If you’re plugged into the zeitgeist, got your finger on the pulse, or have a teenage child that can be bothered to talk to you, you’ll perhaps already know that Instagram have increased the maximum duration of uploaded videos from 15 seconds to a full minute. But what does this mean? What does it ACTUALLY MEAN?
Apart from meaning 45 seconds extra, it also means that companies that use Instagram can now stretch their legs a little with their content. We have one such forward-thinking client who phoned us on the day Instagram made the announcement to request some re-versions of their films to the new 60 second duration.
But here’s the thing – the client in question has a great track record of reaching their audience very successfully through Instagram, and we will be working closely with them to test and measure the results they get from films at this new duration. What this announcement does NOT mean, is that we can all slap longer videos on Instagram and people will suddenly engage with them; as with all video activity, decisions on content and duration should come from solid audience research, measurement and monitoring, and using the right online tools to get meaningful analytics. In other words… have a strategy for your video content.
And as for a general rule of thumb in audience engagement – and to squeeze a bit more use from my awful pun - if you can get it done in 60 seconds then great. But your audience will thank you if you can still get it done in 15.
Mark Burgess
Managing Director