IGTV is still an incredibly new phenomenon, leading many to wonder whether their business should be using it. This is a complex question for which there is no one answer. Depending on your business, your marketing campaigns, and your company’s presence on Instagram, you may answer the question differently.
Whether or not you decide to use IGTV for your business now, it is important to know about the service for potential future campaigns. IGTV is a new platform, but it is generating a lot of buzz in the tech and media circles. In this article, we will introduce you to IGTV, its basic setup, and potential benefits. By the end, you should know whether your business should be using IGTV.
What Is IGTV?
IGTV is a unique platform. It is a vertical video app designed to standalone from Instagram itself. Videos are not limited to one minute in length, as with Instagram. Instead, videos uploaded to IGTV can be up to one hour long. IGTV is unlike other platforms, such as YouTube, in that it automatically begins playing video content as soon as you open the app. There is no need to search for content to watch if you already follow people and businesses on Instagram.
IGTV is designed with channels, similar to a traditional television setup. With IGTV, creators and channels are synonymous. Following a creator on Instagram causes their IGTV channel to show up for you to select. Any Instagram user can be a creator, uploading their own videos to IGTV to start their own channel. This makes IGTV a potentially powerful tool not just for individuals but also for businesses.
IGTV’s unique angle of focusing on vertical videos is meant to tap into the resurgence in this video format. For example,Facebook’s research indicates that users are more likely to watch vertical videos for longer periods of time when compared to traditional 16:9 format videos. It only makes sense that Instagram and other social networks would want to find ways to take advantage of this fact. Instagram is investing in the idea that vertical videos are about to experience a massive wave in popularity.Research indicates that Instagram, Facebook, and others are correct since more than half of all digital videos are currently viewed on mobile devices. This trend has been growing since at least 2013.
Is IGTV Right for Your Business?
IGTV is probably the best positioned social media platform when it comes to the evolution of vertical video. After the immense success of Instagram Stories, businesses have reason to believe that Instagram can build a customer base quickly. That said, IGTV is not without some of the problems that come with new platforms. These growing pains are major factors in deciding whether or not IGTV is right for your business.
Right now, IGTV is difficult because it is uncharted territory. It is currently a bit cumbersome to get Instagram followers to switch apps and watch videos outside Instagram Stories. IGTV currently lets users search for channels but not topics, making it more difficult to be discovered by users who do not already follow your business. This makes it much less likely that users will find a topic connected to your brand that leads them to your videos.
IGTV best fits businesses that are prepared to build up their video audiences along with a new platform. This means that businesses need to be creative and flexible. If your business has the resources and skills to devote to mastering IGTV, signs indicate it will eventually be a powerful tool. For now, it is difficult to recommend it to businesses without these caveats.