or 20 minute webinar, it’s usually a great idea to capture viewer interest with several shorter videos to make sure there is a market for this type of offering. Most webinars are closer to the hour mark which requires a huge time commitment from your viewer. Keep them engaged and do your best to provide real value so that your viewer is not disappointed. Here is a long form video that we produced for The Learning Experience:
Obviously there is no single definitive length that is right or wrong for every type of video but these are some general guidelines that seem to work. If you still wonder, “How long should my business video be?” Call Beverly Boy Productions to discuss your project further and get a better idea as to the scope of the project.