Instagram Video Length: How Long Can Instagram Videos Be?

Did you know that at least 91% of Instagram users watch videos every week? Instagram has become the go-to platform for visual digital content and videos get a lot of engagement. Today, users spend more than 20 minutes on Instagram every day, and posts with even just images receive double the amount of engagement as those without.

Visual content is so important to Instagram that it now offers dedicated tools including a video editor for creators. Instagram has continued to grow over the past few years, now with over a billion monthly active users. This is thanks to its strength in visual content and a simple layout that encourages sharing photo and video uploads over textual updates like on many other social networks.

With this in mind, it’s no surprise that Instagram has also become home to some of the most visually appealing video marketing content on any social network. If you want to leverage video uploads as part of your strategy for growing your followers base, drawing attention to your products or services, or engaging with your audience more, then keep reading our guide to how long can Instagram videos be.

How Much Time Do You Have to Work With?

So, how long can Instagram videos be? They can be up to 60 minutes long. If you want to create 60-minute-long video pieces you can do this through a live video. In general, though, you can create posts from three seconds to at least 10 minutes.

Oftentimes you'll have a 60-second window of time for most content. How this works is that, if you have a video longer than 60 seconds, Instagram will show a preview of the content. The rest of the video will be played in separate frames one after the other in order and each frame will often last around 15 seconds.

You do want to make sure you select the 60-second frame if you know that you'll be posting content longer than one minute. For longer content, we now know that a preview will be shown. Your users will have the option to click and watch the preview and then they can redirect to your profile to watch the rest of it.

If you need to know more about how to use Instagram stories for business checkout our Instagram Stories Guide for Business.

Using IGTV to Post Longer Videos

If you want to post longer content over other options, the best approach would be to use IGTV. You would need to hit the plus icon on the upper right area of your profile area. After that, you'll be presented with a menu where you'll see IGTV.

This is one of the great benefits of Instagram because you'll notice that you'll only have options for longer time frames. The options that you'll have will be for longer-form content that surpasses one minute.

Instagram for businesses can be very useful considering that by using this method, you'll have a lot of time to tell your story, showcase your products and services, or engage with your audience. The good thing about this option is that you have better chances to establish an actual brand and grow your brand awareness. IGTV offers good levels of exposure and you can keep track of your insights for this category within Instagram through the platform's analytics.

The best time to post within this area is said to be on Wednesdays around 8 pm. This is one of the best times when you can reach your audience because they are actively looking for a distraction or a way to relax through social media.

However, don't ruin your chances of making a last impression with good video content but poor video quality. Instead, try taking a look at how giving premium video experiences can be made a consistent reality with your brand's message.

The Application Isn't Going Away

Also, as it pertains to IGTV, you may have heard that this application within Instagram is being thrown out. You might like to know that the TV option, is not going too far. The platform has assured users that this feature is only being slightly rebranded and that it won't be taken away from the platform.

It will take on a new name, Instagram video. So, use the opportunity to create professional-grade video content that will increase your reach and increase your chance of retaining viewers.

How Long Can Instagram Videos Be to Increase Engagement?

Here's the thing when it comes to making an Instagram video, there’s no set answer to how long it should actually be because you have a range of times that you should decide on to get your message across. Video content in general will get you two times more engagement on your posts than if you didn't use video so regardless of time, you'll already be setting up your content for success by using video.

However, while you can create videos that range in length, there are a few target lengths that you could use to increase your engagement. Generally speaking, anything less than 60 seconds is ideal. Overall, it depends on what you want to achieve with your video uploads and how much time you have available.

Using Hashtags to Level Up Your Reach

Here are some useful Instagram tips and tricks to boost your content. Try using hashtags to make your content more in line with what people are searching for. You'll want to make sure that they're relevant to your content.

This will help you reach the right people and avoid wasting time on irrelevant tags that won't help you reach your audience. Try not to use no more than five hashtags per post.

Hashtags should also be kept short and easy to read so that followers can quickly scan through them or so that your content will be included in more relevant groups. Using up to three hashtags per post is also a good idea.

It's better to use just one or two relevant tags per post instead of five or six unrelated ones. Doing these things is a great way to draw more attention to your clear and high-quality videos.

How Does Video Quality Affect My Instagram Analytics?

Instagram is a visual platform, so it's no surprise that video content is becoming more and more popular on the platform. In fact, Instagram now has over 1.393 billion users who watch millions of hours of video every day.

Video content is great for engaging your audience and getting them to take action, but it can also be a bit tricky to get right. If you're just starting with video marketing and videos on Instagram, here are some tips to help you create videos that will help you to achieve better analytics within your Instagram Insights.

Video Quality Matters

The quality of your videos will have a huge impact on how many people watch them. If your videos look blurry or pixelated, people won't want to watch them because they'll be too distracted. Make sure that you use a good camera or smartphone when recording your videos so that they look professional and high-quality. When adding videos to your website, using a premium video hosting service can help.

Keep it Brief

If you want to create a short video that will grab the attention of your audience in a faster way, then keep it short. This means to keep it no longer than 15 seconds because it's more of an ideal time frame for grabbing attention. This is also a good way to get across the key points of your message.

If you want to create a longer video that will help you tell a more detailed story or show off more of what you have to offer, then adjust accordingly. For example, for videos on your feed, it's recommended to keep this around 26 seconds.

For IGTV content, two to six minutes would be ideal. With longer content, just keep in mind that the longer the video is, the more work it will take for people to watch it all the way through – so make sure the content will hold their attention.

What About the Videos on Your Website?

Leveraging interaction from video content can increase participation you not only get with the services or products you offer but increases more relationships you can build out of your following. Now that you know "how long can Instagram videos be", you should have an idea of what you have to work with.

Instagram delivers your videos on their platform, but who delivers your videos on your website?

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