Instagram is experimenting with longform video again, hoping users will watch podcasts and other videos on their TVs. The company is testing a new horizontal video format called "features" that supports clips up to 90 minutes long. Currently, only a few creators with individual deals from Meta can create longform content, with the company targeting comedians and podcasters.
The horizontal videos will be viewable in the Instagram app, but the company hopes the format will push users to its dedicated TV apps. Instagram chief Adam Mosseri previously worried longer videos could cannibalize shortform engagement, but he hopes they will be "symbiotic" with shorter content. People watching podcast clips as Reels may want to watch full episodes on TV.
Instagram introduced its first TV app last year with Reels for Fire TV and is now adding an Apple TV app for Samsung and Google TV devices. The TV apps are also expanding to support Stories posts and live streams. The platform is also testing "series," which allows creators to link multiple shortform videos together.
Meta's latest attempt to take on YouTube comes as it seeks to make its platform more friendly to content with more lucrative ad deals. The company plans to work with creators to find brand partners. This follows Meta's 2018 launch of IGTV, a separate app for longer videos that shut down in 2022.
Mosseri says the push will "take some time to get right" but Meta is "very committed to it long term.".
Source: Engadget · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing