IGTV: Instagram's newest feature to rival YouTube's long-form video offering
Instagram has launched IGTV, a new standalone app that will directly rival YouTube. It lets users create dedicated video channels and post long-form videos on a platform that is both separate and also tied to your main Instagram profile. IGTV videos are placed alongside Story Highlights and can be watched/uploaded from there. Otherwise, the standalone app is very well available on iOS and Android.
IGTV is mobile-first; supports full-screen, vertical videos
Like YouTube, users can follow video channels on IGTV and leave comments on videos for the creators to see. Following an IGTV channel also makes sure that you are notified of new videos in the main Instagram app. Video uploads are integrated smoothly with other common Instagram features like stickers and filters. Videos on IGTV can be up to an hour long.
You can like, comment, send videos to friends in Direct
Videos will start playing as soon as you open the IGTV app. This has been done to make the experience similar to watching the TV. You can straightaway watch content of people you follow on Instagram. Other than that, you can explore the "For You," "Following," "Popular," and "Continue Watching" options on the app. Swipe up to discover more videos based on your interest.
IGTV wants creators to produce videos that can be monetized
Right now, the only way Instagram influencers can post long-form videos is to go live. Live videos don't suit every occasion and don't contain ads. While IGTV won't have ads in the beginning, it most likely will in the future. Creators can also link out from their IGTV videos, so they can start making money off brand partnerships right away.
Pushing creators to exclusively create for Instagram instead of YouTube
According to a recent study by the Pew Research Center, YouTube is currently the most popular social network among US teens. 85% teens use YouTube followed closely by 72% using Instagram. Since Facebook itself has seen a decline in popularity among teens, it needs Instagram to actively compete with YouTube's dominance as a video-sharing platform. Notably, Instagram has also crossed the 1-billion-user landmark.
