Will Instagram Features Work?

It’s not often that we see a new feature on social platforms that generates this much discussion. Instagram is about to test long-form content on its mobile and TV apps, bringing back some memories of IGTV. I’m skeptical about whether it will work, but it’s another example of social platforms copying ideas from each other as they compete for our attention.

What Is Instagram Features?

Instagram Features is a new video format that allows select creators to upload horizontal videos up to 90 minutes long. It gives creators a place to post full podcast episodes, interviews, comedy specials, and other longer videos while keeping their audience within the app. Features will also be discoverable through the Explore page.

Creators will also be able to post short-form clips called “Clips as Reels” that link directly to the full-length video. YouTube added a similar feature for Shorts a while back. I’ve asked a lot of our clients to show me how much traffic those linked videos are driving to their long-form content, and the numbers are very minimal. Either creators aren’t using the feature at all, or they’ve tried it as part of a strategy and seen little to no traffic. Maybe Instagram can figure this out.

Instagram’s History With Long-Form Content

IGTV already came and went, which is why I’m having such a hard time wrapping my mind around Features. Was IGTV, which originally launched in 2018, just ahead of its time? Are individuals going to Instagram for something completely different, or are they simply not going there to watch long-form content at all?

Remember this old IGTV logo?

I think the answer to that question, which is different than last time, is the Instagram app for TV. It’s really going to depend on whether people start using the app on their TVs. YouTube has done a masterful job of taking over the living room, becoming the #1 platform in TV viewing at 15%, whereas Instagram is non-existent in the category. There’s plenty of room for growth, but Instagram needs a lot of long-form content to succeed on TV.

I Have Questions

1️⃣ Will Instagram prioritize Features?

In the past, when Instagram announces new features, they prioritize creators who utilize them or even pay them to use them. Feature videos will take up more space in the Instagram Explore feed, making thumbnails very important on both mobile and TV if this works.

2️⃣ Is it enough to change behavior on Instagram?

I don’t think the current behavior on Instagram is to open the app on mobile and lock in on a single 20+ minute horizontal video. Where I do think it makes sense is on the Instagram TV app. After the success of YouTube on TV (15% of TV viewership), I can’t help but think Instagram is trying to steal some attention from YouTube viewers.

3️⃣ What will monetization look like?

I still believe YouTube is and will be the best way to monetize long-form content. We don’t know what the revenue share is going to look like for long-form videos on Instagram, but it’s going to be hard to compete with YouTube. Instagram is also allegedly going to start paying creators to begin posting long-form content on the platform.

4️⃣ Should creators use IG Features?

Will creators actually be incentivized to upload their long-form content to their Instagram pages? Creators and artists will start asking whether long-form content will hurt their algorithm, just like they did with Shorts on YouTube. Will we start seeing spinoff pages like the Shorts channels creators started making back in 2021?

The Big Takeaway

Instagram is making another push into long-form, but I’m skeptical people will change how they use the platform. The biggest opportunity may be on TV, where Instagram has room to compete with YouTube. Until we see how creators are incentivized and how content is monetized, YouTube still feels like the better place for long-form content.

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