Instagram is currently experimenting with a significant expansion of its video capabilities, testing a new format dubbed 'Features' that allows selected creators to upload horizontal videos lasting up to 90 minutes. This move marks a strategic shift for the Meta-owned platform, which has largely focused on short-form content through its widely popular Reels feature in recent years. The current pilot program is limited to selected creators within the United States and Brazil.
The initiative is designed to better accommodate long-form content such as podcasts, comedy programs, and interviews. By providing a dedicated space for these formats, Instagram aims to address a long-standing gap in its offering, as many creators who produce such material have traditionally relied on platforms like YouTube to host their full-length productions. The new format is specifically tailored to a horizontal viewing experience, aligning with the conventions of long-form media.
A core element of this strategy is the integration of long and short-form content. Instagram plans to allow creators to bridge the two formats, using Reels as a gateway to drive traffic to longer segments. For instance, a creator might post a condensed highlight of an hour-long interview as a Reel, offering viewers a direct path to the complete version without exiting the application. This approach seeks to keep users engaged within the Instagram ecosystem rather than pushing them to rival platforms.
Company executives, including Head of Instagram Adam Mosseri and Vice-President of Product Tessa Lyons, have characterized this development as an effort to harmonize different video formats. The goal is to allow short-form videos to serve as an introduction to a creator's work, while longer videos provide a deeper, more immersive experience for an established audience. This acknowledges the reality of how users currently navigate the platform, moving between quick clips and more intensive content.
This push also reflects a broader effort to expand Instagram's presence beyond mobile screens. Meta has been developing the platform for television, with services currently available on devices such as Apple TV, Samsung TVs, Google TV, and Amazon Fire TV in the United States. Integrating 90-minute videos could make this television-based viewing experience more robust, offering a viable alternative to traditional streaming services for creator-led programming.
The competition with YouTube remains a central motivation for these adjustments. YouTube has long maintained a dominant position in the long-form market, backed by a mature advertising revenue-sharing model through its Partner Programme. While Meta has not yet unveiled a specific long-term advertising revenue-sharing structure for its new Features format, creators currently utilize other monetization paths on the platform, such as brand partnerships and subscriptions.
Instagram has faced challenges in this space before, most notably with the launch of IGTV in 2018. That service, which was designed to house long-form video, failed to gain sufficient traction and was eventually discontinued as a separate entity. As the current testing phase continues, the platform remains cautious, with no official timeline announced for a wider, global rollout of the Features format.
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