How Long Should My Explainer Video Be?

It’s no secret that in order to succeed in marketing your business or product, you need video. In fact, it’s such a necessity in the marketing world that we’ve written over 50 blogs on the topic. So, let’s move past the fact that you should already have explainer videos as part of your marketing strategy and get down to some nitty-gritty topics, like video length. 

Stick to Your Goals

You want your explainer videos to convert, that’s your main goal. The best way to drive your viewers to your business or brand is keep them interested for long enough to explain your service while catering to their (very short) attention span. 

So, now you need to ask yourself ‘What’s the sweet spot’? Believe it or not, the length of your explainer video (even down to the seconds) is crucial for conversion rates. We wish there was a magic time we could give you that would guarantee the success of all your marketing videos, but sadly, every social platform is different. Let’s break it down. 

Instagram- 30 seconds

As most of its users are on the go or mindlessly scrolling, it’s best to keep your Instagram videos capped at 30 seconds. While the app does allow for videos up to a minute long, most users won’t stay around past the 30 second mark. In fact, it’s best to get your brand message out within the first 15 seconds, which makes advertising on this platform a bit tricky. Time to get creative with your explainer videos!

Facebook- 1 minute

Facebook users are a bit more lienete compared to their counterparts on Instagram. Your Facebook audience will enjoy explainer videos that are anywhere from 24 seconds to 90 seconds in length, with the sweet spot being about a minute. This platform is all about sharing, so you want to give your audience a reason to send your video to a friend or post it on their wall. Since you have a little bit more freedom with these videos, don’t be afraid to put in a creative hook at the beginning to really grab their attention! Remember, since most videos will start out muted, you’ll want to rely on attention-grabbing visuals to reel your Facebook audience in. 

Twitter- 45 seconds

While not quite as brief as Instagram, Twitter videos should still be on the shorter side. Of course, that is to be expected from a platform that only lets you send 280 characters per post. Again, you’ll want to keep your explainer videos on this platform simple and sweet to attract the most viewers. 

LinkedIn- 30 to 90 seconds

The ideal video length on LinkedIn varies because of its unique audience. This platform consists of working professionals who have time to dedicate to learning more about their field, which means they are more willing to stick around for a longer explainer video, as long as it provides them value. On the other hand, they’re humans as well which means their attention spans last only about 8 seconds. Like other platforms, be sure to grab their attention with a hook or a problem they need solved in the very beginning of the video. 

For very niche viewers on LinkedIn, you can post a video that’s a bit longer. While LinkedIn allows for videos as long as 10 minutes, you’ll only want to post a video that long if it’s a tutorial or a workshop.

YouTube- 2 minutes

Want to create a specific, in-depth video? YouTube is the perfect place for that. Users of this platform expect educational videos, which (kind of like LinkedIn users) means they’re willing to stay through the entirety of a lengthy video. However, unless you are an influencer or a brand with die-hard followers, it’s best to stick to that 2 minute limit. 

If you’re going for YouTube ads, that time limit drops significantly. Expect viewers to only stick around for about 15-20 seconds before tapping that skip button. 

Keep Your Audience In Mind

As always, you’ve got to know your audience to get the most out of your marketing. Start by asking yourself these questions:

• How old is the average viewer?
• What are they looking to get out of this explainer video?
• What is their attention span like?

Generally, the sweet-spot for our explainer videos at Digital Brew is between 60 and 90 seconds. That length will do well on most of the educational platforms. But the best part is, when you work with us to create a customized explainer video, we can also offer shorter versions for you to post on platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.  

So, are you ready to captivate your audience will a killer, attention-grabbing video?

Let’s brew this!