Instagram’s long-form video hub is here and it is a gamechanger for the platform and competitors. In what may be the biggest update since Instagram Stories, users will now be able to upload videos up to an hour in length as opposed to the one-minute limit. A new TV-shaped button will appear at the top of the app that takes users directly to a hub for this content.
But that’s not all. In addition to the in-app hub, the content will live in the new standalone app—IGTV.
IGTV is designed for mobile content and will appear vertically and in fullscreen. While the platform is meant to spotlight the influencers that have made a name for themselves on digital platforms, you don’t need to be an official creator to upload content! All users can upload videos from the Instagram app or on the standalone platform.
In both the IGTV app and on Instagram, users can swipe through and view the long-form videos or swipe up to see additional content such as popular and recommended videos.
This update is a major opportunity for creators everywhere, but especially those with an established following on the app. The platform is designed for creators which means they are focused on what these creators want. Creators can build out custom channels with links to content on other platforms and users can subscribe to their channels the same way they would on other popular vlogging channels. (Hi, YouTube!)
For now, we should say! At the moment, the platform does not have advertising capabilities, but they aren’t ruling it out. Instagram’s CEO Kevin Systrom explained at the IGTV launch today that if creators are taking the time to make this content, they should be able to monetize it in the future. The platform itself will not pay creators directly for their content.
In addition to this major announcement, Instagram also hit 1 billion monthly users. The platform has been consistently increasing its audience due to the success of a multitude of features from Stories to Shoppable posts. If anything, IGTV is only going to further its success. Influencers like Something Navy are already posting about the update and utilizing the new features! We can only expect more enticing content and opportunities for brands, businesses, and influencers as this feature continues to evolve.
Stay tuned for more of our thoughts on next week’s episode of #SocialLIVE!