IGTV Rebranded: Instagram Video Takes Over

Instagram Consolidates Video Formats, Retiring the IGTV Brand

Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, recently indicated a strategic shift away from its origins as a photo-sharing platform. The company is now prioritizing video content in response to growing competition from platforms like TikTok and YouTube.

Introducing “Instagram Video”

Instagram is now unifying its video offerings by merging IGTV’s long-form videos with standard Instagram Feed videos under a single banner: “Instagram Video.” This move aims to create a more cohesive user experience.

Users will discover these videos, regardless of length, within a dedicated “Video” tab on their profiles. This centralizes all non-Reels video content in one easily accessible location.

A fullscreen viewing mode will be activated by simply tapping anywhere on a video within the Instagram feed. Users can then continue browsing for more video content or return to their previous feed.

Reels Remain Separate

Despite these changes, Instagram’s short-form video platform, Reels, will continue to operate independently. It will not be integrated into the new “Instagram Video” feed.

The Decline of IGTV

Prior to this consolidation, IGTV had been experiencing a decline in usage. Instagram removed the dedicated orange IGTV button from its home page in early 2020 due to limited engagement.

Data from Sensor Tower indicated that, as of August 31, 2021, the standalone IGTV app had approximately 18 million installs globally. Previously, in 2020, only around 7 million of Instagram’s billion-plus users had downloaded the app.

While IGTV content was often discovered through Feed previews, the standalone app was criticized for creating clutter and confusion. It ultimately failed to achieve widespread adoption.

IGTV App Rebranded

The IGTV app itself will not be discontinued. Instead, it will be rebranded as “Instagram Video” and will serve as a host for the newly formatted “Instagram Video” content, alongside Instagram Live broadcasts. Reels will not be included.

Uploading videos, excluding Reels, will remain the same: users can access the “Post” option via the plus (+) icon in the top-right corner of the Instagram home screen. Videos can be up to 60 minutes long.

New Upload Features

Instagram is also introducing new editing tools, including trimming capabilities, filters, and options for tagging people and locations, to enhance the upload process.

Video Previews and Advertising

Longer videos will continue to display 60-second previews in the Feed, consistent with previous functionality. However, videos eligible for advertising will maintain a 15-second preview length.

“IGTV Ads” will be renamed “In-Stream video ads” as part of these changes. Creators will still be able to monetize their longer videos, and brands can continue utilizing the format.

Instagram’s revenue-sharing tests with creators will also remain in effect. However, videos intended for boosting to a wider audience must be 60 seconds or less in duration.

Continued Sharing Options

Creators can still share their videos to Instagram Stories and through Direct Messages.

A Streamlined Video Experience

Instagram’s objective is to provide a more simplified video experience. By maintaining Reels as a separate entity, the app differentiates content based on length. This strategy mirrors YouTube’s approach to TikTok with its dedicated YouTube Shorts platform.

The updates are being rolled out globally to both iOS and Android devices, beginning today.

Updated 10/5/21, 2:10 p.m. EDT with additional estimates from Sensor Tower.