28 Jun What is IGTV and how do I use it?
What is IGTV and how do I use it?
It’s been 5 years since Instagram began moving into video, allowing users to upload short, 15 second clips to their grid. Now, on 20th June, IGTV (Instagram TV) was launched, the platforms new long-form video sharing service.
On your classic Instagram feed, users can post videos that are a maximum of 60 seconds long (15 seconds in your Instagram stories), meaning vloggers need to get creative when editing! However, IGTV means they can now post videos up to an hour long!
How do I use it?
If you already have an Instagram account, and the app is installed on your phone, accessing IGTV is easy!
Simply open the app and look for the orange coloured TV icon in the top-right corner (if you don’t see it, you may need to update the app to the latest version).
By pressing the TV icon, you are taken to IGTV where videos from people you follow and ‘popular creators’ (celebrities etc.) will appear.
When you press the icon, it takes you to a navigation screen that features a search bar and four different categories: For You, Following, Popular, and Continue Watching.
You can swipe right to navigate through videos recommended to you based on who you already follow. Swipe down, and IGTV will continue playing the currently selected video.
If there is a certain content creator whose videos you want to see, you will be able to find these on their profile within the main Instagram app as well – an icon is included in the same place that story highlights are placed between the profile bio and the grid.
In an effort to make using it as simple as possible, Android and iOS users can also download a dedicated IGTV app, where videos will start playing automatically when the app is opened, much like turning on the TV. Also like TV, it has channels, but these channels are the creators.
Can I upload my own videos to IGTV?
Anyone can upload videos to IGTV, which will display them full-screen and vertical – this supposedly is to represent the way people actually use their phones, you won’t need to rotate your phone to watch landscape content! It’s worth bearing in mind that unless you’re already a largely followed Instagram ‘influencer’, your account will probably be restricted to ten-minute videos…for now.
To begin an upload to IGTV, simply click the cog icon once you are within the IGTV section.
You’ll be directed to create your own channel, and by following a few simple steps, a place for your videos (which is linked to your account) will be created.
Once you’ve created your channel, you can access it by clicking on your profile picture from the main IGTV screen. From there you can upload content from your video library.
It is worth remembering that at the moment IGTV does not include any features for the physical making of or editing of your video content, so you will need to record elsewhere and then upload to your camera roll.
Although users (who aren’t Instagram influencers already) will be limited to ten-minute videos for now, eventually Instagram wants to let all users post videos of unlimited length; hoping that one-day IGTV will one-day host complete ‘shows’ that can challenge traditional TV!
Can I make money from it?
YouTube has, for a long time, been a viable place for people to earn a living if you are prepared to put in hard work and dedication to get your channel to turn a profit.
Currently, there is no way to do the same with IGTV; Instagram has said it’s not paying for any content in the short-term, and it will initially launch with no ads. However, Instagram have also said that they do plan on eventually providing rewards for those who make more popular videos.
They want to promote the idea that ‘anyone can become famous through IGTV’.
Will IGTV be the future of video?
The new feature is still in its infancy, but as more and more people begin using it and get used to how it works, longer videos will no doubt start to appear. We believe once monetary compensation is brought into the mix, we will see more and more creators make use of it.