How long should Instagram Reels be for maximum impact?

If you have Instagram within your marketing strategy, then your business should be using reels. It is still a fantastic way to get in front of a new audience, and perfect for brand awareness in bite-size binge-able chunks. It is not exactly a new feature anymore, having launched back in 2020, and the algorithmic weighting seems to have evened out over that time. That being said, they are still an effective method of communicating with your audience online.

So how should you approach them?

⭐ Shorter is generally better. If your audience has to watch your reel to the end, and re-watch, then Instagram deems it valuable and you'll likely have it shown to more people. Attention spans are generally shorter, so it seems shorter reels are more effective data wise.

⭐ Snappy reels that have fast transitions are more binge-able as they are like digital snacks, and can deliver information quickly.

⭐ If a reel is too slow in pace, or too long, and people don't keep watching to the end, it's seen as less valuable, and then is less effective numbers-wise.

However, and it's a BIG however ...

You have to find the balance between what's the best algorithmically, and also, your audience's experience with your content. 

Having a reel go by so quickly that your need to watch it three times, is sometimes frustrating, and potentially annoying for your viewer. And although they may engage with that particular reel because they want the read the text on it, they might just disengage with your brand overall. Short is great, but never at the expense of the viewer experience.

Slower and informative reels are still valuable to your audience, even if they may not get as many new views. Reels are not a new feature anymore, and you might find for your business, they are a nice way to present information to your audience, in a more relaxed way, whilst still enjoying the benefits of the exposure reels can get your company.