On 20th June Instagram launched, Instagram TV or IGTV at an event in San Francisco. Users can now upload videos up to 60 minutes in length, which provides content creators with great breadth to create content, from the previous limit of 1 minute. In the past few months there has been chatter of a platform for long form videos within Instagram. With the launch of IGTV, users can now access this stand alone app, to stream and create long form videos.
The consumption of videos has evolved in the recent years i.e. it is mostly taking place on the go, i.e. users are consuming most video content on their mobiles. Additionally, “Teens are now watching 40 percent less TV than they did five years ago,” Instagram chef executive Kevin Systrom said at the launch even of IGTV. Hence, the time has come for video to move forward and evolve.
In the past few months, Instagram has already helped the music industry with it’s integrations with Spotify and Eventbrite. With the launch of IGTV, it further strengthens the capacity of these integrations to perform well. These integrations allow for track/video releases to take place on IGTV, with links that will take users directly to check outs for faster conversions. While some of our favorite artists like Armin van Buuren, Tiesto and The Chainsmokers are already using their channels, we can’t wait to see how the music industry’s creativity unfurls in the coming months.
Let us, deep dive into what IGTV has to offer it’s creators, which is different from other streaming platforms:
- IGTV will be available as part of Instagram and as a separate application.
- While IGTV is still rolling out globally, all users need to do is, tap on the TV icon, followed tapping on the settings icon and creating a channel.
- Users can now create videos up to 60 minutes. The icing on the cake is that, these videos are vertical and users do not need to tilt their phones anymore to consume content.
- Users can upload 4K footage from their desktops and mobiles. Doesn’t this point make you say – ‘Yay’!
- The application automatically pulls videos for you in the ‘for you’ section.
- The discoverability of IGTV is better than any other application at the moment, and it allows users to check popular and trending content in the popular section with just a tap.
- Creators/users can also place links along with their videos. There is no longer a need to re-direct users to links in bio’s or ask them to swipe up. How amazing is that?
- Users can also enjoy commenting on IGTV channels and interact with users around the world, almost making small communities. However, if a user wants to DM the creator, he/she can still do that.
- If at any given point in time, a user needs to pause a video, they can continue watching where they left off under the continue watching tab.
- You can’t record within the IGTV application, but it lets you pull videos from your camera roll or any folder you may have saved your video.
Those are definitely a bulk load of features, that are going to help creators across the music industry create varied content. We can’t wait for Instagram to launch a few more capabilities, like adding text, editing within the application, adding music and much more.
Since it’s launch Instagram has been a place to connect with users around the world, that inspire, share experiences, teach lessons and entertain in varied fashions. IGTV will now allow creators to create more meaningful content that will only strengthen this connect between global collaborators.
As a side note, we don’t think IGTV competes with YouTube. Infact it’s USP of vertical videos, will keep the platform unique for years to come, But, once Facebook launches it’s video streaming platform, we think IGTV and Facebook together, will rule active and passive video consumption of the global digital user base.
What would you like your favorite DJ/artists doing on IGTV? Tell us in the comments below.
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