According to The Hollywood Reporter, Instagram today began testing a new long-form horizontal video format with select creators in the U.S. Here are the details.
Every now and again, Instagram tries to go after YouTube with a new product. IGTV, for instance, was one of the social network’s attempts at competing in the long-form video space.
However, IGTV never really took off, and Instagram eventually phased it out as it shifted its focus to Reels.
Today, as reported by THR, Instagram kicked off a new attempt to compete with YouTube with Features, a new format that supports horizontal videos up to 90 minutes long.
Aimed at podcasters and other long-form creators, the feature has already been tested in Brazil and is now expanding to select creators in the U.S. It also lets them link shorter Reels to their full-length videos.
Starting Monday, Instagram will be launching a test of horizontal videos of up to 90 minutes with select creators in the U.S. The product, called Features, is aimed at podcasters, comedians and other longform creators, with the ability to refer viewers to the full video from the shortform reels on the platform, which are typically around three minutes or less.
The move comes at a time when social media feeds and recommendations are increasingly filled with short clips from stand-up comedy performances and video podcasts, giving users snippets of much longer shows and episodes.
With Features, Instagram seems to be looking to capitalize on that trend, turning those clips into a gateway to full-length episodes.
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