Instagram is officially pushing into longform horizontal video with a new test of format options called Features, according to a recent announcement. The Verge reports that Instagram head Adam Mosseri and VP of product Tessa Lyons detailed the strategy in a six-and-a-half-minute widescreen clip, marking a shift for the platform.
Key takeaways
- Instagram is rolling out a small test of longform widescreen video in the US and testing it with creators in Brazil.
- Platform boss Adam Mosseri previously resisted longform content due to concerns about user connections and sharing.
- The company launched an Instagram TV app late last year that now operates across Amazon Fire TV, Google TV, Samsung TV, and Apple TV.
- Additional tools under test include clip pointers to full videos, Reel series creation, and better live video discovery.
What is longform widescreen video on Instagram?
Instagram is testing horizontal video formats called Features in the US and with select creators in Brazil, as shared by Instagram spokesperson Megan Buckley. Mosseri noted in a discussion with creators Samir Chaudry and Colin Rosenblum that the team wants shortform and longform video to be symbiotic. Formats like podcasts or comedy specials can span full-length pieces while also being chopped into shorter clips.
How do Instagram video updates fit the TV app expansion?
The push toward horizontal video follows the late-last-year release of the Instagram TV app. That application started as a pilot for Amazon Fire TV devices in the US before expanding to Google TVs, Samsung TVs, and Apple TV. Earlier this year, the TV app added the ability to watch Stories, building up the platform's presence on living room screens.
What happens next?
Users in the US and select creators in Brazil will see the initial trials of Features as the platform evaluates how horizontal formats affect sharing and engagement. Mosseri acknowledged past hesitations about longer content reducing likes and shares between friends, but the current testing phase will determine how creators use series of Reels, long clips, and improved live video discovery moving forward.
Frequently asked questions
Instagram is calling the new push into longform horizontal video formats Features.
According to Instagram spokesperson Megan Buckley, the test is expanding to the US and is active with some creators in Brazil.
Adam Mosseri was concerned that longform video would reduce likes and shares because users might watch lengthy clips instead of sending Reels, photos, and carousels to friends.
The Instagram TV app supports Amazon Fire TV devices in the US, Google TVs, Samsung TVs, and Apple TV.
Instagram is testing clips that point to long videos, a way for creators to make a series of Reels, and improvements for live video discovery.
Based on reporting by The Verge. Read the original article
