Twitter videos to become extra long as Vine also drops six-second limit and lets people make huge videos

Six seconds has become a famous limit, just like Twitter’s 140-character maximum – but both appear to be on their way out

The new button adds a whole new level of functionality to Vine (Vine)

Twitter and Vine are going to extend the maximum length of their videos as the company looks to get more people engaged with them.

The company has revealed the it is testing rules that will allow the six-second looping videos to actually get much longer – as long as 140-seconds. It made the announcement along with a range of other changes intended on changing the platform.

Twitter videos will also become much longer, with a maximum length of 140-seconds – previously normal users could only upload 30-second videos. That will roll out to everyone.

The change is part of Twitter’s attempt to make video a much more central part of its platform, and also to ensure that publishers continue to engage with the app.

The longer Vine videos will initially only roll out to a “select group” of users, Twitter said, as part of a beta test. It will also allow those select users to look to start monetising their Vines – something that can only be done at the moment through external routes like adverts within their videos.

Like almost every other social network, Twitter is looking to expand its reach in video. Facebook has been doing the same, including borrowing some Twitter features like live broadcasting.

“Video is becoming increasingly central to the real-time conversations happening on Twitter,” said Jack Dorsey, Twitter CEO and co-founder. "We’re investing heavily in videos and creators. We want to be the best place for creators and influencers to build an audience and make it easier for creators to make money on Twitter, and soon Vine.

Vine has always been marketed as being a home for six second videos, though in fact they can be as long as six-and-a-half seconds. It has become as central to the platform as Twitter’s 140-character limit – but both are being changed in recent months, as Twitter looks to deal with plummeting growth.

Twitter also announced that it is rolling out a special app called Twitter Engage, aimed at “influential creators”. That will let them more easily monitor their audience on Twitter as well as make money from posting tweets.