Guide
How long should a demo video be?
A product demo video should usually run 60 to 90 seconds on a homepage or launch page, 15 to 45 seconds for social media teasers, and 2 to 5 minutes for sales follow-ups and onboarding, where the viewer already cares. Length follows intent: the less a viewer knows you, the shorter the video should be.
Key takeaways
- Strangers give you less time than customers. Keep first-touch videos short and save depth for people who asked for it.
- A 60-second video holds about 147 words of English narration at a conversational pace. Plan the script to the length, not the other way round.
- If a scene doesn't show a new result, it is costing you viewers. Cut it.
- Make two cuts of the same demo: a 30-second teaser for feeds and a 90-second version for your site.
- Long onboarding videos work best split into chapters of one task each.
Recommended demo video length by use
| Where it plays | Recommended length | English words of voice-over | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social teaser (LinkedIn, X, Reels, Shorts) | 15–30 s | 35–75 | Viewers decide in the first seconds; one idea and a link |
| Product Hunt or launch post | 30–60 s | 75–145 | Show the one new thing and why it matters now |
| Homepage hero | 60–90 s | 145–220 | Enough for the problem, three features and a call to action |
| Feature announcement | 30–60 s | 75–145 | Existing users know the product; show the new part only |
| Sales follow-up | 2–3 min | 295–440 | The buyer asked for detail; use their use case |
| Onboarding / help center | 2–5 min, in chapters | 295–735 | Task-based; every chapter ends with a result |
How many words fit in each length
Languages are spoken at different speeds, so the same video length holds a different number of words. These are the rates ViralDub uses to fit narration to footage. Japanese, Korean and Chinese are counted in characters (two characters per word unit).
| Language | 15 s | 30 s | 60 s | 90 s | 2 min |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| English | 36 | 73 | 147 | 220 | 294 |
| Spanish, Italian, Portuguese | 37 | 75 | 150 | 225 | 300 |
| German, Dutch, Finnish, Polish, Russian | 31 | 63 | 126 | 189 | 252 |
| Japanese, Korean, Chinese (characters) | 96 | 192 | 384 | 576 | 768 |
Signs your demo video is too long
- The first product screen appears after 10 seconds of logo or intro.
- One screen stays still for more than about 6 seconds with nothing new said.
- The voice-over describes what the viewer can already see ("here you can see the dashboard").
- You show setup, settings or login before showing a result.
- The script covers more than three features.
How to cut a long demo down
- Write the one sentence the viewer must remember. Delete every scene that doesn't support it.
- Start on the product already doing something. Move the logo to the end card.
- Replace narrated steps with a single line about the result ("Two clicks later, the report is in your inbox").
- Keep the longest version for your help center and cut a 30-second teaser from its best scene.
Frequently asked questions
What is the ideal length for a SaaS demo video?
For a homepage, 60 to 90 seconds. That's enough to show the problem, three features and a call to action. Longer demos work in sales follow-ups and onboarding, where the viewer already wants detail.
How many words is a 60-second video script?
About 147 words of English at a conversational pace, 150 in Spanish or Portuguese and 126 in German. Fewer if you want pauses for the visuals to land.
Is a 3-minute demo video too long?
For a homepage, usually yes. For a buyer who asked for a walkthrough after a sales call, 2 to 3 minutes is fine if every scene shows something new.
How long should a Product Hunt video be?
Aim for 30 to 60 seconds. Show the product working within the first 5 seconds and end with the one action you want.
How long should a YC demo video be?
Short: one to two minutes usually proves the product works. Check the current application form for the exact limit, and see the YC demo video guide.
Is a 3-minute video too long for LinkedIn?
For a feed post, usually yes: most people scroll past long videos. Post a 30 to 60 second cut natively and link to the full demo.
Should onboarding videos be one long video or several short ones?
Several short ones, one per task, each 1 to 3 minutes. People search for the task they're stuck on, and short chapters are easier to update when the interface changes.