How Long Should Your Marketing Video Be?

How Long Should Your Marketing Video Be?

We’re often told in marketing that you should keep everything short and to the point. Apparently, we have limited attention spans. No one is going to watch your marketing video all the way to the end if it drags on for too long. 

The truth is the length of any marketing video will depend on a number of different factors. Long isn’t necessarily bad, although it is largely the exception rather than the rule. The point you need to keep in mind is that your video should only be as long as it needs to be to engage the viewer and get your point across.

At Square Pixel Productions, we’ve worked on a broad range of marketing videos over the years, so here’s what our professional team think. 

1. Video Testimonials

Getting customers to tell others about their positive experience works. Video is the perfect medium for doing this, not least because it helps connect at a deeper level with the viewer. A head-and-shoulder shot of a customer explaining what they like about your product or service doesn’t have to be lengthy to be effective. There’s a lot you can get across in just 30 seconds. 

2. Corporate Video

Corporate or branding videos are a little different. They are often longer because they have more to say. Length depends on production value (and budget), the story you are trying to tell as well as who the audience are. If you can say what you need to say in under a minute, all well and good, but don’t be put off if you require more time. 

3. Product Promotion

Most ads on TV are in the 30-second time frame slot and that’s usually about right for promotional marketing videos online too. You should expect promotional videos that run for 1 or even 2 minutes to be watched all the way through but you need to make it really engaging for your audience. Any longer than this and attention begins to flag. 

4. How-To or Explainer Videos

The length of these will depend on your product range and the kind of information your customers are looking for. They take the form of tutorials on how to get the best out certain features in your product or explanations on how or why something works. The length of these will generally vary but the truth is that your viewer will only watch up until they get what they are looking for. 

5 Quick Tips for Creating Great Marketing Videos

• Have a clear idea about what you want to achieve. 
• Keep your video focused on one or two points at most. 
• Always have a strong beginning that attracts attention.
• Avoid boring your audience at all costs. 
• Include a strong call to action. 

Longer videos, of course, not only cost more money they can take a considerable amount of time to put together. Even viewing the timer on a long video can deter potential customers from clicking the play button in the first place. In our experience, while there is certainly a place for long-form marketing videos, keeping it short and sweet works more often than not. 

Contact the Square Pixel Productions team today if you’d like to find out more.