The Only IGTV Article You’ll Ever Need
By Stanley Meytin
Great marketers not only grasp existing trends but look to the future to see where they can make their next mark. Instagram has been a priceless branding tool to those who embraced the platform early, and their release of Instagram TV presents an opportunity for everyone seeking early-movers advantage.
IGTV, or Instagram TV, is the most important new feature to come from the platform in over 2 years. If history is any indication of the future, then you’d be foolish not to put resources into the new feature.
Back in 2013, during the height of the messaging app fad, Instagram introduced DMs to their platform. IG DMs competed against a slew of big names – Facebook Messenger, Whatsapp, GroupMe, Kik, Snapchat Messages, etc…
Yet, despite its roots as a photo posting app, Instagram’s messaging feature made its way into our pop culture lexicon (you know you’ve struck gold when you get a shout out from a rapper).
Three years later Instagram rolled out Stories, the first straight rip-off of Snapchat stories to actually succeed on its own.
Instagram’s mother company and king of social – Facebook – had been trying since the dawn of Snapchat to eat Snapchat’s user base and we all know how that went…
Instagram, on the other hand, got it right the first time and is currently eating away at Snapchat’s market share with big bites. In fact, Instagram stories are so successful that Facebook is reposting your friends’ IG stories to your FB stories feed!
With IGTV, Instagram has now set its sights on YouTube. Will they make it 3 hits in a row? Nobody knows for sure, but history says it’s a good bet to put some of your energy and resources into the feature.
In this extensive guide you’ll find:
- The short history of Instagram TV
- Basic steps to take before you post
- The make-up of a good post
- How to capture stunning verticle video
- Promoting your content
A Brief History
As the standard with all major tech events, Instagram issued a press released:
“We’re evolving with the times; these days, people are watching less TV and more digital video. By 2021, mobile video will account for 78% of total mobile data traffic. And we’ve learned that younger audiences are spending more time with amateur content creators and less time with professionals.”
On June 20, 2018, a new icon moved into our Instagram interface. The little retro TV next to the DMs marked the beginning of Instagram’s foray into long-form video content.
Before IGTV, video content on Instagram was limited to 60 seconds in feeds, and 10 seconds per 1 Story post. To create anything longer we had to piece together a bunch of stories or add multiple videos to 1 post. Neither option suitable in a digital world where seamless is the standard.
Seamless video consumption seems to be the theme of Instagram TV. Unlike YouTubers, IGTV users don’t need to search for videos. A single click opens the app and videos start rolling immediately.
In our opinion, this is a small tweak that will have a major impact on digital video. Don’t be surprised if instant play becomes more common amongst all social video platforms (think Netflix rolling trailers when you hover over a thumbnail).
The Basics
Instagram’s extraordinary success can partially be attributed to its simple design and user experience. IGTV is no different. For consumers, it takes just 1 click to get into the action and as a result, the basics of the feature are, well, basic:
- Videos are full screen and vertical
- Video length is 15 seconds to 60 minutes (The full 60 minutes is currently only available to larger accounts or verified accounts. Everyone else has a limit of 10 minutes.)
- Users can watch inside the Instagram app or on the IGTV app
- Videos play automatically for users upon opening the IGTV app
- Creators can add “swipe up” call-to-action on videos
- Within the IGTV app, users have the option to browse between “For You,” “Following,” “Popular,” and “Continue Watching” tabs
- Engagement: users can like or comment on videos, or send videos to friends in Direct
- Creators have their own channels, like YouTube (and anyone can be a creator)
- Videos can be uploaded to the IGTV app or the web
- Videos on IGTV can also be uploaded to Facebook Watch
- File size: up to 3.6GB
- File type: .MP4
- Video size: 9:16
- Video thumbnail / cover image: .JPG
- As of launch, no advertising options are available, but Instagram says it eventually plans to make sure popular video creators are able to make money from their efforts
To access IGTV you can either download the app from your Play Store/App Store:
Or if you already have Instagram (who doesn’t?) you can access IGTV by clicking the TV icon in the top right corner:
Following the theme of simplicity, creating an IGTV channel is as simple as 2 clicks. First click: the settings cog-wheel. 2nd click: Create channel.
