Instagram Tests Videos Up to 90 Minutes Long, with Horizontal Format to Compete with YouTube
Instagram is testing features for long horizontal videos and Instagram for TV to target content creators and increase watch time.
Translated by Qiyas from الجريدة — Original source
The initiative targets podcast creators, comedians, and other creators who produce content longer than traditional Reels.
Instagram is testing a new format for long-form videos called “Features,” which allows a select group of content creators to publish horizontal videos up to 90 minutes long, in a move aimed at linking short Reels to full podcast episodes and video series.
After piloting the new format with content creators in Brazil, Instagram has begun expanding the test to tens of thousands of creators in the United States, as part of a strategy to increase the time users spend watching videos on the platform.
The Features feature targets podcast creators, comedians, and other creators who produce content longer than traditional Reels, which typically last up to three minutes, according to a report published by Digital Trends and reviewed by Arabi Business.
Tessa Lyons, Vice President of Product at Instagram, explained that the feature will allow users to tap on a short podcast clip that interests them and then be taken directly to the full episode or associated long-form video.
These videos will also appear in recommendations within the Explore section and other areas of the platform, enabling users to discover long-form content through short clips.
Instagram does not require these videos to be published exclusively on its platform; content creators can publish the same clips on other services.
Current ad placements will continue to appear within long-form videos, and the company confirmed it will help content creators who currently lack brand partnerships find new opportunities for advertising collaborations.
Although the Features feature will work on mobile phones, Instagram is also aiming to bring the long-form video viewing experience to larger screens, recognizing that extended horizontal content is better suited for television viewing.
In this context, the platform is betting on Instagram for TV, already available on Samsung TVs and Fire TV and Google TV platforms, while expanding its reach to include Apple TV devices.
The company aims to make watching long-form videos part of the home entertainment experience, rather than restricting Instagram use to browsing short clips on mobile phones.
Alongside the Features feature, Instagram is testing another feature called “Series,” designed to provide a dedicated space for sequential Reels episodes on creators’ profiles, amid growing interest in short dramas known as “micro-series.”
The company plans to test the Series feature in additional countries, targeting a launch in the United States by the end of this year or early next year.
In a separate test, Instagram is also piloting the display of live streams within the Reels tab, with the ability to suggest these streams to users who do not follow the account broadcasting the content.
This test began in Indonesia and Brazil, with plans to expand it to the United States next year.
These steps reflect a clear direction in Instagram’s strategy, which relies on using short clips to attract users to longer content, thereby increasing the total time they spend watching videos on the platform.
By combining short Reels clips, podcasts, and long horizontal videos, alongside expanding into television screens, Instagram aims to compete with YouTube in the digital video market, where the Google-owned platform has long solidified its presence.
