TikTok’s Long-Form Videos Emerge as a Dominant Force in Content Strategy

Some might jest about the short attention spans of TikTok users, suggesting they cannot focus beyond three seconds. While there might be some truth to this, it’s not entirely accurate. According to the latest study by Buffer, longer videos are becoming increasingly favored on ByteDance’s social network. While the ideal video length was once between 60 and 90 seconds, longer formats, reaching up to 10 minutes, are now more sought after.

Although short videos remain very popular, making up 86% of published content and typically lasting less than a minute, their engagement is somewhat restricted. Videos longer than one minute show a 63.8% increase in viewing duration and a 43.2% greater reach than those under 60 seconds.

For clips lasting between 5 and 10 seconds, the average viewing time by users is only 3.1 seconds. This figure rises to 6.9 seconds for videos ranging from 30 seconds to one minute, which have the best balance between reach and engagement. Videos lasting between 1 and 10 minutes hold viewers’ attention longer, averaging 11.3 seconds, and also provide a broader reach. This gives a bit more time to effectively communicate a message, though brevity remains essential.

“There is also less competition in the category of sixty seconds and longer, allowing these videos a better opportunity to stand out in a less crowded field,” the report highlights.

Similar Trends on Instagram and YouTube

For digital marketing professionals, this shift means adapting and moving towards longer content. This requires a more in-depth effort, to deliver compelling content in the opening seconds that leads into a well-constructed topic, maintaining user interest with dynamic editing.

TikTok is not the only social network shifting towards longer content. Instagram and YouTube have also followed suit, extending the length of Reels and Shorts to three minutes. This trend directly benefits them by significantly increasing user time spent on the apps.