[August 07, 2025]
If you’ve been in a meeting or at your desk wondering “how long should this video be?” you’re not alone.
TL;DR - Aim for 15–60 seconds for most platforms if your goal is engagement or reach. Prioritize vertical format for Stories, Reels, Shorts, and TikTok.
The average person scrolls between 300-500 feet of content on their cell phone in a day, or at least the height of the Statue of Liberty according to Meta’s most recent content report. Over a year, that adds up to between 3-5 miles. Nobody is watching a video at length if they’re scrolling that far, which is why shorter is better in many cases.
Platform-Specific Guidelines:
Instagram
Feed: 30–60 seconds performs best.
Stories: Up to 15 seconds per story (use multiple for longer).
Reels: 15–30 seconds is the sweet spot, but you can go up to 90.
TikTok
Best: 15–60 seconds.
You can go up to 10 minutes, but only do that if your content is very engaging or educational.
Facebook
Feed: 15–60 seconds for engagement; 1–3 minutes if you're educating or storytelling.
Stories: Same as Instagram (15 seconds each).
Video Ads: 15 seconds max recommended.
YouTube Shorts
15–60 seconds. Think of this like TikTok or Reels.
LinkedIn
B2B audience, slightly longer is okay.
Aim for 30–90 seconds. Keep it relevant and professional.
X / Twitter
15–30 seconds works best for attention.
Max is 2 minutes 20 seconds, but shorter wins unless it's newsy or educational.
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