Best Practices for Posting on IGTV:
Instagram boasts 500M daily active users! You now have a tool to keep those 1 billion eyeballs glued to your content for minutes at a time.
2-5 Minute Videos
While videos only have to be 15 seconds long, we suggest utilizing the feature for all it’s worth and posting content that’s 2-5 minutes long. Shorter videos are a better fit for your old-school feed, and longer videos tend to strain attention spans (remember you’re still in the social media realm).
Subtitles?
85% of Facebook videos are viewed without sound. In our experience, that number is accurate across social media (Youtube excluded). If your content relies on dialogue to get the story across then you’d be wise to add subtitles.
The verticle-video interface means you can’t just upload an SRT file, instead, you’ll have to hard-code subtitles into your video.
Unfortunately, there’s no closed captioning feature within IGTV so if you do include subtitles then they’re in there for good. It’s your creative choice but we think video viewership trends dictate the necessity of subtitles.
Best Practices for Filming Verticle Video:
Influencers and brands who want to maintain a distinguished look should steer clear of filming for IGTV with their smartphones. Therefore, verticle video poses a bit of an issue for those of us who film the bulk of our content with professional video equipment.
Video Camera
Video cameras are designed to film in horizontal widescreen, but with a little ingenuity, we can hack the system!
Our Executive Producer Anthony suggests turning your video camera 90 degrees to capture stunning verticle video. Your camera’s software will upload the footage in horizontal wide-screen, so in post-production, your editor will have to rotate the video to leave it permanently verticle.
If you don’t have the resources for an additional camera to film vertically, you can edit your footage in post-production to fit vertically. Albeit by cutting off the sides and focusing solely on your subject.
Smartphone
No matter how good your smartphone’s camera is, you will never come close to the image quality of a dedicated video camera. If that’s ok with you, then may we suggest investing in a smartphone with a top-of-the-line camera. Yes, it’s a hefty investment but it’s a smartphone – it serves other purposes…
A great camera is a must, it’s the foundation of high-quality smartphone footage. Now if you’re looking to come even closer (yet not too close) to video camera quality you can check out attachable lenses. Attachable lenses will run you $20-$100 but if used properly are well worth the investment.
Promoting Your IGTV Channel:
When you first open the IGTV app you’re presented with the ‘For You’ tab. It’s a mix of channels from the 2 tabs to the right – ‘Following’ and ‘Popular.’
The ‘Following’ tab contains videos from people you’re following, how intuitive!
The ‘Popular’ tab contains videos that are trending on the platform.
Since ‘For You’ is the default tab it’s a good idea to get your content in there.
We’ve used IGTV for a week and gathered that featured content on IGTV gets there the same way it does in regular ol’ Instagram.
Verified accounts you follow and accounts you engage with regularly are the first to popular ‘For You,’ followed by videos that are trending.
Trending content on our feed were videos with 50k-100k views. We can assume that just like the regular Instagram algorithm, IGTV puts an emphasis not just on total view count, but more so on how quickly those views are amassed.
Your existing followers are the most likely users to see your content when it first goes live, so to maximize engagement in the first 24-hours after you post it’s important your followers know you’ve posted to IGTV. Try utilizing Instagram’s other, more established features to promote your IGTV video.
Tease your audience in a 10-second story, or intrigue them with an image on your feed.
Take Advantage NOW!
Instagram TV fills the gap between YouTube, where users expect long videos but need to search for them, and Snapchat/Instagram Stories, where users are instantly fed content but only in bite-sized pieces. It’s a novel form of video content delivery, and it’s housed in an app that 500 million people check daily.
IGTV, at the time this was published, was less than a month old. But in that month we saw more and more videos being posted every day. It’s not too late to seize an early-movers advantage, but move quickly! Instagram is a powerful platform for anyone trying to build up their brand.
If you have questions on how your brand can re-purpose existing video content, or create brand new video content of IGTV, don’t hesitate to reach out!
