Instagram handed 1 billion users closing 12 months, and the milestone marked big modifications for the platform. Chief among them turned into creating Instagram TV (IGTV), an extended-shape video content material provider to be had both as a standalone app and a section of the traditional Instagram app.
But what opportunities does IGTV provide brands? The platform doesn’t aid paid advertising and marketing, but that doesn’t mean brands are left out within the bloodless.
Here’s what you need to understand about IGTV: what it’s far, how it works, and a way to broaden a successful content advertising approach for it.
What Is IGTV?
Like YouTube, IGTV allows customers to browse exclusive channels of video content. Videos can be up to an hour in duration and start playing once you open the app. But IGTV has a cellular-first method to content material. All movies are viewed in a complete-screen, vertical layout.
A Bold Move For Instagram
Encroaching on YouTube’s dominance of the lengthy-form video layout is a volatile circulate, however, one that might result in a large ROI.
Influencers and brands have been chomping at the bit to transform video-glad quantities of their subscriber base into Instagram followers. IGTV closes the space among video and imagery, setting Instagram in a high position to reap the rewards.
What IGTV Means For Brands Right Now
Unlike YouTube, IGTV doesn’t presently function paid advertisements. However, there have been whispers in the latest months about destiny implementation.
Several main advertising executives have stated that Instagram is putting out feelers about potentially shopping for advertising and marketing space on IGTV. Instagram acknowledged that it has become exploring methods to assist creators. However, it hasn’t outlined specifics.
While there is currently no way to push paid commercials through the platform, now’s nevertheless an excellent time for manufacturers to test out IGTV. Start with those IGTV first-rate practices:
Prioritize Engaging Content
Content advertising is effective when your logo creates and stocks enticing applicable material. This content material should not explicitly promote your logo but stimulate interest in your logo’s products or services.
On IGTV, specific advertisements are not going to reduce it. You simplest have some seconds to prove the value of your content material. How will you seize their interest? What will lead them to be interested, curious, or entertained enough to hold looking?
Know Your Audience
If you do not use them already, now could be the time to installation target market personas. Design fictional characters to symbolize one-of-a-kind segments of your target audience, the usage of facts, and marketplace studies. Once you have your target audience personas locked down, you’ll discover it lots less difficult to broaden content material with their desires, wishes, and goals in mind.
Know The Platform
First, Instagram and IGTV are social systems, so customers expect a social thing to content material. Instagram has a selected set of social norms. You cannot manage to pay to keep your customers at arm’s duration on IGTV; your efforts need to be non-public and personable.
Second, your usual advert layout won’t fly on IGTV. Your video content has to communicate, especially on your target market personas. Users assume the content material on their feeds to be relevant to them so that you can not just add a TV ad to IGTV and speak to it an afternoon.
And eventually, you must include the electricity of the influencer lifestyle. Instagram prospers on it, and your emblem will be sensible to get on board.
Know The Format
IGTV has several specifications you need to preserve in thoughts when developing for the platform. Videos must be:
- 15 seconds to 60 minutes lengthy
- No larger than three.6 GB
- .MP4 record kind
- 9:16 ratio
All videos must additionally include a trendy video thumbnail and a swipe-up call to motion.
6 Ways Your Brand Can Use IGTV
Content advertising calls for attempt and perseverance. However, its blessings are well well worth it. Here are some approaches you could leverage content material advertising on IGTV:
1. Repurpose Existing Videos
IGTV is the correct opportunity to reuse your current popular video content. Edit live movement recordings or remodel horizontal videos you’ve published on Facebook or YouTube to fulfill IGTV’s vertical format.
2. Post Exclusive Content
Build a committed audience on your IGTV channel by sharing content that isn’t available anywhere else. Exclusive content can be at the back of-the-scenes videos that show product improvement, workplace excursions, or enterprise occasions.
These movies are distinctly easy to produce as they require minimum enhancing. In a few instances, the rawer the content, the greater true it feels for your audience.
3. Make Tutorial Videos
Use IGTV to showcase your merchandise with academic movies like webinars and the way’s and to answer not unusual consumer questions. Teach your fans something new approximately your commercial enterprise or product, from makeup tutorials to cooking demonstrations. The characteristic-duration academic video format is a brilliant manner to build a library of evergreen content material.
4. Develop A Recurring Segment
IGTV is the modern-day solution to tv. Embrace this identity using sharing weekly or monthly display-like segments at a routine time slot. If you opt for this format, consistency is fundamental. Publishing episodes on an ordinary schedule will hold your audience coming again on your channel.
