How Long Should My TikTok Video Be For Maximum Engagement?

Posted on 11th Sep, 2024.

While TikTok has developed a reputation for short-form video content, you can actually make TikToks that are up to 10 minutes long in the app and upload videos that are up to 60 minutes long. But should you?

In this blog, we’ll explore how long your TikTok video should be to ensure your audience’s engagement and give yourself the best chance of going viral. Let’s get into it.

How Long Can TikTok Videos Be?

TikTok videos could only be 1 minute long when the app first launched, which limited creators to making short-form content. However, over time, the TikTok time limit has increased, so you can now create videos that are 10 minutes long in the app and upload videos of up to 60 minutes that have been created elsewhere.

If you decide to use a sound for your video, the length of the video will be determined in advance by the length of the sound. You can only make the video as long as the sound lasts.

What’s the Optimum Length for a TikTok Video?

Naturally, the optimum length for a TikTok video depends on multiple factors, including your target audience, as well as the type of content you’re creating. But, in general, shorter content still seems to give you the best chance of going viral.

The best video length for TikTok is somewhere between 20 and 35 seconds - long enough to get your point across without being so long that it loses the interest of your viewers.

While some videos may need to be longer or shorter, this length is optimum for engagement. To keep viewers watching, start your video with a catchy question or other pull.

Conciseness is key

Even when the content calls for a longer video, conciseness is key. TikTok users will quickly zone out when a video doesn’t get to the point quickly, so ensure you’re only using as many words as you need to when telling a story or sharing your thoughts. If something could be said in 10 seconds but you’re saying it in 30, be more concise.

How to Record a Video in the App

If you record the video in the app, it can only be 10 minutes long. Here’s how to do it.

Tap the Add post+ button at the bottom. Select a length for your video. Tap the Record button to start and stop recording. Otherwise, your video will automatically stop recording when you reach the time limit. Once you’ve finished recording, click Continue to edit your video.

How to Use the Timer to Record Videos

You can use the timer to record videos without having to hold down the record button. Take the following steps to record using the timer.

Open the TikTok app and click the Add Post+ button at the bottom. Select the video length for your video. Tap the Timer on the side panel. Select your chosen length for the countdown timer before sliding the bar to choose the maximum length for the video. Tap Start Countdown to begin the timer and start recording.

Factors to Consider When Choosing the Length of Your TikTok

The optimum length of a TikTok isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer - there are various factors to take into account.

Target audience

Consider your target audience and the type of content they’re more used to consuming. Younger users in particular tend to have shorter attention spans, so if your target audience is Gen Alpha or Gen Z, keeping things short and sweet might be the best course of action.

Perform market research on successful competitors that appeal to the same target audience and make your videos a similar length. If the length of your TikTok videos is longer than your audience is used to watching, they might switch off.

Type of content

The ideal length varies depending on the type of content in question. If your video centres around storytelling, how-tos, or product reviews, these videos are likely to be a few minutes or longer. Don’t cut down important or valuable content down just to fit into a particular time slot - this will dilute the trust between you and your audience.

If you’re making a humorous, observational, or trend-following video, these tend to be shorter, especially if you’re using a viral sound.

User intent

In general, users on TikTok are searching for short-form content. Long-form content is more common on sites like YouTube. Consider this user content when creating your TikTok content and save short-form videos for content such as storytimes or in-depth how-to guides.

If you only stick to long-form content on TikTok, you might be alienating the majority of users who visit the app for short, snappy content.

Use Analytics to Assess Content Success

One of the best things about TikTok as a platform is that its Analytics tools can help you assess the impact of your content, informing your future content decisions and making them more effective.

If you notice that videos of a certain length are playing better with your target audience, prioritise sticking to this length apart from exceptional videos. If none of your videos are gaining virality in the way you thought they would, consider shortening them and see if your engagement improves.

First Stop, Followers!

All of this maximising content for the best chance of engagement is all well and good, but what if you don’t have any followers to watch your content in the first place?

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This larger audience will then interact with your content, shooting it to the top of TikTok’s algorithm and encouraging others to follow you. It’s a cycle of success. Buy your followers here and work on optimising your TikTok content time for the best chance of long-term success.

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