Your video ad isn't too short It's too boring Everyone's obsessed with video len
By Noah Wickham · February 10, 2026 · Curated by George's Blog
Your video ad isn't too short
It's too boring
Everyone's obsessed with video length when that's not the problem
The problem is nobody watches past the first three seconds because your content sucks
The easiest formula to follow?
↳ Keep it under ~15 seconds and aim for 60%+ viewer retention
Not 60 seconds with 20% retention
15 seconds with most people watching the entire thing
If they don't finish watching, they're not buying
A 60-second ad that loses 80% of viewers in the first 10 seconds is useless
You paid for 60 seconds of creative and got 10 seconds of actual engagement
Short and engaging beats long and boring every single time
This is where UGC content destroys traditional product videos
Traditional product ads: slow pans, generic music, overproduced, screams "this is an ad"
↳ People scroll past in two seconds
UGC content: real person, real setting, authentic delivery, looks like content not an ad
↳ People actually watch it
The best performing video ads we run look nothing like ads
They look like a friend recommending a product
No fancy lighting, no stock music, no corporate voiceover
Just someone showing the product, explaining why it works, and giving a clear reason to buy
All in under 15 seconds
Stop making commercials
Start making content people actually want to watch
Shorten it, make it more engaging, or scrap it and start over
Length isn't the problem
Attention is