TikTok now testing 60-minute video uploads
We may soon know whether TikTok users actually want hour-long videos. Could this lead to more advertising?
TikTok is testing a new 60-minute video upload limit, which could unlock new content possibilities for brands, marketers and content creators.
Why we care. TikTok is already a powerful discovery engine, but the ability to upload 60-minute videos opens up TikTok’s potential as a platform to host long-form branded video content – rather than breaking up videos into multiple parts.
Why TikTok is testing this. TikTok wants to give creators more flexibility and the ability to experiment with new types of long-form content (e.g., cooking demos, beauty tutorials, educational lessons, comedic sketches) that don’t fit well into shorter videos.
Not widely available. This new 60-minute video upload option is being tested with a limited number of users in select markets. It is not available to all users yet and TikTok has no “immediate plans” for a wider rollout, TechCrunch reported.
Longer videos, more ads? This development could also lead the way to TikTok offering more advertising, in the form of pre- and mid-roll ads.
Keeps getting longer. In January, TikTok started testing 30-minute video uploads. That followed increases to 15 minutes in 2023 and 10 minutes in 2022.
- At launch, TikTok videos were limited to 15 seconds. TikTok later increased the maximum video length time to 60 seconds, then tripled that to 3 minutes in July 2021.
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About the author
Goodwin has been editing and writing about the latest developments and trends in search and digital marketing since 2007. He previously was Executive Editor of Search Engine Journal (from 2017 to 2022), managing editor of Momentology (from 2014-2016) and editor of Search Engine Watch (from 2007 to 2014). He has spoken at many major search conferences and virtual events, and has been sourced for his expertise by a wide range of publications and podcasts.