How Long Should Your Commercial or Business Video Be? (2026 Trends)

When planning a video marketing strategy, one of the most common questions is: Exactly how long should this video be?To give you an accurate, data-backed answer, I analyzed recent industry reports, including the Wistia: State of Video Report and the Innovid: CTV Advertising Insights Report.

At our video marketing agency, Lava Media, we create and distribute video content across all formats—from national TV spots to in-depth corporate films. Based on our production experience and the latest 2026 analytics, here is the ultimate guide to optimal video runtimes.

The Myth of the 15-Second Commercial

Let's start our scientific breakdown with commercials.

If you are launching a campaign on TV, conventional wisdom suggests you need a 15-second spot. However, the data tells a different story: a standard 30-second spot actually works most effectively. It is this runtime that consistently yields the highest completion rate.

What happens when you expand your campaign to show video ads on mobile and desktop? You might assume the lengths should be even shorter. Surprisingly, they shouldn't be:

• Mobile Recommendation: 90 seconds
• Desktop Recommendation: 75 seconds

These specific lengths currently generate the highest Click-Through Rates (CTR).

Why Longer Ads Drive Better Action

You might be asking, "Isn't the trend moving towards shorter ads and faster content consumption?" Yes and no. If your sole goal is raising superficial brand awareness among a massive audience, a 15- to 30-second spot can accomplish that. However, if your objective is to anchor your brand in the consumer's mind, build complex associations, and motivate them to click through to your site or take a specific action, 15 seconds simply isn't enough time. You physically cannot pack enough narrative and meaning into that timeframe to drive deep engagement.

Runtimes of 30, 75, and 90 seconds give you the breathing room to fully unfold a thought, convey the brand's true value, and prompt a meaningful action.

The Exception: There is one scenario where 15 seconds is perfect: Remarketing. If your goal is to create an additional touchpoint for an audience that has already seen your full-length ad several times, a quick 15-second reminder performs brilliantly.

B2B & Corporate Video: Maintaining 50%+ Engagement

Let's dive into the formats you will publish most often on your website, social networks, and product pages.

According to engagement data, audience retention drops as video length increases. For example, company videos under 1 minute retain about 51% of viewers who hit play. Videos up to 3 minutes hold steady at 51%, but as you push toward 5 minutes, engagement drops to 48%.

The runtimes recommended below are optimized to ensure your statistical average engagement remains at at least 50%.

Company & Product Videos: Up to 3 Minutes

Many clients love to talk extensively about their company and products, often handing over briefs for 5-to-7-minute epics. This is exactly where the trend of shortening must be applied.

Define the absolute most important thing the client needs to know, and focus entirely on that. If you genuinely have too much ground to cover, make a series instead of a feature film.

‍Case Study: We work with a building materials manufacturer that operates dozens of factories, each producing its own product line. Instead of cramming everything into one massive video, we created a single 3-minute general overview. Then, we produced separate, focused videos for each individual factory to live on their specific landing pages. We applied the same logic to their products: one general video establishing their expertise in waterproofing, followed by separate, shorter videos for tiles, foundation waterproofing, etc.

Educational Content & Tutorials

Educational Videos: Up to 5 Minutes

If you are answering a specific question or explaining a concept, keep it under 5 minutes. As a viewer, when you are searching for an answer, you want it delivered quickly and professionally—without spending tens of minutes digging for the truth.

How-To Videos & Webinars: Up to 30 Minutes

When a user needs a detailed, step-by-step plan or instruction, their intent shifts. They are prepared to invest time. This is why in-depth tutorials (like showing how to create a commercial using AI) comfortably sit at the 15-to-30-minute mark.

Social Media, Sales, & Testimonials

• Client Testimonials: Up to 1 minute.
• Sales & Social Media Videos: Up to 1 minute.

Keep these punchy, authentic, and highly focused on a single value proposition or emotional takeaway.

What About YouTube and Podcasts?

If you are an expert building a YouTube channel for your business, your content generally falls into the "Educational" or "How-To" categories. Therefore, the same rules apply: 5 minutes for quick educational insights, and up to 30 minutesfor deep-dive tutorials.

For Video Podcasts focused on B2B or business themes, the golden mean for an episode length is 20 to 40 minutes.

Ready to Optimize Your Video Strategy?

Understanding the ideal runtime is just the first step in creating a video that actually converts. If you are looking for specific consultation tailored to your industry and business goals, reach out to our team at Lava Media.

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