Back in June, Instagram released its own long-form video app. IGTV invites users to publish vertical and longer videos, either within Instagram or in the brand new IGTV app, which integrates with the main app.
Unlike other video-led sites such as YouTube and Facebook, IGTV allows you to watch content without being interrupted by adverts, making it great for browsing on your lunch break or when you’re on a long journey.
Who can use IGTV?
Anyone who has an Instagram account is able to upload to IGTV. Videos from regular users can be anywhere between 15 seconds and 10 minutes long, making it a good format for posting daily vlogs or short tutorials.
Verified accounts and users with a large following can make the most out of IGTV, uploading videos that are up to an hour long. However, if you're publishing a 60-minute video, you can’t do it from your phone or any other smart device – you have to upload it from a desktop computer.
How does it work?
Once you open up the IGTV app, the first video on your homepage will immediately start playing. You can easily pause by tapping on the content, and tap again to restart it. If you're not interested in watching any further, simply scroll up or down to see other content that’s available.
There are four video categories available on the app: For You, Following, Popular, and Continue Watching. Underneath each category, you’ll find a large selection of videos that you can scroll left and right through to see if anything grabs your interest. The Continue Watching section is great for when you want to rewatch something that caught your eye the day before, also making it easy to share the content with your friends.
If you’re looking for a specific channel, there’s a search bar on the app to help you find it in an instant. When browsing the Instagram app and looking at a specific user’s page, sometimes they’ll have an IGTV circle beside their Story Highlights. Clicking on the circle will take you straight to their IGTV page, so searching isn’t necessary.
What are the benefits of IGTV?
IGTV may not have the same audience reach as Instagram or YouTube just yet, but it offers unique benefits for influencers hopping on the bandwagon early. As IGTV allows users to upload longer videos, it can be more successful at drawing in viewers than the popular Instagram Stories feature, which only allows you to upload content in ten second bursts.
IGTV also caters to a younger demographic, with greater interest in watching more candid videos of their favourite Instagram influencers on smartphones, as opposed to more carefully edited content.
You can access IGTV through the classic Instagram app, or download the official IGTV app from the App Store and the Play Store.
