How Long Can a Facebook Video Ad Be?

Facebook video ads can be used in a variety of manners to improve your reach and get customers interacting with your brand. But how long can a Facebook video ad be? We’re showing you exactly what you need to know about Facebook video ad lengths, what you can and cannot do, and what it takes to make better Facebook videos.

How Long?

Facebook video ads should be no more than 4 minutes long according to Facebook. However, nobody on Facebook is watching a 4-minute video. In fact, if you share a 4-minute video ad in Facebook, you will most likely irritate a bunch of people who will think you are just out to waste their time.

When creating Facebook video ad content, consider the value of various lengths. Longer content may allow you to get a stronger core message across, but you may lose more viewers and they will miss your ending CTA. Shorter content may not deliver the message fully and leave the viewer wishing they had more. So what’s the sweet spot?

Studies show that the best Facebook video ads are between 30 and 60 seconds in length. Videos that are 2 minutes or longer tend to have a high completion rate but these can be tricky in terms of targeting and keeping the viewer engaged to the end.

Best Length for Different Videos on Facebook

Determining the best length for your Facebook video content depends on a variety of factors. You should consider what message you are trying to deliver, how you can deliver the message, and what your call to action will be first.

Then you should consider your audience. If you’re trying to reach a bunch of people that have a short attention span and are always in a hurry, a longer video may not work. Likewise, if you’re reaching doctors or experts that are accustomed to reading long-form content, a slower and longer video could be effective.

As you consider the length of content that’s ideal for your audience, think about audience targeting.

Consider the following details about your audience:

• Age
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• Education
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• Gender
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• Time on social media
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• Lifestyle
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• Job title

While none of these are considered directly related to the length of the ideal Facebook ad, they all can be used to determine the target audience that is right for your content. Putting your video in front of the right audience, regardless of the length, will ensure a higher finish rate.

Capture Attention and Keep Engagement

The most important thing to remember when you show a Facebook ad is that you must capture the audience’s attention quickly and keep the audience engaged to the end in order to deliver your core message and call-to-action. The most successful Facebook ad videos capture the attention of the audience in just a few quick seconds.

Here’s how you can be sure to capture the attention of the audience:

• Use catchy thumbnail images.
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• Tell the viewer exactly how you can solve their problem.
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• Tease about the core message.
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• Tell the viewer what you might talk about.
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• Use audio and complementary video for the first 5 seconds to grab attention.

In the end, the length of your Facebook video is dependent on various factors. The best you can do is take your time, know your audience, and deliver Facebook video ads that are appropriately targeted and engaging to the audience.