IGTV: All You Should Know

Instagram is one of the most popular social platforms in the world. Videos are the most consumed content on the internet. So, joining the platform and video is the formula for success, right? This is the logic behind IGTV, Instagram’s top video tool. 

Its premise is very simple, but at the same time, very important, so content creators and marketing strategists can add this social platform’s feature to the most beloved format on the internet.

And, of course, the power to come closer to the audience and communicate better. If you’d like to know more about this powerful tool and how to use it to incorporate it into your video marketing strategy, keep reading!

Would you like to learn more about this new feature? Then check out what you’ll learn in this article:

Index

What is IGTV? Who can use IGTV? Why use IGTV to promote your business? Step by step to post 7 tips to stand out with IGTV The best types of videos for posting

What is IGTV?

IGTV is a long-video feature provided by Instagram. You probably know that the social platform allows you to upload files in this format to your feed, but with a 60-second limit.

Instagram’s idea is to allow people and brands to tell their stories better and of course, expand their reach. 

With IGTV, business account users can post videos up to 1 hour long. Those who don’t have one can post videos of up to 10 minutes. 

This tool shares the videos in your feed, so friends and other followers can comment and like them.

Besides, you can allow it, as well as any content on Instagram, to be reposted in a follower’s Story.

IGTV is meant to be used via mobile. So, it’s in a vertical format, although there’s nothing to prevent it from being shown in a horizontal position.

Although it’s possible to create livestreams and post them via IGTV, this format isn’t meant to be posted instantly. The idea is to create well-produced videos, although in a convenient manner.

How does IGTV work?

Released on June 20, 2018, IGTV can be accessed as its own app or via Instagram, both available on Android or iOS.

Despite being different apps, both are fully integrated. In addition to being visually similar, to access IGTV, an Instagram account is required. 

IGTV was dreamed up and developed especially for mobile devices. As soon as you click on IGTV and open a video, it automatically starts to play. The symbol to access it on Instagram is in the upper-right hand corner of the home page of the app.

The idea behind the feature is to transform it into an actual TV app, where the users don’t need to waste time searching for content from the people they already follow. Everything will be on one screen.

Who can use IGTV?

One of the positive aspects of this new feature is that it will not be exclusive to famous Instagrammers.

All users will be able to use the new feature to share their videos. To do so, you just have to use the app to upload your videos directly. The app is available for iOS and Android, and also on a web version.

IGTV focuses on young users and is ready to compete with YouTube, opening doors to those who want to become content creators.

With interesting videos, it will be possible to stand out and become a “celebrity of Instagram TV”.

Important: Content creators can add a CTA to their videos, putting links to other platforms or sites.

Why use IGTV to promote your business? 

Instagram’s bet on this tool has created many advantages for those who produce content on the social platform. 

Check out a few of them below:

Videos are the future of content 

In the digital marketing world, videos are unanimously the most consumed format on the Internet. 

Plus, it tends to keep growing. According to Statista, video consumption has been increasing steadily in the last few years, and is projected to reach an astounding 248.9 million viewers in the U.S. by the end of this year, 2022. 

Get featured on Instagram 

Instagram loves to highlight its newest formats. And this is true with IGTV, although other features came later, such as Instagram Reels. 

The ever-increasing use of videos in marketing strategies, and the audience’s own consumption, means that IGTV still has its attention focused on the platform’s algorithms. 

IGTV is also “privileged” as to certain limited features for other Instagram content, such as inserting links. 

This isn’t possible in the Feed, but it is In IGTV, as well as in Stories, with the “swipe up” feature, but only for accounts with over 10,000 followers.

It’s easy to use

Like most Instagram features. 

The platform prioritizes convenience, and the same is true for IGTV. To produce long videos on Instagram, you can upload the file directly in the app or from your desktop!

To watch it, the difficulty is the same: it doesn’t exist! The image takes up the full screen, without, however, hiding the tool’s other features, such as likes, comments, and sharing.

IGTV Resources

Those who’d like to access IGTV separately from Instagram, just download it from the App Store (iOS) or Play Store (Android), but it is available directly through Instagram. When accessing it, the user will see a feed of videos with vertical thumbnails.    

