Last Wednesday, Instagram introduced a new feature, Instagram TV (IGTV). The new addition to the popular social media platform, also available through its own app, allows users to create videos up to an hour in length and has dimensions specific for viewing on smartphones.
How to Use it:
When opening the application or clicking the TV symbol in the corner on the regular Instagram app, videos will begin playing on the phone screen. A selection of “channels” and videos, which can be swiped through, will appear based on who you follow. Similar to YouTube, users are able to like, comment, and share videos posted on IGTV. Though videos are the focus of the feature, users will not be able to live stream or film videos from the IGTV app, but rather upload pre-created content.
To create a channel, press the settings icon on the right side of the screen and select “create channel”. From there, users can upload videos by simply pressing the plus sign when opening his or her profile image just above the feed of suggested videos. Once the video is uploaded onto the user’s channel, a description of the content can be added to give viewers an idea of what they’ll be seeing when watching the video.
Who Uses IGTV:
The goal is to have all users creating, sharing, and enjoying IGTV videos. As of now, the feature is being widely used by celebrities, businesses, and already popular Instagram creators. Shakira, for instance, recently shared footage backstage of her world tour in Luxembourg and companies like Buzzfeed have posted several short videos.
Currently, there are no ads on IGTV, but many aren’t ruling it out of the picture just yet. Further, though popular creators are not earning anything from the videos being shared on the app, the company has discussed assisting monetization for those with a large following or verified account in the future. Instagram Product Manager, Ashley Yuki, informed that their main focus at the time being is “… to just give a good customer experience.”
How to Use IGTV to Benefit Your Business:
Being able to publish longer videos is a great opportunity for businesses to give viewers an inside look into the company. Some ideas as mentioned by Social Media Today are webinars or interviews with industry leaders. Take the time to educate IGTV users on your organization, new products, or company culture.
How To’s or tutorials are also a great way to utilize the updated feature. In these particular types of videos, you can teach other viewers how to use products or services on a widely popular platform. Users are also able to pause and resume videos if they don’t have the time to watch the whole thing, allowing visitors to revisit your channel without missing anything.
We will have to see what other updates Instagram has for IGTV in the future whether that be ads or sponsored creators. For now, you can expect longer, commercial-free videos for you and other users to enjoy.
