A brief guide for understanding online video attention spans.
                     A BRIEF GUIDE FOR UNDERSTANDING 
ONLINE VIDEO  ATTENTION  SPANS
What’s the Relationship Between Video 
Length And Engagement?
• As per the report people’s attention span has decreased to 8.25 seconds. 
• This means that you have to be highly creative and have a strategic mindset so 
as to develop video content that is appealing enough.
Source: yumyumvideos.com
Popular Video Formats and their Ideal 
Lengths
• Tutorials: ideal length between 45 and 90 seconds.
• Creative commercials: ideal length between 15 and 59 seconds.
• Crowdfunding videos: ideal length would be an average of 2.5 minutes
• Testimonial videos: ideal length between 60 and 119 seconds
Source: pandologic.com
Understanding online video attention spans
• Oftentimes a business produce a promotional video may think they are getting 
more value for money if the video is longer. 
• Unfortunately, this will often have the opposite effect. A short and snappy 
promotional video pitching a story in 90 seconds will most often be more 
effective than a 5 minutes production.
Source: yumyumvideos.com
Target Audience 
• Monitoring your own videos will ultimately give you all the evidence you need 
to see who, and for how long, your target audience is watching your videos. 
• You will be able to work out if visitors are at least watching 75% of your video 
content. 
Source: thevideoeffect.tv
Video Strategy
• If it turns out that a visitors video attention span is a small percentage, it’s time 
to check your online video strategy. 
• Changing the strategy as per the target audience will help make your videos 
more engaging.
Source: thevideoeffect.tv
Mix up your videos ASL (Average Shot Length)
• One thing to consider when creating any online video should be the average 
shot length (ASL). 
• ASL is the time spent on a single shot appearing in a video and is effectively 
used in film and television to create pace.
Source: servicerocketblog.com
Feedback is a must
• You will need an accurate analytical tool to measure video attention span. It will 
provide the best feedback on how much of your online video is being watched. 
Source: yumyumvideos.com
Pitch video
• A pitch is first about your business and why people should buy into it. The video 
should explain what makes your business unique. 
• Also, the pitch video should explain how your business intends on solving the 
key problems that exist in the marketplace. Keep it around 90 seconds or less.
Source: thevideoeffect.tv
Tutorials
• Video tutorials are a great way of explaining how a product or service is used.
• Take as long as it takes to do the tutorial, but try not to repeat yourself. This is 
the video having ideal length between 45 and 90 seconds. You can exceed as 
per the requirement.
Source: stackify.com
Testimonials
• Testimonial videos showing how others perceive your business can be very 
effective marketing tools adding substantial credibility. 
• If a new customer is thinking of purchasing a product or service from your 
business, seeing a video testimonial on your website could be key to sales.
Source: smallbizdaily.com