If you’ve ever sat down to plan a promotional video, you’ve almost certainly hit the big question: how long should this thing actually be?
Ask three different marketers and you’ll get three different answers. Someone will swear by 6-second teasers, someone else will send you a 10-minute cinematic masterpiece, and your sales team will ask if they can fit in “just one more slides-worth of features.”
The honest answer? It depends entirely on who’s watching, where they’re seeing it, and how much convincing they need before clicking that shiny button.
Someone idly scrolling through TikTok on their lunch break is in a very different headspace to someone who has intentionally landed on your pricing page. Here’s how to nail your run time every single time without losing your audience’s attention.
The Goldilocks Zone
Ahhh, that’s just right! As a rule of thumb, most solid promo videos sit comfortably in the 30 to 60-second sweet spot.
Promos are there to hook people, tease a solution, and prompt action. They aren’t meant to explain your entire 10-year company history or detail how your finance department handles invoicing – that’s what company videos are fo. Leave the heavy lifting to explainer videos or sales calls!
Recommended Durations by Channel:
| Channel / Setting | Ideal Duration | The Vibe |
| Paid Social Ads | 10-20 seconds | “Blink and you’ll miss it, but wait – click this!” |
| Organic Social Media | 15-30 seconds | “Here’s a cool idea to pause your scrolling” |
| Website & Landing Pages | 60-90 seconds | “Thanks for stopping by, here’s why we’re great” |
| Sales Pitch & Proposals | 60-120 seconds | “You’re interested, so let’s get down to business” |
Match the Length to the Dating Stage (a.k.a. The Sales Funnel)
Think of your video run time like going on a date (stay with us, honestly):
- Cold Audiences (Top of Funnel): This is a casual nod across a crowded room. Keep it short (10-30 seconds), eye-catching, and sweet. Don’t ask them to move in together on sentence one.
- Warm Audiences (Middle of Funnel): Ok, you’re onto the next stage, well done. You’re grabbing a coffee together. They know who you are and want to see if you’re a good fit. A 60-second video gives you enough room to show off your best qualities without rambling.
- Hot Prospects (Bottom of Funnel): You’re discussing future plans. They’re reviewing a proposal or talking to your sales team. You can take 90 to 120 seconds here because they actually want the details.
Want to Know What to Fit Into Your Edit?
15 Seconds: The Teaser
- Goal: A quick burst of energy.
- Formula: Grab attention (0–3s) – Show the product/benefit (3-10s) – Tell them what to do (11-15s).
- Best for: Instagram Stories, TikTok, and top-of-funnel paid ads.
30 Seconds: The Elevator Pitch
- Goal: A snappy, memorable story.
- Formula: Highlight a pain point (0–5s) – Introduce your fix (5-15s) – Show key perks (15-25s) – Call to action (25-30s).
- Best for: LinkedIn feeds, YouTube clips, and short web headers.
60 to 90 Seconds: The Full Picture
- Goal: Build genuine trust and answer obvious questions.
- Formula: Hook & problem (0-10s) – The reveal (10-30s) – Features & social proof (30-60s) – Strong call to action (60–90s).
- Best for: Homepages, product landing pages, and email follow-ups.
Save Your Budget: Plan Multiple Cut-Downs First
Here’s a classic production mistake: filming one massive 2-minute video and then trying to chop it up into a snappy 10-second ad as an afterthought. It usually ends up looking like a ransom note.
Instead, plan for multiple versions from day one.
When you write scripts and film scenes with different platforms in mind, you can capture landscape shots for your website and vertical framing for phones during the exact same shoot. It stretches your budget twice as far and keeps your content looking sharp everywhere.
How to Tell if Your Video is Too Long
A video isn’t too long just because the timer says 90 seconds. A boring 15-second ad can feel like an eternity, while a witty 2-minute video flies by.
Keep an eye on your view drop-off rates in analytics:
- If 80% of viewers leave after 5 seconds, your opening hook isn’t landing.
- If people watch the whole thing but nobody clicks your link, your call to action needs a tune-up!
Final Thoughts
How long should a promo video be?
Aim for under 60 seconds as a standard baseline, but adapt it to where it lives. Ads need to be much shorter (10–30 seconds), while website landing pages can stretch to 90 seconds.
Can a video actually be too short?
Yes! If you rush through so fast that the viewer misses what you actually sell or forgets your brand name, you’ve cut too much.
Should I make different versions of the same video?
100% yes. A single edit won’t work everywhere. Cut-downs give you maximum mileage out of one shoot!
We’re Happy to Help
Why not get in touch with us to see what we think your next video project actually needs? Fill in our quick online enquiry form, and let’s have a chat.
