IGTV
Instagram’s brave move that will probably make you glued to your smartphone
Think Instagram meets Youtube. In June, Instagram launched IGTV, a new standalone app that can be accessed on its own or from within Instagram, allowing content creators to upload and share videos of up to 1 hour long each.
Similar to an Instagram Story, the long-form video content is vertical and full-screen. As soon as users open the IGTV app, a video will start to play, much like turning on an actual TV. Unlike an actual TV, users will see content Instagram believes they’d be interested in. When users follow a creator, they’ll be able to see and view their entire IGTV channel and enjoy an uninterrupted stream of long-form content, spending more time with the channel and ultimately, staying longer in the app.
Soon after the roll-out, brands, celebrities, and publishers posted a mix of livestreamed videos—longer and more unique videos. Netflix filmed a fan-favorite actor seductively eating a cheeseburger—for an hour, no less—and it was viewed 1 million times. Buzzfeed, unclear about its IGTV strategy, has been posting assorted content including series like “MeCrushMonday” and more experimental 25-minute livestreams such as a hamster soccer game. National Geographic posted full 45-minute shows and received millions of views.
In an online world where the newsfeed has become a battlefield for consumer attention, IGTV is one bold move for IG to forge deeper connections with its 1 billion active monthly users.
Sources: Ad Age (June 12, 2018) | Forbes: David Phelan (June 21, 2018) | Digiday (July 2, 2018) | Image: Laura Pittaccio