Watch out, YouTube. There’s a new kid in town. In case you missed it, Instagram recently released their highly anticipated new app, IGTV. But, what is IGTV and how do you use it? More importantly, how will it impact marketers? In order to help you get acquainted with this bold new app, we came up with a marketer’s guide to IGTV. So, without further ado, let’s jump in!
What is Instagram’s IGTV?
IGTV stands for Instagram TV. It’s an app that works in tandem with Instagram and allows users to watch, upload, and edit long-form videos. These vertical videos can be up to one-hour long and provide Instagram users with a unique and interactive experience. Without surprise, marketers are jumping at the chance to release long-form content via Instagram, which has become a juggernaut social media platform within the past several years. The app features suggested videos as well as content that your friends have posted. Much like YouTube, it features channels that allow users to keep up with their favorite content creators on a new and refreshing platform.
How is this Different from YouTube?
From the surface, the app seems strikingly similar to YouTube’s Long-form content, channels, personalized content; but IGTV offers a unique experience in the sense that its video content is more social compared to YouTube. Since it works hand-in-hand with Instagram, users are able to easily keep track of videos made by their friends and favorite influencers. Also, aesthetically, the content is viewed only vertically, which means it’s designed to be used on mobile, allowing users to easily capture and post.
How Do You Use It?
When developing a marketer’s guide to IGTV, we knew it was essential to offer a step-by-step tutorial on how to use the new app. Thankfully, the app is incredibly intuitive.
Step 1: Download
If you’ve ever operated a smartphone before, odds are you know the drill. Simply go to your App Store or other similar portals and search “IGTV”. The app is roughly 143.1 MB and takes moments to download. For iPhones, it requires iOS 9.0 or later to use.
Step 2: Login
Needless to say, you’ll need an Instagram account to proceed from here. Simply login with your regular Instagram information. In most cases, you will be logged in automatically, but take note of your login information just in case.
Step 3: Play Around
Once logged in, you will instantly be exposed to the app’s beautiful interface. From here, take a few moments to explore and play around. You’ll notice a menu of sorts, allowing you to swipe left and right to access different ways to access content. The categories include: “For You,” “Following,” “Popular,” and “Continue Watching”. Most of these are self-explanatory. “For You” is content that is recommended for you based on who you follow on Instagram. “Popular” features content that is currently trending. And, of course, IGTV allows you to like, comment, and share for all videos on the app.
Step 4: Create Channel
Creating your own channel is easier than ever compared to similar apps. Simply tap on the gear symbol on the right side of the screen, then “Create Your Channel”. The app will walk you through how to set up your new channel from here. You can also create a channel on the Instagram app by tapping on the IGTV icon on the upper right-hand corner after updating to the most current version of Instagram. You’ll be prompted to “send” with an airplane icon and then simply click on the gear symbol once more to set up your channel.
Step 5: Create Content
After setting up your channel, now it’s time to start creating and uploading your own unique content. You’ll be given an option to upload videos straight from your camera roll. For most users, you’re only allowed to upload content that’s between 15 seconds and 10 minutes long. Once you gain followers, you’ll then be able to expand up to an hour. From there, the sky’s the limit!
How Will IGTV Affect Marketers?
It isn’t news that social media content has been shifting towards videos for years now, and IGTV offers an exciting new way to share and watch content relevant to our interests. It’s also another way for marketers to reach audiences between the ages of 18 and 34, which is the main demographic for Instagram. This is an important group. In fact, most marketers now consider this demographic to be the main decision-makers in the country. For marketers, IGTV provides a new platform to reach audiences and make an impact through fun and engaging content. However, with any new platform, it’s essentially the wild west when it comes to marketing. It’s unknown how receptive people will be to advertisements on this platform. In many ways, we have to play our cards conservatively since there’s very little analytics to support any major strategies, but if IGTV is as successful as Instagram, it’s exciting to imagine the opportunities to come.
How Can Marketers Use IGTV to Promote Brands?
So, how can marketers put this new app to use? In reference to a study conducted by the Pew Research Center, Instagram is the second most used app by teens behind YouTube. Furthermore, the app is also used by older audiences, making it a truly diverse platform. IGTV allows marketers to further funnel this wide spectrum of demographics into solid conversions. Now brands have the unique opportunity to create long-form content for audiences in a more social setting. Also, since IGTV is new, brands have free reign to take advantage of a platform that’s not overly bombarded with advertisements. Early marketing users are able to use the platform to expand their community, test out new ideas, and improve their overall engagement. For years now, Instagram has been making efforts to allow consumers to easily learn about brands and link to make off-app purchases, but industry trends are now leaning toward in-app conversions. If IGTV follows suit, this will allow audiences to easily learn about product services and make purchases, all without leaving the app.
If you would like to learn more about other marketing updates and opportunities, keep an eye on our monthly blog! At Versa Creative, we strive to dream boldly and make an impact through engaging, results-driven content. Talk to a representative today!
