The brand new IGTV (Instagram TV) has taken the internet by storm the past week after Instagram announced it’s latest bid for domination of the social media space (and seriously take on YouTube as the king of video – watch out, YT!).
So what’s new? What makes it such a big deal?
IGTV is a separate app that links to your Instagram account. You create vertical videos and upload them to the app, or do live videos (as we have gotten used to by using the Instagram ‘Stories’ feature).
The key features are:
- Long-form videos! You can upload videos up to 10 minutes long on smaller accounts (as opposed to 1 minute on Instagram/Stories) and larger accounts can upload videos up to an hour long.
- When you go to IGTV, you are shown videos from accounts you follow first (as opposed to Instagram suggesting videos it thinks you may like).
- This app has been created to help empower ‘content creators’ (those big-deal influences on social media who make epic sh*t that makes you want to follow/like/subscribe to all their content).
- But it’s not just for the content creators. With IGTV, anyone (or any business) can essentially have their own ‘TV channel’. Betcha didn’t think that would happen 5 years ago! (I don’t think anyone did – except maybe Mark Zuckerberg).
What with the decline in traditional TV consumption and decline in advertising dollars being spent on traditional TV – thanks to disruptive technologies (like Netflix and Amazon) and the increase in consumption of online video content (that is also proven to be much more engaging than static content/imagery) – IGTV is poised to be another disrupter and game-changer in the world of video.
For more info on the technicalities of how IGTV works, check out this great guide.
So why should you and your business care?
Even though I believe businesses should only use the social media platforms that are right for their business and audience, IGTV is going to be an incredible way for many businesses to get their story, content and products or services out into the world.
IGTV will help empower businesses – as long as they take the opportunity to use this platform as a way to showcase their content in long-form.
How could your business utilize IGTV?
Video is not just for humor/entertainment and viral ‘challenges’ like the ice bucket challenge. Ways in which businesses could integrate IGTV into their content strategy include:
- Tutorials
- How-to’s
- Behind the scenes looks into your company or life
- Q and A’s
- Live video
- New product updates / launches
- Trainings
- Information and ‘value bombs’
- Vlogging
- And so much more!
Businesses who don’t seriously consider the opportunity of IGTV are going to fall behind (and may seriously regret not ‘jumping on the bandwagon’ a lot sooner!)
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