When it comes to online video you have a very tight window in which to convey your message. Generally you only have a few seconds to keep someone’s attention before they decide to abandon ship and watch something else, so you need to hook them quick. To even get a click you need to keep your video under 3 minutes, as 52% of all videos watched fall into this category.

You will quickly notice that many videos on sites such as YouTube are short. With many people viewing on mobile devices, bandwidth is certainly a consideration. Even more important than this, is the value of the viewer’s time.

Think of it this way, nobody ever said “that was a great presentation… if only it was a little longer”. Being concise is very important in video. If you cannot communicate your message quickly, consider how it might be presented differently. Perhaps you could break it into several videos, or offer supplemental materials (a PDF download for instance), that will provide the necessary information? Even sending your viewers to your website is preferable to a longer video. There is a good chance that if the have watched your entire video they will want to learn more about what you have to offer. Just make sure to finish off with a strong call to action at the end of you video which will help ensure that qualified viewers move on to the next step.

When planning your video make sure to take the time to view other videos on a similar topic. How do they handle time constraints? Do you feel bored at any point in the video? How long did your attention span last?

Here are two videos from the same company that handle length quite differently. Which one works best for you?

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