Reels was Instagram’s answer to the growing TikTok influence. Instagram created Reels as a way for brands and individuals to increase their authenticity and personality.
Even though Reels and TikToks share a similar style, they are far from the same.
For starters, their maximum possible lengths differ. If you’re about to create your first reel, one question that may be on your mind is how long can an Instagram Reel be.
The short answer is an Instagram Reel can be up to 90 seconds long. However, there are some more details to this. We’ll lay it all bare in this guide including what you may already be thinking — can it be extended past 90?
Want to take your videos to the next level?
Why is an Instagram Reel Length Important?
Getting the right reel length is vital to the engagement and virality you can get from that short video.
If the reel is too short, viewers don’t get the message and won’t engage, if it is too long, they get bored and leave, further plummeting your watch time. You now see why it needs to be perfect?
The right length differs depending on your niche and strategy. If your idea is to capture attention and direct them to a detailed post, a few seconds Reel may be enough.
However, just under 20 seconds have proven to be an effective length for many.
How Long Can Instagram Reels Be?
An Instagram Reel can be as long as 90 seconds. You get to decide which is the sweet spot for you.
You can make a Reel directly from the app by tapping the Reel icon and then tapping the camera icon on the top right corner. Or you can upload a video from your gallery.
How to Decide The Ideal Length of Your Instagram Reel?
I know I mentioned a sweet spot for many being just under 20 seconds, but you don’t have to follow this blindly.
Depending on certain factors, yours may differ. Here are a few factors to help you decide the length of your Reel:
Instagram says your Reels cannot be longer than 90 seconds. The first thing to consider is the length of the short video. Longer than the requirement? Then you need to get to work in the editing tool to clip some parts off.
Know your audience and tailor your video length to their preference. Busy professionals? Keep Reels short and to the point.
Younger audiences? A longer Reel with more engaging details could be effective.
By learning the strategies of other successful Reels, you give yours the best chance of success.
Look at Reels in your niche that have gone viral recently, how long were they? Notice any patterns?
Consider the message you want to pass in the Reel as this can determine how long it should be.
Just stating a fact? Going straight to the point and keeping it short works. Want to show what works? A longer Reel may be allowed.
How to Post Longer Reels?
Does Ninety seconds feel too short? Not enough to pass the message? Well, what if I say there are ways around this? Ways to post longer videos and get your message across. Here you go:
Your video is 4 minutes long but Reels can only take 90 seconds, great! Break it down into three parts and now you can post them all in series.
Instead of one incomplete Reel, you now have three, that passes your message.
A single Instagram live stream can last up to 4 hours and even after that, you can immediately start another one.
If you’ve not recorded the video, using an Instagram live is a great way to pass longer messages. You can even share the saved live after the stream.
Reels can be a great way to get the attention of your audience.
So if the time allocated is too short to pass your message, you can simply direct that attention to a more detailed video whether on Instagram or YouTube where longer videos are allowed.
Tips For Creating Effective Reels
With more and more people watching Reels, this is your chance to get their attention. However, you need to outperform millions of other people creating Reels.
Thankfully, it’s not that different as many people are doing it wrong. Here are a few tips to create engaging, more effective Reels:
- Make quality videos: Nothing beats a great video in terms of presentation and the message.
- Start strong: Make sure the first 3 seconds grabs your viewers attention.
- Pay attention to your audience: Audience demographics and video analytics can reveal some important details about your audience. Use this to improve your Reels.
- Keep it short: Even though you get up to 90 seconds, shorter Reels around the 20-second mark have proven to do better.
- Add captions/text: Many people watch Reels without sound, by adding text/captions, you can still pass your message.
Final Thoughts
Reels are a great way to quickly pass your message, reach new audiences, and grow your brand, if you get it right. The perfect length is one of the major parts to sort.
While Instagram makes provision for up to 90 seconds for Reels, shorter videos have been proven to have more engagement. However, this depends on your audience and strategy.
If you have a longer content, you can break it down and post several Reels, host a live session, or simply redirect the traffic to a more detailed video.
At the end of the day, creating quality videos, getting the right length, and listening to your community will boost your Reel’s engagements.
