Just How Long Should a Corporate Video Be? Our Top Tips for Creating Effective Short Videos

How long should a business video be?

The answer to this question isn’t cut and dry. It depends. 

As a general rule, corporate videos should run between 45 to 90 seconds long.

You may be thinking, “That’s so short! How can I possibly convey what my company does in less time than it takes to pop a bag of microwave popcorn?” 

You can — as long as the video is compelling, succinctly conveys your brand story, and is well produced. 

You want to grab potential customers’ attention. You want to leave those customers wanting more information about your company (you’ll also need to guide them directly to the place to get that information, e.g., your website, social media channels, etc.)

You may be thinking, “Anyone can create a video with their smartphone and free editing software.” That’s true.

But suppose your company is new to video marketing. In that case, you don’t want to leave such an essential tool for customer engagement up to a marketing team that primarily focuses on social media or advertising.

Video is such an important vehicle to telling your brand story and conveying your company message; it needs to be left up to the pros. 

Enter Houston Video. Video is what we do. 

We’re experts at producing interesting, fast-paced videos, highlighting why potential customers need your product or service. 

And those videos convert to: 

• Clients 
• Customers; and 
• Sales.

When creating a corporate video and deciding how long it should be, it’s key to consider these 3 important factors:

1. Your industry and the type of video you’re producing
2. The audience you want to reach
3. The platform you’re using

Read on to learn why each factor is so crucial.

Depending on the industry or the type of video being produced, it may need to be longer or shorter.

For example, a tutorial or instructional video isn’t going to be effective if you skip steps or rush through them in order to keep a video to an allotted time. 

In this case, the user is going to stick around if they’re learning something.

Who are you trying to reach?

Is your video designed to capture the attention of a new audience?

If so, it’s crucial the video is short and to the point. You want to get the viewer’s attention and not make them feel as if they’ve wasted their time.

On the other hand, if the video is being produced to reach someone who is…

• Familiar with your brand
• Already a customer; or
• Already a follower on social media platforms

…the viewer likely already has an interest in and trusts your brand and, therefore, may stick around longer.

It’s essential to think about where and how this video will be shared.

The platform with which you’re sharing the video will help determine how long the video can and should be.

For example, a brand story video on the landing page of your website will be longer than a video shared on Twitter. 

At Houston Video, we know exactly what length of video gives you the best bang for your buck, whether it’s being shared in: 

• An e-mail newsletter 
• On Instagram; or 
• Via Facebook.

You’ve no doubt heard the phrase “short and sweet.” That’s typically the best approach when producing effective corporate videos. 

Easier said than done, though. 

Because retaining your audience is such an important key performance indicator, let’s dive in to Houston Video’s 4 tips to creating short but effective corporate videos:

1. Provide your solution at the beginning of the video.
2. Create a message that speaks to your target audience.
3. Make a good impression — fast.
4. Keep in mind that content is king — in every industry.

If a potential customer (or current customer) is watching your video, there’s a reason. 

They’re looking for something. Don’t make them wait for it. Attention spans are short, and viewers may not stick around for the end of your video.

80% of viewers won’t stick around for more than 20 seconds.

So take advantage of those 20 seconds. Give customers the bottom line, up front. 

They should have the solution or information they need within the first few seconds of your video.

If your message isn’t focused on the audience you want to reach, you’re going to lose your ideal viewer quickly. 

Make sure you know your target audience and create a message they connect to. 

Meaningful connection leads to audience engagement. Audience engagement is a crucial success metric.

The internet has no shortage of videos to watch.

In fact, YouTube users upload 500 hours of video every minute. So if you don’t catch a viewer’s attention quickly, they’ll move on to one of the other billions of videos available online.

On average, you have just 8 seconds to capture a person’s attention.

That’s why your videos need to be effective AND efficient.

The most important aspect of every video is compelling content. This is the case no matter your industry.

If you only have 45 seconds of relevant, valuable content, there’s zero reason to stretch that video to run a minute or 90 seconds.

Provide your viewers the information they need in exactly as long as that takes, no longer.

Your company most likely has a presence on social media or maybe a blog on your website, but if you have a business, video needs to be a component of your marketing strategy. 

That’s because 95% of consumers retain information communicated through video, compared to just 10% who retain information from reading.

But you shouldn’t just create a video for the sake of checking off a box in your marketing plan. 

Not all videos are created equally.

If video is part of your marketing strategy, you want that video to not only connect to your target audience, you also want it to convert to customers.

You may think doing this with a video under 2 minutes is an overwhelming task to take on. 

That’s why you need award-winning Houston Video on your side. We produce videos that produce results.

We offer videos for:

• Corporate Marketing
• Social Media Advertising
• SEO;
• And more!

Our clients see serious results, which is why they return to Houston Video time and time again for their video marketing needs. 

Let Houston Video show you how effective video can be when it’s being produced by a company that not only provides superior video shooting and editing, but has the knowledge in marketing strategy to back it up.