Being one of the most essential marketing platforms, Instagram has always been at the center of attention when it came to promoting new releases such as singles or music videos. MusicPromoToday has a full guide on using the platform and its trends to your benefit in order to make your music go viral. However, as the digital world and marketing industry are dependent on one another and develop rapidly, it is important to always keep an eye on the updates and new features that different platforms offer. 

One of Instagram’s relatively new features is IGTV, which has the potential to be life-changing for the platform and its users. Another truly revolutionary update from the social media giant was IG stories. However, the concept and mission of IGTV are completely different from IG stories’ purpose, even though both aim to attract a wider audience and bring engagement as a final result. You can find full info on IG stories in How To Use IG Stories In Your Favor: Instagram Story Tips For Growth & Engagement. 

When And Why 

IGTV is Instagram’s method of adapting the traditional TV concept into the mobile experience. It allows distributing longer video content that has never been possible to do through Instagram before. Especially considering that Instagram’s newest and most talked-about feature, Instagram Reels, is also for sharing short 1-minute videos, the format of IGTV is really out of the platform’s familiar format and breathes fresh air into it. If you want to know more about Instagram Reels, definitely check The Toxicity of YouTube’s New Algorithm, TikTok’s Uncertain Future, Instagram Reels & Virtual Events, which will give you a basic understanding of the feature. 

By launching IGTV, Instagram is betting big on mobile video consumption. The overall mobile video content accounted for 78% of total mobile data traffic, and the amount of time teens spend watching TV has decreased by 40%. The length of IGTV videos is limited to 10 minutes, and for several bigger accounts, it can be up to one hour. One great news for marketers and the feature’s fans was that it is no longer only for vertical videos, as it has always been since its launch in 2018. Instagram now supports both vertical and horizontal formats on IGTV. 

It is now possible to watch IGTV videos in the Instagram app, standalone IGTV app, or via clicking the IGTV button on the Instagram account’s content you want to consume. The native Instagram app sends a notification when someone you follow posts a new video to IGTV, making sure you are updated. Of course, apart from the specific content you chose to follow, Instagram curates videos for you based on your interests and has the “popular” channel for trending videos so that you don’t miss anything. 

How

All you need to do to create an IGTV Channel is signing in to the IGTV app (available on iOS & Android) and logging in with your usual Instagram username and password. It’s simple and easy: click on the Settings gear icon in the right-hand corner, and then click “Create Channel,” congratulations, you’re ready to go! 

Before starting to upload as many videos as you wish, check the basic technical requirements below: 

  • Video format: MP4
  • Length: Videos must be at least one minute long. The maximum length your video can be is 15 minutes when uploading from a mobile device and 60 minutes when uploading from the web
  • Size: 650MB for videos less than 10 minutes; 3.6GB for videos up to 60 minutes
  • Orientation: vertical (portrait) or horizontal (landscape)
  • Aspect ratio: Instagram recommends that vertical IGTV videos should have an aspect ratio of 9:16, while horizontal videos should be 16:9

Enjoy your IGTV experience and follow MusicPromoToday’s blog and Instagram for more updates on the latest digital music marketing trends that will make your life more entertaining.