You probably opened your Instagram app today like every other day and noticed a new icon in the upper right corner of your screen, next to the direct messages icon. Welcome to Instagram TV.
On Wednesday, June 20, Instagram announced the launch of Instagram TV (IGTV), a long-form video app that can also be accessed from Instagram. It will roll out to users worldwide on Android and iPhone devices over the coming weeks.
Like TV, IGTV has channels. But on IGTV, the users are the channels. When you follow a user on Instagram, their IGTV channel will appear for you to watch. Anyone can be a creator: they can upload their own IGTV videos in the app or on the web to start their own channel.
The full-screen vertical videos, which anyone can upload, can be up to an hour long, which has sparked speculation that Instagram is creating a home for content usually suited to YouTube and Snapchat. At the very least, the move speaks to the dramatic rise in the popularity of video content on social media.
Unsurprisingly, this means brands will likely scramble to figure out a long-form social video strategy (if they haven't already) and be the first to make a big impact on IGTV.
What You Need to Know About IGTV
- Videos are full-screen and vertical. (Made especially for watching on your phone)
- Videos can be anywhere from 15 seconds to 60 minutes long
- Users can access it from the Instagram app or directly in the IGTV app
- Videos play automatically for users when they open the IGTV app
- You can add interactive "swipe up" calls to action to your videos (of course, only if you already have that same feature in Insta Stories)
- Within the IGTV app, users can browse between the "For You," "Following," "Popular," and "Continue Watching" tabs
- Users can like and comment on videos or send videos to friends via Direct Message (DM)
- You can have your own channels, just like on YouTube
- Videos can be uploaded in the IGTV app or on the web
- IGTV videos can also be uploaded to Facebook Watch
- File size: up to 3.6 GB
- File type: .MP4
- Video size: 9:16
- Video thumbnail / cover image: .JPG
How Can I Make the Most of IGTV for My Business?
Businesses have a wide range of possibilities to work with. It would be smart to look to YouTube for inspiration and analyze what works well there.
For example, it's clear that instructional and educational content lends itself well to long-form video on YouTube. There may be room for you, as a business, to create this type of content on IGTV, either in-house or with an influencer.
If you're not sure what your followers would want to see on IGTV, it wouldn't hurt to ask them.
As of its launch, there are no advertising options available, but Instagram says that over time it plans to make sure popular video creators can make money from their efforts.
In any case, before jumping into IGTV, it's important to build a social video strategy for your brand/product; if you already have one, the next step will be figuring out how it fits into IGTV.
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