The interface has a search tool, suggested videos, popular content, and the option to post a video. Let’s take a look at each one of these. 

1. Categories

The IGTV categories are organized under four main tabs: 

• Following: Here, the platform puts all the videos and channels you follow;
• Popular: Shows the most popular videos among platform users;
• History: Stores your recently watched videos; 
• Saved: Displays the videos you’ve saved to watch later.

2. Searching on IGTV

In the app, the user has access to a search bar by clicking on the magnifying glass symbol. This feature allows the public to search by user or via keywords.

The results with the most relevant channels appear in a vertical list. When selecting one of them, the user has access to a quick channel description, a list of the previously posted videos, and an option to follow. 

3. Posting a video

Every Instagram user already has an IGTV channel. In other words, as long as you have an account, you can post a video on IGTV whenever you’d like. Just click on the plus icon. 

Different from an Instagram Story, your video has to be at least 1 minute or longer. Want to learn how to post a video, add it to your feed and stories, and attract more followers? Check out the step-by-step guide below!

Step by step to post 

Now that you know about IGTV and are familiar with its tools, the time has come to learn how to get the most out of it. Because of the changes made to the algorithm, it has been attracting more attention.

If you go to search on Instagram, you’ll see IGTV right under the search bar, as well as being featured in other parts of the app. 

But to get more attention, the video has to meet some standards. Let’s roll up our sleeves and get going? 

Creating the video

Different from Stories, the video needs to be recorded and edited in order to be posted on IGTV. There are a variety of free and paid apps to edit your videos, and you can check some of them out here on our list!  And then,  you just have to click the “add new post” button and select IGTV.

Adding the video to IGTV

When clicking to add a new video to IGTV, you can personalize it to draw more attention. The video needs to be in your gallery and ready to be posted and viewed as a thumbnail. 

To add the thumbnail, just select the video, continue, and now you can either pull a thumbnail from the video itself or select an image from your photo library. After doing this, it’s time to optimize your video. 

• Title: The title of your video should be short and appealing, making it clear to the user what they will be watching;
• Description: It’s essential to add a description, giving more details about the content of the video;
• IGTV Series: This acts as a playlist. If you don’t have one already, the option will appear to add to a series or to create your first series. Just click on the title and add a description. 
• Post a preview: In this step, you can choose to add a preview to your profile and feed on Instagram. The preview can be up to 1 minute long; 
• Edit the profile cover: This will be how the image will appear on your feed. You can select which part of the video you’d like to show in your feed and hit save;  
• Facebook and Watch: Finally, you select if you’d like to share the video on Facebook, too.  

Important: Everything ready? Just tap Post. But go over each step to make sure everything is ok. After being posted, there’s no way to change the video, only the title, and description. 

7 tips to stand out with IGTV

We’ve prepared a few tips that will help you create quality content and stand out on IGTV. Check them out:

1. Think of a subject matter you master

To make a good video, you need to know a lot about the topic you have chosen to approach.

Remember that the focus of IGTV is to enable everyone to create content and that this content takes a deeper dive. This means that there will be more competition, and people will not spend their time watching tiring, shallow videos.

That’s why you have to pick a subject you master to show credibility and become an authority on this topic.

2. Follow a script

To create a complete, professional-looking video, it is essential to write a script before you record.

Besides being an effective way of keeping the content linear and sequential, with a script you don’t run the risk of forgetting about important information.

As you cannot upload videos at the same time you record them, you will have time to prepare the content, highlight significant information and think of all the tools you will use to record your videos.

3. Use professional equipment

If the idea is to stand out on IGTV, you can’t make average videos, with low resolution or a lot of noise.

Users tend to give up watching videos that are not in good quality in audio and image, as this makes it difficult to understand the content.

That’s why it’s a good idea to use professional cameras and microphones. But we know it’s not always possible to invest in these tools, especially when you’re just starting out.

The good news is that most smartphones come with advanced resources nowadays, and if this is your case, then it’s OK to use your mobile to record your videos.

Don’t forget to record them vertically, OK?

4. Edit your videos

Long-form videos usually need to be edited, be it to correct something or to make them more dynamic and interesting.

