How long should a Meta video ad for a newsletter signup be?
Short answer
About 12 to 15 seconds, and no more than about 18 to 20. The person talking has 3 to 5 seconds to hook and about 10 more to keep people. Background clips should run around 3 seconds each. A 29-second video can be great content and still be too long for an ad.
A newsroom sent me a charming 29-second reporter video. It worked as content. For an ad, I wanted it at 12 to 15 seconds.
"That's fine for content, but for an ad you're trying to capture their attention and get them to take action."
How should the seconds break down?
| Part | Time |
|---|---|
| Hook | First 3 to 5 seconds (people in frame within 2) |
| Keep them hooked | About 10 more seconds |
| Total | About 12 to 15, max around 18 to 20 |
| Each background clip | About 3 seconds, 5 at most |
My own event ad runs about eight seconds.
Why so short?
"People's attention spans are in the toilet. They play movie trailers in front of movie trailers now because people can't watch a trailer all the way through."
Nobody watches an ad all the way through unless their brain decides in the first second that it's interesting. The video's job is to make them stop; the rest just has to get them to the button.
Why 3-second background clips?
Quick cuts give one ad the pacing of several. Three seconds of the crowd, three of the band, three of the kids. It's five videos in one, even from the same event.
How do I cut a longer video down?
- Keep the hook and the main benefit from the opening 10 to 12 seconds.
- Cut the middle.
- Keep the call to action, like "just sign up, it's free."
- Keep a short closer if there's room.
If you're scripting from scratch, write for 12 to 15 seconds from the start. More on filming in UGC talking-head ads.
Answered by TJ Larkin. From newsroom ad setup and editing calls in 2026. Last updated .