A Quick Guide to Instagram TV [Infographic]

Video has taken over the web and made its way into the content marketing mix. No surprise, considering it’s one of the most effective content for promoting products and services online. And with the launch of Instagram TV, marketers have yet another content channel under their fingertips.

The combination of graphics and sound is powerful in delivering information. Videos are the preferred medium by marketers because they make information more digestible and concise.

On Twitter, a tweet with a video is 6 times more likely to be shared than a tweet with a photo. A research by Hubspot shows that 43% of consumers found branded video content to be the most memorable. Videos also have a higher retention rate, with 65% viewers watching more than 75% of a video.

Instagram’s Video History

As videos continued to populate the market, Instagram began experimenting with it, which led to the birth Instagram TV. In 2013, they enabled video sharing for its users which enabled posting 15-second videos on their feed. They later extended the limit to 1 minute.

When Snapchat became a hit in 2016, Instagram released their take on temporary content— Instagram Stories. This feature allowed users to record and post videos that disappear after 24 hours. In November 2016, Instagram released the live feature where users can broadcast live on their Instagram and interact with their followers.

The Birth of Instagram TV

Recently, Instagram made its foray into long-form video content with their latest feature called IGTV. Simply put, Instagram TV is a video platform similar to Youtube.

However, Instagram TV differs from Youtube and other video platforms because Instagram TV videos are in portrait mode (unlike the usual landscape mode.)

Another major difference is Instagram TV’s search algorithm. Unlike Youtube, searching on Instagram TV isn’t based on keywords, but on profiles or channels instead. Videos on Instagram TV are limited to 10 minutes (and an hour for bigger accounts.)

Market with Instagram TV

The moment Instagram TV (IGTV) launched, a number of established brands such as Chipotle and National Geographic began posting videos on their channels. National Geographic used their IGTV channel to release their final episode of ”One Strange Rock” which runs for 47 minutes.

Chipotle, on the other hand, did something simpler and posted a short clip showcasing their vast selection of salads and burritos to-go.

All kinds of businesses— big or small can use IGTV to market their brand. Since Instagram accounts are automatically integrated with IGTV channels, followers are automatically subscribed to their IGTV feed, saving you the hassle of building an audience from scratch.

For more information on how IGTV works, check out this infographic below!