Reading Time: 7 minutes
By Stanley Meytin
Great marketers not only grasp existing trends but look to the future to see where they can make their next mark. Instagram has been a priceless branding tool to those who embraced the platform early, and their release of Instagram TV presents an opportunity for everyone seeking early-movers advantage.
IGTV, or Instagram TV, is the most important new feature to come from the platform in over 2 years. If history is any indication of the future, then you’d be foolish not to put resources into the new feature.
Back in 2013, during the height of the messaging app fad, Instagram introduced DMs to their platform. IG DMs competed against a slew of big names – Facebook Messenger, Whatsapp, GroupMe, Kik, Snapchat Messages, etc…
Yet, despite its roots as a photo posting app, Instagram’s messaging feature made its way into our pop culture lexicon (you know you’ve struck gold when you get a shout out from a rapper).
Three years later Instagram rolled out Stories, the first straight rip-off of Snapchat stories to actually succeed on its own.
Instagram’s mother company and king of social – Facebook – had been trying since the dawn of Snapchat to eat Snapchat’s user base and we all know how that went…
Instagram, on the other hand, got it right the first time and is currently eating away at Snapchat’s market share with big bites. In fact, Instagram stories are so successful that Facebook is reposting your friends’ IG stories to your FB stories feed!
With IGTV, Instagram has now set its sights on YouTube. Will they make it 3 hits in a row? Nobody knows for sure, but history says it’s a good bet to put some of your energy and resources into the feature.
In this extensive guide you’ll find:
- The short history of Instagram TV
- Basic steps to take before you post
- The make-up of a good post
- How to capture stunning verticle video
- Promoting your content
A Brief History
As the standard with all major tech events, Instagram issued a press released:
“We’re evolving with the times; these days, people are watching less TV and more digital video. By 2021, mobile video will account for 78% of total mobile data traffic. And we’ve learned that younger audiences are spending more time with amateur content creators and less time with professionals.”
On June 20, 2018, a new icon moved into our Instagram interface. The little retro TV next to the DMs marked the beginning of Instagram’s foray into long-form video content.
Before IGTV, video content on Instagram was limited to 60 seconds in feeds, and 10 seconds per 1 Story post. To create anything longer we had to piece together a bunch of stories or add multiple videos to 1 post. Neither option suitable in a digital world where seamless is the standard.
Seamless video consumption seems to be the theme of Instagram TV. Unlike YouTubers, IGTV users don’t need to search for videos. A single click opens the app and videos start rolling immediately.
In our opinion, this is a small tweak that will have a major impact on digital video. Don’t be surprised if instant play becomes more common amongst all social video platforms (think Netflix rolling trailers when you hover over a thumbnail).
The Basics
Instagram’s extraordinary success can partially be attributed to its simple design and user experience. IGTV is no different. For consumers, it takes just 1 click to get into the action and as a result, the basics of the feature are, well, basic:
- Videos are full screen and vertical
- Video length is 15 seconds to 60 minutes (The full 60 minutes is currently only available to larger accounts or verified accounts. Everyone else has a limit of 10 minutes.)
- Users can watch inside the Instagram app or on the IGTV app
- Videos play automatically for users upon opening the IGTV app
- Creators can add “swipe up” call-to-action on videos
- Within the IGTV app, users have the option to browse between “For You,” “Following,” “Popular,” and “Continue Watching” tabs
- Engagement: users can like or comment on videos, or send videos to friends in Direct
- Creators have their own channels, like YouTube (and anyone can be a creator)
- Videos can be uploaded to the IGTV app or the web
- Videos on IGTV can also be uploaded to Facebook Watch
- File size: up to 3.6GB
- File type: .MP4
- Video size: 9:16
- Video thumbnail / cover image: .JPG
- As of launch, no advertising options are available, but Instagram says it eventually plans to make sure popular video creators are able to make money from their efforts
To access IGTV you can either download the app from your Play Store/App Store:
Or if you already have Instagram (who doesn’t?) you can access IGTV by clicking the TV icon in the top right corner:
Following the theme of simplicity, creating an IGTV channel is as simple as 2 clicks. First click: the settings cog-wheel. 2nd click: Create channel.
