The mention of vertical videos, let alone taking them, can make any traditional videographer cringe (or worse puke his guts out). Regardless, vertical videos are here to stay. Embracing the very thing video creators scoffed at, Instagram has launched IGTV – a new dedicated app for long form, vertical video.
Before we get into the why of Instagram’s move, let’s explore why vertical videos are “a thing.”
Simple: mobile phones. The advent of mobile devices, twiddle-thumb culture and social media has inevitably birthed this initially-mocked video format. Why? Because it’s natural to hold our phones in a vertical orientation, and thus with a vertical orientated screen, visuals are more optimised.
It’s the same way how Instagram and Snapchat Stories work, and even content platforms like Netflix have embraced the format.
https://www.facebook.com/InstagramEnglish/videos/2021766097857435/
So, back to the development. Instagram announced IGTV at an event in San Francisco, featuring many of the Instagram’s popular creators.
The standalone IGTV app allows you to watch long-form, vertical videos but also accessible from within the Instagram app, by clicking on the IGTV icon.
How is IGTV different from run-of-the-mill Instagram then? For one, videos aren’t limited to one minute. In fact, they can be up to an hour long.
Also, Instagram says that using IGTV is like turning on the TV. Videos start playing as soon as you open the app. You don’t have to search to start watching content from people you already follow. Or even others you might like based on your interests.
You can swipe up to discover more. Switch between “For You,” “Following,” “Popular and “Continue Watching.”
Like Instagram, you can like, comment and also send videos to friends in Direct.
The creators you follow are “channels.” When you follow a creator on Instagram, their IGTV channel will show up for you to tune in.
To be a creator, there’s no special process nor requirement. Anyone can start creating vertical videos and be an IGTV creator. Go ahead, start now.
Instagram said in a Q&A with the press that IGTV will not feature any ads and it is, at the moment, focused on building engagement. However, ultimately it wants to allow creators to make a living on the service, so monetisation will happen sometime in the future.
Instagram sees competition to YouTube would ultimately benefit the video creator community in the long run. YouTube currently has over 1.8 billion users, while Instagram at 1 billion.
It’s interesting to note that 72 percent of US kids aged 13 to 17 years old use Instagram, second to YouTube at 85 percent. Facebook is becoming the social media platform for the aged, with only 51 percent of the aforementioned kids using the platform, down from 71 percent in 2014-2015.
This may be why Facebook, owners of Instagram, is hedging its bets on IGTV.
Is vertical video the future? It appears to be so.
IGTV will be rolling out globally over the next few weeks on Android and iOS.
Source: Instagram
