Best Practices for Creating Effective Employee Training Videos
Employee training can be time-consuming, particularly when the same information needs to be explained repeatedly…
One of the most common questions businesses ask when planning a video is how long it should be. There is no single answer, because the ideal length depends on what the video is trying to achieve, who it is aimed at and where it will be used.
A good corporate video should be as long as it needs to communicate the message clearly, without adding unnecessary information.
It can be tempting to think that shorter videos are always better, but this isn’t necessarily the case. A 30-second promotional video and a 10-minute training video can both be effective if they are designed for different purposes.
Instead of choosing a length first, start by deciding what you want the video to achieve. Once you understand the message and audience, it becomes much easier to decide how much time you need.
Corporate promotional videos are often used to introduce a business, promote a product or explain a service. For this type of video, keeping the message focused is usually more important than trying to include everything about the company.
A short promotional video can work well for a website homepage, social media or advertising, while a longer version may be more suitable for a presentation, sales meeting or detailed company introduction.
You can see examples of the type of content we produce on our corporate promotional video page.
Testimonial videos can be slightly longer because the customer needs time to explain their experience. Trying to reduce a genuine customer story to a few seconds can sometimes remove the detail that makes the testimonial useful.
The aim should be to keep the interview interesting and focused. Questions should encourage the customer to explain the problem they had, how your business helped and what the result was.
Our testimonial and case study video production service can help businesses turn customer experiences into professional marketing content.
Training videos are often longer because the viewer needs to learn something rather than simply receive a quick message.
However, that doesn’t mean a training video should be one long recording. Breaking a larger subject into shorter sections can make the content easier to follow and allows employees to find the information they need more easily.
Event videos can vary considerably in length depending on how they will be used. A highlights video might only need to be a couple of minutes long, while a recording of a presentation or conference session could be much longer.
For event content, it can be useful to plan for several versions. A longer edit can provide the complete story, while shorter clips can be created for LinkedIn, social media and future promotion.
You can find out more about our event video production services.
The platform can have a big influence on the ideal length of your video. A video designed for your website may have a different structure from one created specifically for LinkedIn, YouTube or a sales presentation.
This is why it is worth considering distribution before filming begins. If you know that the finished production will be used across several channels, you can plan the shoot to capture footage that can be edited into different formats and lengths.
A common mistake is trying to make a video feel more substantial by adding information that the audience doesn’t really need. This can make the video less engaging and make it harder for viewers to find the main message.
Every part of the video should have a purpose. If a section doesn’t help explain the message, demonstrate value or keep the viewer interested, it may not need to be included.
The best way to decide how long your corporate video should be is to plan the content before the cameras start rolling. A clear brief can help you define your objectives, audience, key messages and intended platforms.
Our video production brief template can help you organise these details before starting your project. You can also learn more about our video production process to see how we approach planning, filming and editing.
At CMA Video, we produce professional videos for businesses and organisations, from promotional films and customer testimonials to training and event content.
The right length depends on your audience, message and where the finished video will be used. Rather than focusing on a specific number of minutes, the priority should be creating a video that communicates your message clearly and gives viewers a reason to keep watching.
You can explore our video production services or get in touch to discuss your project.
