What is IGTV? Why does it matter?

By: Kayla, Account Executive / Communications Specialist | August 2, 2018

It seems like everyday there are new features being added to Instagram. It’s impossible to keep track of everything and understand what really matters for your business.

Instagram recently launched IGTV and it has the social community doing back flips!

“IGTV, a new app for watching long-form, vertical video from your favorite Instagram creators… While there’s a stand-alone IGTV app, you’ll also be able to watch from within the Instagram app so the entire community of one billion can use it from the very start.”
                                                                                                                                          Kevin Systrom, Co-Founder & CEO

In this post, we’ll outline everything you need to know about IGTV and why it matters.

IGTV is Instagram’s answer to the rise of YouTube

Much like YouTube, IGTV is a long form video feature that allows followers to subscribe to their favorite Instagram creators’ channels. However, there is a 10-minute limit for smaller accounts and 60 minutes for prominent channels. Instagram is working to make it unlimited for every user in the near future. Also, these videos can be edited and uploaded to IGTV from either your mobile device or desktop. This is the first time we’ve seen a desktop posting feature from Instagram.

Watch out YouTube, IGTV is coming for you!
Unlike YouTube, IGTV videos are vertical – like the Stories feature – so it’s better suited for mobile viewing. With the recent changes to the YouTube algorithm and notifications, people are speculating that influencers will be making the move from YouTube to IGTV.

Other notable features:

• Right now IGTV does not support ads, but there are already plans of rolling them out in the future
• There is a call to action feature where user can “swipe up” for more information
• Live links can be added to an IGTV video description, so users can click on a link within Instagram and be brought to the web page of your choosing

Why does it matter?
IGTV is already popular among younger audiences. Meaning, if your audiences are Millennials and Gen Z… you need to be on IGTV. Not to mention, mobile video is expected to account for 78% of total mobile traffic by 2021 and with IGTV’s focus on mobile viewing – they’re already ahead of the curb!

As marketers, we all know the importance of influencer marketing but now we’re seeing a rise in user-generated content and social messaging. IGTV provides the perfect place for all three to meet. It’s a platform where influencers, brands, and even your next door neighbor can reach and engage with their audience.

What do you do now?
Now that you see the benefits of IGTV, I’m sure you’re wondering what you should do now. Well, here’s a tip… create your own IGTV channel and put together your first video. It doesn’t have to be complicated! Something that informs your audience that you’ll be taking part in this new medium. Then develop a content calendar and posting schedule. We recommend starting small. Start off with one video a week and begin to grow your audience.

If you ever need help or would like some strategic guidance, don’t be afraid to send me a message: kayla@bbggadv.com