What impact does the length of your video have on it's chance for success?
Does the length of your video affect it's viral potential?
Are short videos more likely to go viral?
All these questions are important to video marketers but in the final analysis, there is no direct correlation between the length of your video and it potential to go viral.
The length of a video does impact on the message that a video is trying to convey. However, it doesn't seem to have any affect whatsoever on the ability of a video to go viral.
If you stop and think about it, there are many viral video hits that are very very short in duration; like this one about a little girl being pulled by her dog and falling on her face.
That video is probably no longer than 4 seconds, yet it has garnered over 1,595,317 hits as of this writing.
There are also many viral hits that are in excess of 90 minutes, such as the Star Wars Attack of the Clones review.
There are nine segments to the review that are about 10 minutes long each.
Those videos received anywhere from 1,242,872 hits on the first video segment, to 526,189 hits on the last video, as of this writing.
Because I just can't bear to see anyone sit through a boring nine segment review, I didn't include the video. If you care to view it for yourself, here is the URL for the first part:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfBhi6qqFLA&feature=player_embedded#!.
My point is that no one really knows how long is too long for a video.
What is obvious, is that the quality of your content is far more important to the viral success of your video, than the length of your video.
Generally, the longer your video plays, the less likely your viewers will remain on your site; unless you can provide them with engaging content.
On the other hand, a video that is too short cannot make the point you are trying to convey to your audience; unless you can provide them with engaging content.
Obviously, if you are trying to imprint your brand on your audience, you will most likely need a video that is more than 3 or 4 seconds long in order to accomplish your goal.
However, we all know that "short" has become the new trend. Short is currently popular and in vogue. Just look at Twitter with their 140 character limit if you don't think so.
The public has always had a short attention span and most people won't spend more than 5 to 15 seconds on any website online, unless the content is compelling.
In the final analysis and with very few exceptions, length has almost no bearing on whether a video goes viral.
As long as people enjoy what's in your video they will share it with their friends.
So. How long is to too long for a video?
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