Does looping video boost the number of views on TikTok as well as Instagram?

Most people can't get on or leave TikTok or any other social media platform -- without heading down the rabbit hole that provides endless entertainment. Looping videos, AKA short video clips that autoplay, makes it all the more simple to view endlessly.

It's a great opportunity for marketing looking to boost engagement. But knowing when to publish videos that loop on TikTok or Instagram could be difficult. How do you know whether your post is appropriate for video loops? And does it even affect video views or the level of engagement?

In this article

1.    What is a looping video?
2.    Can looping videos increases views?
3.    Three reasons to think about looping your video
4.    A lot of frequently asked questions on looping videos
5.    Connecting it all

What exactly is a looping video?

A looping video is a video that repeats itself automatically. It may be as simple as an gif with a humorous message or like a step-by-step recipe tutorial. The video loops automatically and plays for a long time, until the user interacts with new content (or stays on an infinite loop).

Videos can be looped in complete or in a smaller amount, based on the requirements of your platform and your goals for content. You can, for instance, decide to loop only the relevant portion of the video or loop the video in order to increase your visibility.

Do loops in a video boost views?

Videos that are short-form typically are able to have greater watch-time over longer ones. Looping videos plays into this desire for shorter content through the automatic repetition of the same video file over and over.

Every time a video loops, it counts as a new view. Views continue to increase and boost your overall view count--if one video repeats itself three times in one user, it counts as three views.

Derick Rhodes, VP of Marketing & Industry Relations at , clarifies that in the eyes of the TikTok algorithm, the view count is greater than any other metrics to determine what content is displayed.

"Looping videos" may seem like a fad However "completing the loop" has also become the metric that is the most important indicator of success on TikTok to this point- even above comments or views which historically have been the primary focus."   Derick Rhodes of Industry and Influencer Relations

3 reasons to think about looping your videos

Loops have the potential to enhance the amount of video views. However, this shouldn't be the only reason for you to choose to loop videos.

Make sure you capture the attention of your user

In the average, viewers watch 17 hours of video online each week. That may sound as a lot, however many users just scroll through an endless sea of content without truly engaging. TikTok and other social media sites like Instagram have a rapid pace of activity. You need to grab the attention of users immediately, otherwise you could lose users to the endless scroll.

Looped videos have continuous motion which can catch a user's interest as they scroll through their feeds, making it stand out from regular videos or static pictures.

The looping of videos may also stimulate viewers' interest. When a video loops it, people might be enticed to revisit it in order to find out what they missed or to understand the context better.

Numerous social media platforms, including TikTok and Instagram have an autoplay feature which allows videos to play while users browse through their feeds. Looped video clips make use of this feature because they instantly restart and play again, boosting the chance of being noticed by a person.

Speak a story

A looped video can aid in telling a story in a brief and captivating manner. When you repeat a crucial scene or action it can help to reinforce the story, and also make it more memorable for viewers.

If you're posting content that is humorous, looping videos can enhance the comedy of your content by repeating a funny move or action, making the video more entertaining for the viewers.

Looping also works well for music-related content like looping songs, dance routines or lip-syncing music. Because 93 of of TikTokers use the platform with audio on and 88% say the sound feature is "essential" for the platform, sound loops can be another method of getting the attention of viewers and entice viewers to return before moving further.

Tutorials can also be used in a loop format. If a viewer misses the very first stage, they are able to keep rewatching the looped video in order to view the entire version.

Stick to platform-specific content requirements

If you're looking to post videos that are less than the max playtime on a certain social media site, you may loop it to fill up the duration and exposure of your video. For example, Instagram has a maximum video length of 15 seconds for Stories , and 60 seconds for the feed. If your video was only seven seconds long then you can loop it over and over again to fulfill the limit of 15 seconds for a Story.

"A lot of us get caught in the trap of creating a iconic asset, then later creating cuts for various formats and platforms However, the way content is evolving and changing, it is crucial for creators to think about creating specific content for every platform first."

He adds that creating platform-native content could be a good way to improve the engagement. "Calm, the meditation app, does a nice job of creating these Instagram-specific loops to allow viewers to take a moment and breathe, rather than trying to modify a traditional ad of a :30 to function with the same app."

Commonly asked questions regarding looping videos

 1) What exactly are benefits of looping video clips?

Videos that loop on social media provide a variety of benefits for marketers for example:

• longer viewing time. Looping videos can encourage viewers to watch the video for longer as they play automatically without requiring users to replay manually the video. The result is greater views and more time to watch, which transmits positive signals to algorithms that there's more interest in the video.
• Save the time. Looping videos are usually shorter which can make it simpler for viewers to meet social media restrictions in terms of file size or length.
• Stronger message delivery. Videos that loop are useful for conveying information or stories that profit through repetition or reinforcement. This could include product demos and tutorials as well as other content that is educational.

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

The words "video loop" and "repeat" repeat sound like the same thing, however they are two distinct concepts in video marketing. A loop video is a clip of video which plays with no interruption. As the loop comes to an end, it automatically restarts starting from scratch, making a looping playback.

A repeat usually refers to the feature that allows users replay videos starting from the beginning when it reaches the end. Viewers may need to tap an onscreen button in order to trigger the replay. There could be a quick delay or interruption between playbacks.

3) Does looping a video increases the number of views?

A video looped in loops can enhance viewers on social media platforms like Instagram as well as TikTok. Videos that loop can capture viewers' attention and urge them to watch multiple times that encourages algorithms to share the video to others.

All that is needed to put everything together

Video loops can create captivating immersive visual moments. They're a great technique to keep viewers interested, and could increase your content's exposure, viewers, and overall engagement.

Be aware that looping videos doesn't assure success on social media. Prioritize creating platform-specific video content that resonates with your target audience firstthis is the best way to get to reach their hearts (and their screens).