Are you sitting on the fence when it comes to IGTV? Well there’s no better time to jump off than right now. Tech sleuth Jane Manchun Wong recently discovered a feature in the works that – if implemented – would be yet another reason to give Instagram’s video platform a serious look.
With the flick of a toggle button, IGTV users will be able to syndicate their content directly to Facebook and Facebook Watch, as well as post short previews to their regular IG feed. The potential move is just the latest in a long line of updates Instagram has added to make it easier than ever to get involved with IGTV.
Vertical Is Not To Be Missed
Tik Tok, Snapchat, Insta Stories – what do all of these have in common, besides the rapt attention of today’s young consumers? Vertical content! Vertical video is quickly becoming a powerhouse format – and it’s easy to see why. The majority of web traffic today comes from mobile phones, and as a result of the natural way we hold our devices, more people are both consuming and recording vertically. It was no surprise then, for example, when Instagram Stories became the fastest growing format in the platform’s history!
If you’re a brand looking to stay on the cutting edge, consider partnering with experts in this new and exciting format – influencers.
It’s Easier Than Ever Now
Vertical is here to stay, but traditional landscape videos still make up the majority of content online. But worry not, IGTV has your back. As of this year, creators can upload in either aspect ratio. That means brands who have already been working with landscape-based creators on other platforms can simply expand their presence to IGTV. And, remember – if IGTV’s new feature goes live, uploading to the platform is essentially a 2-for-1 with syndication directly to Facebook.
As a quick reminder, Instagram expanded its original content format – square images – to include pictures of varying sizes in 2015. It’s only natural that IGTV broaden its offering to accommodate a range of interests. Even YouTube is dabbling in vertical content now, so it clearly goes both ways!
There’s Plenty of Opportunity
We’re in the middle of a vertical boom, which means as a brand, there’s still room to plant your flag and quickly grow an audience. IGTV is currently number 159 on the Video and Photography section of the app store, which shows you how much room there is for growth. But don’t get comfortable – across the industry, vertical is gaining rapid momentum. TikTok has an estimated 500,000 daily users worldwide. In fact, some people estimate there were more TikTokers at this year’s VidCon than YouTubers!
A new crop of vertical-based content creators are on the rise – will you join them on their way to the top?
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Are you ready to dive in to vertical video? We’d love to chat! Drop us a line on any of our social channels, or email us at social@openinfluence.com.
Until next time.
