Does looping video boost views on TikTok and Instagram?

Most people can't get on -- or off of TikTok in generaland not fall into the rabbit hole that provides endless entertainment. Videos that loop, AKA short video clips with autoplay make it easy to watch repeatedly.

This is great news for those seeking to improve engagement. But knowing when to publish videos loops to TikTok or Instagram isn't easy. How can you tell what content is suitable to be a loop video? Does it affect your video's views or even engagement?

In this article

1.    What is a looping video?
2.    Do looping videos increase viewers?
3.    Three reasons to think about looping your videos
4.    Commonly asked questions regarding looping videos
5.    The whole thing

What is a looping?

A looping video is one that plays itself continuously. It can be as short as an gif with a humorous message or as a step-by-step tutorial for preparing a recipe. Video loops autoplay and repeat continuously until the user is able to interact with the new video (or remains on an endless loop).

You can loop videos that repeat completely or in part, depending upon the needs of the platform as well as your goals for content. You can, for instance, opt to just loop the most relevant part of the video, or repeat a video to maximize your exposure.

Can looping videos increase views?

Short-form video usually feature greater watch-time than longer clips. Videos that loop play into the desire to have shorter videos because it automatically plays the exact same video over and over.

When a video loops, it counts as a fresh view. The views will continue to multiply and increase your views count. If a video plays three times by only one person, it is counted as three distinct views.

Derick Rhodes, VP of industry and influencer relations at , explains how, according to the TikTok algorithm viewing count is higher than any other metric when it comes to deciding what is shown.

"Looping videos" may seem like a fad, but "completing this loop" has also become the the most important indicator of success on TikTok in the moment -in addition to comments and views which historically have been the primary focus."   Derick Rhodes, from Industry and Influencer Relations

Three reasons why you should consider looping your videos

Loops have the potential to enhance the amount of video views. But it shouldn't be the only reason that drives you to use loops in your videos.

Get the attention of the user

The average person watches seventeen hours of online video each week. That may sound as a lot, however many users just go through an endless amount of content without truly engaging. TikTok and similar social media platforms like Instagram move fast. You need to grab a user's attention instantly, or else you risk losing users to the endless scroll.

Looped videos have continuous motion which can catch a user's eye as they scroll through their feed, making the video stand out from regular videos or static images.

The looping of videos may also stimulate users' curiosity. In the event that a video loops the viewer may find themselves wanting by the replay in order to find out whether they missed anything or understand the meaning more clearly.

A lot of social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram include an autoplay feature which allows videos to play while users browse through their feeds. Videos that loop make use of this feature because they instantly resume and continue playing, boosting the chance of catching a user's eye.

Create an interesting an interesting story

Looping a video can assist in telling your story in a brief and compelling way. When you repeat a crucial event or scene, it will reinforce the narrative and create a lasting impression for viewers.

If you're posting content that is humorous the looping effect can help enhance the comedy of your content by repeating a funny motion or gesture, which makes your video more enjoyable to viewers.

Looping is also a great option when it comes to music-related content, such as looping songs, dance routines, and lip-syncing content. Because 93 percent of TikTokers use the platform using sound, and 88% claim that sound is "essential" on the platform, looping sounds also help in grabbing viewers' attention and getting users to watch again before scrolling further.

Tutorials also work well for looping formats. If viewers miss the first step they can keep rewatching the looped video to see the full version.

Make sure you adhere to specific content requirements of the platform.

If you want to share an image that is shorter than the maximum playtime on a certain social media platform , you can play it in loops to increase the time and video exposure. In this case, Instagram has a maximum duration of 15 seconds for Stories , and 60 seconds for feeds. If your video was only 7 seconds in length, you could loop it twice to fill the 15-second limit for a Story.

"A majority people fall into the trap of making one hero asset and then creating cutdowns for different platforms/formats, but the way that content is changing is imperative for content creators to think about creating specific content for every platform before making any."

He adds that creating platform-native content can be an effective approach to boost participation. "Calm, the meditation app is a great example in this regard, by creating Instagram-created loops that allow users to take a minute to breathe, rather than trying to modify a traditional ad of a :30 to function on the same platform."

Commonly asked questions regarding looping videos

 1) What's the advantages from looping videos?

Looping videos on social media can provide many benefits for advertisers, including:

• longer viewing time. Looping videos can make viewers want to stay with the film for longer because they automatically play without having to ask users to replay manually the video. The result is greater views and more time to watch, which transmits positive signals to algorithms that indicate higher interest in the content.
• Reduce your time. Looping videos are generally shorter. This makes it simpler for viewers to meet social media restrictions on file size or length.
• Stronger message delivery. Looping videos can be helpful in conveying messages or telling stories that benefit by repetition or reinforce. This could include product demos and tutorials as well as other educational content.

 2.) What's the difference between an elongated loop and a repeated?

The words "video loop" and "repeat" repeat sound like the same thing, however they are two different concepts within the field of video marketing. A video loop is a type of video which plays with no interruption. When the clip reaches its end, it automatically restarts at the beginning, creating a continuous playback loop.

The term "repeat" is usually a feature that lets users replay videos at the beginning of the video after it has reached the conclusion. The viewer may have to press an onscreen button in order to trigger the replay. It could be that there is a brief delay or interruption between replays.

3) Can looping videos increases the number of views?

The looping of a video could boost the number of views on popular social media sites such as Instagram as well as TikTok. Looping videos can grab viewers' attention and urge them to keep watching the same video over and over again, which encourages algorithms to show videos to users.

All that is needed to put everything together

Video loops can create captivating visually-rich experiences. They're an easy technique to keep viewers interested, and could increase the visibility of your content, its viewers, and overall engagement.

Keep in mind that looping videos doesn't guarantee success on social media. It is better to focus on creating specific content for your platform that connects with your audience first -- that's the surefire way to reach their hearts (and their screens).