For years, TikTok was the land of short and snappy. Blink and you’d miss it.
But according to a massive new study from Buffer, short might not be where the magic is anymore.
They crunched the numbers on 1.1 million TikTok videos, and here’s what they found:
Longer videos are winning. Hard.
If you’re a content creator, marketer, or anyone building an audience, this is the kind of data you don’t ignore.
The cold, hard (and kind of exciting) stats
- Videos over 60 seconds get 43.2% more reach than 30–60 second videos
- They also pull in 63.8% more watch time
- Compared to 10–30 second clips? You’re looking at 70.3% more reach
- Against 5–10 second videos, it jumps to 95.7% more
Let that last one sink in. Nearly double the reach just by making a longer video.
Why it’s happening
TikTok wants people to stay on the app longer. Surprise, right?
So it makes sense that the algorithm rewards content that keeps viewers watching.
Julian Winterheimer, Buffer’s data scientist, pointed out that the longer someone watches, the more TikTok wants to promote your video. That’s engagement gold.
Also, only 12.3% of TikTok videos are over a minute long. That means less competition, more discoverability, and a better shot at showing up in more feeds.
Short is still okay, but…
Don’t worry. You don’t have to abandon your snappy 20-second hits if they’re working. But the data shows that short content, on average, just doesn’t travel as far.
- 5–10 second videos make up 22.2% of uploads
- Median reach? Just 194 views
- Median watch time? A quick 3.1 seconds
Basically, you’re working hard to create something a lot of people might scroll past.
Here’s how different lengths perform
30–60 seconds
- Makes up about a third of TikTok uploads
- Median reach is 302 views
- Median watch time is 6.9 seconds
It’s decent — kind of the vanilla of TikTok video length. Safe, but not standout.
60 seconds and up
- Where things get interesting
- Highest watch time and reach by far
- Less competition in the feed
This is where your teaching content, product walkthroughs, story-driven videos, or personal takes really shine. You’ve got room to breathe, explain, and connect.
What this means if you’re building anything online
If you’re running funnels, sharing affiliate links, or building your brand, here’s what longer TikToks can do for you:
- Let you set up the problem before pitching the solution
- Give your audience reasons to trust you
- Let you make a clear call to action without rushing
Short videos might bring the clicks.
Longer videos build relationships.
That matters more than ever in 2025.
So what should you do now?
Try this:
- Keep short videos for hooks, tips, and trends
- Start experimenting with 60–90 second content
- Track which format pulls more real engagement, not just views
If you can hold attention, longer content is your secret weapon. And right now, the playing field isn’t crowded.
That’s your opening.