Best Practices for Posting on IGTV:
Instagram boasts 500M daily active users! You now have a tool to keep those 1 billion eyeballs glued to your content for minutes at a time.
2-5 Minute Videos
While videos only have to be 15 seconds long, we suggest utilizing the feature for all it’s worth and posting content that’s 2-5 minutes long. Shorter videos are a better fit for your old-school feed, and longer videos tend to strain attention spans (remember you’re still in the social media realm).
Subtitles?
85% of Facebook videos are viewed without sound. In our experience, that number is accurate across social media (Youtube excluded). If your content relies on dialogue to get the story across then you’d be wise to add subtitles.
The verticle-video interface means you can’t just upload an SRT file, instead, you’ll have to hard-code subtitles into your video.
Unfortunately, there’s no closed captioning feature within IGTV so if you do include subtitles then they’re in there for good. It’s your creative choice but we think video viewership trends dictate the necessity of subtitles.
Best Practices for Filming Verticle Video:
Influencers and brands who want to maintain a distinguished look should steer clear of filming for IGTV with their smartphones. Therefore, verticle video poses a bit of an issue for those of us who film the bulk of our content with professional video equipment.
Video Camera
Video cameras are designed to film in horizontal widescreen, but with a little ingenuity, we can hack the system!
Our Executive Producer Anthony suggests turning your video camera 90 degrees to capture stunning verticle video. Your camera’s software will upload the footage in horizontal wide-screen, so in post-production, your editor will have to rotate the video to leave it permanently verticle.
If you don’t have the resources for an additional camera to film vertically, you can edit your footage in post-production to fit vertically. Albeit by cutting off the sides and focusing solely on your subject.
Smartphone
No matter how good your smartphone’s camera is, you will never come close to the image quality of a dedicated video camera. If that’s ok with you, then may we suggest investing in a smartphone with a top-of-the-line camera. Yes, it’s a hefty investment but it’s a smartphone – it serves other purposes…
A great camera is a must, it’s the foundation of high-quality smartphone footage. Now if you’re looking to come even closer (yet not too close) to video camera quality you can check out attachable lenses. Attachable lenses will run you $20-$100 but if used properly are well worth the investment.
Promoting Your IGTV Channel:
When you first open the IGTV app you’re presented with the ‘For You’ tab. It’s a mix of channels from the 2 tabs to the right – ‘Following’ and ‘Popular.’
The ‘Following’ tab contains videos from people you’re following, how intuitive!
The ‘Popular’ tab contains videos that are trending on the platform.
Since ‘For You’ is the default tab it’s a good idea to get your content in there.
We’ve used IGTV for a week and gathered that featured content on IGTV gets there the same way it does in regular ol’ Instagram.
Verified accounts you follow and accounts you engage with regularly are the first to popular ‘For You,’ followed by videos that are trending.
Trending content on our feed were videos with 50k-100k views. We can assume that just like the regular Instagram algorithm, IGTV puts an emphasis not just on total view count, but more so on how quickly those views are amassed.
Your existing followers are the most likely users to see your content when it first goes live, so to maximize engagement in the first 24-hours after you post it’s important your followers know you’ve posted to IGTV. Try utilizing Instagram’s other, more established features to promote your IGTV video.
Tease your audience in a 10-second story, or intrigue them with an image on your feed.
Take Advantage NOW!
Instagram TV fills the gap between YouTube, where users expect long videos but need to search for them, and Snapchat/Instagram Stories, where users are instantly fed content but only in bite-sized pieces. It’s a novel form of video content delivery, and it’s housed in an app that 500 million people check daily.
IGTV, at the time this was published, was less than a month old. But in that month we saw more and more videos being posted every day. It’s not too late to seize an early-movers advantage, but move quickly! Instagram is a powerful platform for anyone trying to build up their brand.
If you have questions on how your brand can re-purpose existing video content, or create brand new video content of IGTV, don’t hesitate to reach out!
What story would you like to share?
Whether you want to launch an idea, spark a movement or simply get people talking about what you do, you have one shot
at delivering your message in a way that matters. Let’s make sure you do it right.
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