Up front: TikTok has been testing the expanded format since late last year. Over the coming weeks, the company will start rolling out the option around the world. Product manager Drew Kirchhoff said the change would pave the way for richer storytelling and entertainment on the app: The company has shared some examples of how creators have been experimenting with longer videos:
Quick take: TikTok videos were initially restricted to a maximum of 15 seconds, but the limit was later extended to one minute. The tight timeframe has played a big role in the app’s rise, but it’s no longer a USP. In Snapchat Spotlight and YouTube Shorts, TikTok now has two competitors with the same maximum video length. Instagram has also taken the fight to TikTok with the launch of Reels, and the firm plans to expand further into video. TikTok’s expansion to three minutes could help differentiate the app from its younger rivals, as well as ramp up the competition with streaming giant YouTube. But it may also lose some of the shorter format’s charm — and test the attention span of viewers.
