Are you needing a corporate video for your business?
Video has become an essential part of modern marketing. It can bring your brand to life, explain complex ideas and give potential customers a better understanding of who you are and what you do. But one question we at DreamingFish always get asked time and time again is: how long should a corporate video actually be?
The short answer? Well, there’s no one-size-fits-all response. The right length depends on your audience, your message, your goals and where you plan to use the video. While a 60–90 second film might work perfectly for one project, another might need two minutes, five minutes or even longer. So, how do you work out which is the right duration for your video needs? decide what’s right for your video? Let’s take a look.
How long should a corporate video be?
As a general rule of thumb, we tend to say that 45–90 seconds works well for many corporate videos. However, ultimately, the ideal length will always depend on what you’re trying to achieve. If you’re in need of a video to sit on your website, for example, 60–90 seconds is the perfect amount of time to communicate your key messages without losing your audience’s attention. That doesn’t necessarily mean you should cram everything into a 90 second duration. Focus on what your audience actually needs/wants to know. A shorter video with a clear message will usually be more effective than a longer film that tries to say too much. Before honing down on a run time, think about:
- What type of video are you creating?
- Who is your intended audience?
- What is the purpose of the video?
- What do you want your audience to do/feel by the end of it?
- Where will your video be hosted?
Consider your industry and the right video for you
The amount of information you need to communicate will naturally affect your video’s length. For example, if you’re in the tech industry and need an animated explainer video, you’ll probably want to keep things simple and focused. Your audience needs to understand your product or service quickly, so there’s little value in adding information that doesn’t support your core messages. Alternatively, if you are after a recruitment video, this will benefit from being a longer duration. Potential employees want to get a genuine feel for your company, your culture and the people behind the business. Giving them more time to explore these elements can make the film feel more authentic and engaging. Check out two of our very different videos below:
Think about your target audience
Knowing the audience you want to target for your corporate video is really important when it comes to deciding your video length. If you’re speaking to existing clients who already understand your brand, you may be able to take a little more time to explore a topic in depth. However, if you’re reaching a new audience through social media, you’ll need to capture their attention much faster. They may have no previous knowledge of your brand, so your opening needs to immediately tell them why they should keep watching…
Once you know your target audience and what they want, you can create a message that they’ll be able to connect and resonate with. If your marketing video’s message isn’t for the audience you’re trying to reach, they will quickly lose interest and drop off before the end of the video. However, if an audience can relate to your messaging, they will engage with your video and watch it through to the end. You’ll then have produced a video that’s achieved its purpose!
Your chosen platform
Much like with your target audience, where your video will be shared is another key indicator of how long your video should be:
- Brand films: These usually sit front and centre on your website or YouTube channels. As a result, it needs to make an impact quickly. Use the opening seconds to establish who you are, what you offer and why your audience should care. Keep your messaging focused. Rather than trying to tell your entire company story, choose two or three key messages and build the film around them.
- Training videos: These are a whole other ball game. Your audience is actively looking for information, so they may be more willing to watch a longer video. In this case, breaking the content into chapters or shorter sections can make it easier to follow and revisit. For some of our clients, getting training content right isn’t just about engagement. For Harsco, it can often be the difference between life and death. When you’re communicating important health and safety information, you can’t afford to leave out crucial details simply to make a video shorter. The priority is making sure the information is clear, memorable and easy to follow. The same principle applies to educational and instructional videos: don’t cut useful information simply to hit a time limit.
- Social media videos: Videos for use on socials gives you an opportunity to create shorter versions of your main film. For example, you could create 15–30 second cutdowns from a longer hero video. Each edit can focus on a different message, giving you multiple pieces of content to share across your social channels. This approach also helps you get more value from a single production.
How to make your corporate video the best it can be
It is worth considering that we live in a super-fast-paced world and audience’s have comparatively short attention spans. With this in mind, shorter and upbeat videos are likely to hold their attention and focus for longer. This sounds easier than it actually is, so below are a few suggestions on how to make the best short corporate video for your employees, customers, or clients:
- Create a key message that speaks to your target audience
- Be straight to the point and provide a solution right from the start
- Make sure your content is as relevant as it is compelling
- Make a good first impression, and do it fast
Keeping content compelling
The most important thing to remember, whether your video is short or long, is that it should be of high quality along with engaging and exciting content that audiences want to watch. It doesn’t matter which industry you’re in ‒ if you make it exciting and interesting to watch, you’ll stand a better chance of keeping your viewers until the very end! You’ll also be better off keeping the video shorter and having all the content be relevant to your message, rather than making the video longer and going off-topic. It’s better for keeping audiences focused and really driving your message home!
Making a good first impression
This one is really self-explanatory, but if you don’t start off on the right foot with your viewer they’re going to move on without watching the rest of your video. Putting all of the advice we’ve listed above together, and introducing yourself, your brand, or your product or service right away, is the best way to start things off just right with your audience. Make sure you get your brand personality across. It’s good to think about the language in your script and the voiceover you choose because this will represent your brand’s tone of voice.
Get in touch to make a great corporate video!
If you have a project in mind and are not sure where to start, get in touch. Our creative team are able to advise you on all your corporate video needs. We’ve got a portfolio packed full of company videos that we’ve created for a host of different clients.
