Guide · Video
How long should a video be?
Plain answers for local business owners. From Taha at Urban Promotion. Updated November 2026.
Quick answerFor most business Reels and TikToks, aim for 15 to 60 seconds. Ads work best short too. Your website can take 1 to 2 minutes. Only as long as it stays interesting.
A simple guide
| Where | Good starting length |
|---|---|
| Instagram Reels | 15 to 60 seconds |
| TikTok | 15 to 40 seconds |
| Under 90 seconds | |
| Facebook and Instagram ads | 15 to 30 seconds |
| Customer testimonials | 30 to 60 seconds |
| Website brand video | 1 to 2 minutes |
| YouTube how-to | As long as it takes, and no longer |
The first 3 seconds matter most
- Start with the most interesting bit
- Show the result, then how you got there
- Skip the logo intro
- Put captions on: lots of people watch with no sound
When longer is fine
- A full walk-through of a finished job
- Explaining something people need to understand
- A customer telling their whole story
When shorter is better
- Cold ads to people who don't know you
- A simple before and after
- One quick tip
Need ideas to film? See video ideas for tradies or Reels vs TikTok.
Rough guides from published 2026 sources, which don't all agree. Platforms change their rules often, so test with your own results.
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Read the guideBook a quick 15-minute chat
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