You need to provide the viewers with a pleasant and relevant experience.

That’s why you have to make the best of the editing to cut wrong or unnecessary lines, adjust audio, add soundtrack and sound effects, links, and tag other profiles. In short, to do everything in your power to make your content as pleasant as possible.

5. Promote your videos on Instagram itself

IGTV is a brand-new tool that many people still don’t know.

To get views and engagement in your videos, promote what you have posted on your own Instagram profile. Therefore, people who are interested in what you share will know about the new and exclusive content that is waiting for them on IGTV.

Both apps are completely integrated, so your followers will be able to view the new videos by clicking on the icon inside their Instagram profile.

6. Know your audience’s interests

Like all content in a marketing strategy, your IGTV videos need to meet your niche’s interest demand. 

And to do so, it’s necessary to know your audience and the market in which you are inserted. 

So, study the market carefully; use the collected data that will help you understand your audience’s habits. 

Use themes that are hot among your audience and that relate to your brand in some way. 

7. Keep an eye on the metrics

Instagram is increasingly alert to the insights that content has on the platform. And paying attention to this data is indispensable for any type of post. 

Certain metrics are crucial in a campaign and for IGTV. You can track them directly on the platform:

• Reach
• Likes
• Engagement
• Profile visits
• Discoveries

Tracking this and other data is key to understanding how audiences behave regarding your IGTV videos, and to understanding how your campaign is performing.

The best types of videos for posting

IGTV is a versatile tool. Entrepreneurs, digital influencers, and all types of businesses can take advantage of its features.    

The secret is to produce the right content and keep things in line with the tastes of your persona. In the list below, you’ll find the best types of videos for you to get started producing and posting on your channel. 

1. Teasers

You know those little clips put out to create expectations and buzz among the public? These are called teasers. On IGTV, you can use them when releasing or announcing a new product or service, or when posting sections of the videos you’ve already posted on YouTube or on other platforms. Since these are so easy to produce, the sky’s the limit.   

2. Tutorials

The other type of content that has been a hit on IGTV so far are tutorials. The goal of these is to teach the user how to do something or how to use a product/service offered by your business. 

In addition to helping those who are looking to learn or solve a problem, video tutorials create a real connection with your audience, as long as you are effectively helping them. With one video, you can help your audience and become an authority in the market.  

3. Reviews

Reviews are among the top types of videos on YouTube, so it’s only natural for this type of video to become a success on IGTV. 

It’s a great way to engage with your audience because it’s basically you presenting a summary of a product or service. It could be about games, sports, films, books, products, online tools, etc.  

A review should be impartial, presenting both the positive and negative aspects, and topping it off with your perspective about the topic while keeping a friendly tone.  

4. Webinars

A Webinar is like an online class or talk. It’s a great format to post on IGTV, whether it’s complete or in small clips up to 10 minutes long.   

Webinars are a way to offer rich content for your audience and in this way, capture potential customers for your business. Since IGTV allows you to put links in the description of the video, you won’t have any problems directing people to your landing page and collecting new leads.

We hope you have enjoyed this new feature, and start using it soon! If your idea is to use this social media to promote your business, then also check out our post on how to sell on Instagram.

After posting your IGTV videos, don’t forget to ask your audience for feedback. That’ll be key to helping you when making more videos. 

5. Interview

This is a traditional TV format, and it hasn’t lost its importance on the web. It always allows an expert to talk about a subject and this adds greater authority and credibility to the brand and, of course, to the profile.

An interview can be conducted with employees and guests who are experts. It’s always a good idea to invite customers also.

6. Product Demonstration

Product demonstration videos are a great way of showing your audience how to use your product or service and what its functions are.

It can be in a tutorial format or a talk by an expert. Unboxing is another way of showing the product and how it works in the hands of a typical user, which brings the brand even closer to its audience.

For all of these reasons, IGTV is a great tool for your marketing strategy. It’s easy to use, and Instagram gives it great prominence on the social platform, besides reaching many more people than other post formats.

And if your idea is to use this social platform to promote your business, you can also check out our post on how to advertise on Instagram.

This post was originally written in November 2019 and updated to contain additional complete and accurate information.