Technology News : Instagram is testing a new feature for long videos on its platform. This will allow select creators to upload horizontal videos of up to 90 minutes. The company’s goal is to provide viewers with podcasts, comedy and other long-form content on Instagram. The test is currently underway with several manufacturers in the US. Earlier, it was also tested in Brazil.
Instagram’s new feature format was unveiled in a video by Tessa Lyons, vice president of product, and Adam Mosseri, head of content. Under this feature, creators will be able to share short clips of their long videos on Reels. This will allow users to watch the entire video without leaving Instagram and accessing another platform. For example, if a user watches a short clip of a podcast on Reels, they can also watch the full episode on the same platform. Instagram will also feature these long videos in the Explore section and other parts of the app.
This initial test included podcast host and Skims co-founder Emma Grade, beauty and fashion creator Monet McMichael, interviewer Preston Rakowski and football content creator Donald de la Haye. The company plans to expand this test to thousands of creators in the future.
Will YouTube face direct competition?
Instagram’s move is seen as an attempt to challenge YouTube’s long-form video format. Podcasts, interviews, comedy shows and long-form videos are already very popular on YouTube. Eligible creators receive 55 percent of ad revenue. Instagram previously tried to offer longer videos through IGTV, but later discontinued the feature and started focusing more on reels. Now, through these features, the company is once again trying to establish its presence in the long-form video space.
Instagram videos can also be viewed on TV
Instagram doesn’t want to limit long-form videos to mobile devices. The company is also gearing up to improve the viewing experience on TV. In the US, Instagram’s TV app is available on Samsung TV, Amazon Fire TV and Google TV. The company is also preparing to introduce support for Apple TV.
Instagram is also experimenting with making the experience of watching videos on TV more interactive. This can include options like using your mobile phone as a remote, checking videos from friends and saving videos on your mobile to watch later on TV.
What are the plans for creators to earn?
Instagram is also working on brand partnership opportunities for creators participating in this test. Creators will be able to include sponsored content in their videos. However, the company has not yet clarified how video creators will earn ad revenue through this feature. Instagram is also testing a feature called Series, which will allow reels related to the same topic to be organized into separate episodes. The company is also making changes to Instagram Live to make creators’ live streams more accessible to non-followers. The test is currently underway in Indonesia and Brazil. There are plans to launch it in America next year as well.