Instagram came up with an IGTV section to compete with Youtube but unfortunately, it failed to overtake the main video-sharing platform. A couple of years later, TikTok appeared, which broke all records for sites. Basically, IGTV stands for Instagram TV. Is a section of Instagram and an application with the same name, where users can share videos from 1 to 60 minutes long.
The duration of IGTV video is its main difference from Instagram stories and videos. And if earlier the users could go to IGTV by hitting a special button located on the main Instagram page, then in 2020 the button was removed as, according to the developers, the icon wasn’t often used.
Now, IGTV videos are available only on the users’ pages or in the IGTV application. An IGTV profile is always associated with an Instagram profile, so even when downloading the app, you don’t need to register a new account – you will be logged in with your IG account (with the same username and password).
Table of Contents
Why upload videos to IGTV?
IGTV videos cannot be considered the only channel for communication with the target audience, but they can suit your marketing strategy and Facebook and TikTok. The video cover is also quite important here. It is a JPG or PNG file (with the minimum recommended resolution of 492 x 762 pixels).
Ideally, your IGTV feed should be as visually appealing as your Instagram profile. Therefore, it is better to design striking and unique covers that will lure people to your content, let them watch it, and share it afterward. Moreover, you don’t need design skills to create a stunning picture, as various tools offering ready-made solutions exist on the web.
If, for instance, your Instagram profile is furnished with beauty products, and you aim at promoting them utilizing IGTV, beauty business professional designs are your go-to in this case. Various formats will grab attention and tell the user what the post, story, or video is about. Besides, if a subscriber goes to a brand or an expert’s profile and then clicks on the IGTV section, the cover will help navigate and choose the video that suits the topic.
Create a channel and share videos with IGTV
There are three main ways to create a channel:
- via the IGTV application (available on Google Play or App Store) in your smartphone; ● via Instagram from your smartphone app; ● via Instagram.com from your computer.
Do not forget to check the file requirements before uploading a video to IGTV. The video format should be vertical or horizontal. Duration: from 1 to 60 minutes. It should be MP4 and up to 3.6GB.
Content Ideas
The most common question is what to upload to IGTV. Everything is up to your imagination, but here we will share some ideas with you.
- Reviews on products
Review the products: show the packaging, explain the usage, and share your own opinion about the product.
Highlight new items and be sure that your description of the video has the links to these products.
- Lessons and lectures
Conduct online lessons or online lectures. To understand what users are interested in, analyze frequently asked questions, and study comments on competitors’ videos. Another format of educational videos is to talk about complex things in simple words, explain some phenomena, and help to understand the topic.
- Interview with experts
It is popular today to interview interesting people, celebrities, and bloggers. Influencers or eminent experts are great at engaging an audience. It became much easier to conduct interviews with live broadcasts for two. Now you don’t need to meet with the influencer in person, just make a joint broadcast and ask all the questions via video.
- Weekdays of the company and backstages
It is always curious to know what is going on behind the scenes. How the company lives, how the work process takes place, and how the employees look. Feel free to show the company’s everyday life on IGTV.
- Live broadcasts on the particular topic
The format is loved by all celebrities, influencers, and experts. Live is an opportunity to speak directly with your audience, answer questions, share news, and discuss something important.
How to attract viewers to IGTV
There are two ways of announcing a new video on IGTV:
- Publishing a post – you will get a 15-second video preview in your profile. Such posts will be marked with a special IGTV badge, and the users will be able to watch a full video after hitting the Continue Watching button.
- Make a story with a link to the IGTV video – at the bottom of the screen users will see a “pointer” to swipe up and get into IGTV. All videos will also be saved in the IGTV tab and will automatically appear on the channel in the IGTV app.
Conclusions
We probably shouldn’t compare IGTV to YouTube and TikTok. They are different social networks, with different formats, approaches, and tasks. Nevertheless, video content is now considered the most popular and viral, so shoot videos and record live broadcasts – it will definitely play into the hands of you and your brand.
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