You may have noticed that flashing orange icon in the top right corner of your Instagram app, or seen the Fletchers (unless you don’t follow them for family goals) posting about it lots, but what is Instagram TV? Find out how to do it, how you can use it and what IGTV means for businesses.
What is Instagram TV?
Instagram TV is an extension that has been added to the Instagram app that allows for the uploading and watching of long-form video content from brands, influencers and those you follow. For verified accounts, you can post vertical video up to 1 hour, but for others there’s a 10-minute cap. There’s an app you can download, but the in-app function works seamlessly, and allows you to easily binge-watch.
How to use Instagram TV
Much like when you turn on Netflix, you don’t have to search to find popular content, or content from the ‘channels’ you follow. When you tap on the ‘IGTV icon, you will be offered content that’s ‘For You’, your ‘Following’ and ‘Popular’. You can also ‘Continue Watching’.
It’s easy to start uploading. Tap the IGTV icon, tap the cog and follow the steps to create to create a channel.
What does IGTV mean for businesses?
Like with how businesses already using social media for marketing, Instagram TV is a way for companies to share stories, behind the scenes footage and show the humans behind the brand to better engage with their target audience. IGTV is another means to gain more reach. Share original, exclusive-to-IGTV content, how-tos or even ‘meet the team’ posts. It can’t be used for paid social media advertising yet but Instagram haven’t ruled this out for the future.
What does IGTV mean for other video platforms?
It’s thought by some to be a competitor for YouTube, and we’d have to agree. It’s built for how users are using their smartphones; videos are vertical and fill the screen. Also, similarly to how Instagram introduced Stories, people will be (we think) less inclined to leave the app to use another app as it’s much easier to post pictures, quick snippets of video and long videos all in one place. Or perhaps that’s an indicator of how lazy we are getting!
What are you waiting for? Tell your followers more about yourself, and upload content to IGTV now – it’s still a novelty, and people will be ‘tapping’-in to find out what Instagram TV is all about!
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