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Every time I update the apps on my smartphone, I am astonished to see the same apps with more attractive interfaces, fewer bugs, and newer features. A few days back, when I opened my Instagram account, I was astounded to see a new avatar of Instagram. Instagram had come up with IGTV (Instagram TV) for us! I was curious to learn how this new feature would make Instagram more fun for individuals and more profitable for businesses. We’re aware of how numerous brands are making the most out of social media for business, but I was confused as to how IGTV will help in this direction. Hence, after thorough and in-depth research, here’s what I found out about IGTV:
Vertical videos
Think of video telephony. There is no need for rotating your phone, which is why most of us like it. Similarly, watching vertical videos is fun. But, it should fit the dimensions of the screen correctly, isn’t it? Did you know that IGTV allows you to upload videos vertically? Yes, you heard it right. Of course, you can also upload videos horizontally, but for this, you first need to crop the video so that it positions on the screen appropriately.
Channels
For brands aiming to use social media for business, IGTV is the best option. Like YouTube channels, IGTV consists of channels too. Here, the IGTV channels are created by our favorite brands. If we follow the creator of any channel, then we will be able to watch all of their videos. Not to forget, you can create your IGTV channel too!
The IGTV content is housed in a unique format. Whenever you open your Instagram account, you will find three different features:
- Your story (that stays for 24 hours)
- Your feed (never goes off)
- Your IGTV channel (if you create one)
Long duration
If you have used Instagram, I’m pretty sure you might have discovered that the videos you share on Instagram are only a minute or so long. Besides, the videos we post on the Instagram story last for as short as ten seconds. But, IGTV has something more to offer. More the followers of a brand, the longer the duration of the brand videos can be.
Easy upload
IGTV’s feature of easy upload is like the icing on a cake. When you create your channel, a little image pops up on the top right of your screen. You will see ‘no videos yet’ written there. Right below, you will also see an ‘Upload Video’ option. If you tap on the upload video option, it will take you to the videos stored on your phone, from where you can select the desired video for upload.
Instagram is an all-in-one app that connects its users with friends and family. But what makes this once ‘photo-sharing app’ really simple yet powerful is that it helps influencers and brands to motivate, educate, and connect with their audience so personally. IGTV paves a new way for brands to use social media for business and understand their audience better.