IGTV can change the media sphere totally and influence the way we see social media and video production. In this post, we prove why it will happen soon.
Instagram was hardly an app for video some 5 years ago. People knew that the best app for this purpose was YouTube and kept using it to upload, watch, and share videos. However, the times have changed, and now we see that Instagram meets the YouTube challenge and is definitely going to win the digital race. Its audience keeps growing day by day and has already overtaken the point of 1 billion users. With the introduction of IGTV, the audience is going to grow even faster than now, enticing people from all the existing social media. And here is why.
Convenient videoplay
With IGTV, Instagram leaves YouTube behind because of a user-friendly videoplay:
· The videos are played automatically as soon as a user logs in. Moreover, the videos are not played randomly: they rate according to your preference. First, you will see the videos from the people you follow the most, and only after that – from bloggers you watch less.
· The swipe navigation makes it easier to shift the videos.
· The opportunity to continue watching from the moment you left off is very convenient.
Integration with all of the Instagram services
The IGTV supports all of the IG features like filters or stickers. Therefore, you can easily apply them to your videos. Besides, it can easily be linked with Facebook, so the user is able to share the video via messages. Such functionality thus makes it easier to broaden your audience if you are a blogger.
Usability for phone users
The new app is developed for those preferring to shoot or watch videos vertically. So, it doesn’t make you watch horizontal videos like YouTube does. Instead, it provides user-friendliness with an easy adaptation of the vertical video format. Thus, it is much easier not only to shoot but also to watch videos the way you like and find it convenient.
Instagram levels up the modern approach to mobile video and blogging. Now you don’t have to possess tons of expensive video equipment to shoot videos. All you need is a phone with a nice camera!
Availability in both Instagram and a separate app
The IGTV developers created the IGTV app with a definite purpose: to let the user choose. Now it’s up to you to decide what you want. You may prefer Instagram for watching short videos and posting photos or the IGTV app for spending hours on longer-form content.
No annoying advertisements
According to the words of Kevin Systrom, the co-founder and CEO of Instagram, the IGTV first-priority aim is to build engagement. That is why they don’t include any added options to the videoplay. So, the video won’t be suddenly interrupted by an ad, which is quite an attractive bonus for users. By the way, there is an option of cutting off the ad on YouTube, too, but it is not free.
Easy and fast monetization
For people who are on the other side of a screen, there is good news, too. Of course, the content creators are cut in earning profits because of the absence of advertisement. However, they may use an option to attract investors for earning money. And the IGTV does everything it can to promote interesting bloggers and make them more popular. If your video is informative, entertaining or educative, it will soon attract investors. Needless to say, first you must engage with other users, and only after that, you will be noticed by sponsors.
The expanded length of video content
The Instagram Stories feature was a breakthrough in the social media life. The possibility to share your everyday life with others in the form of 15-second videos appealed to thousands of new users. Then the format of stories was increased up to 1 minute. And now the possibility to shoot up to 1-hour video is incredible. It broadens all the creative potential of IG content makers. Now they are free to choose the format of the video they make: a video blog, a stand-up concert, an educational lecture about business, an art exhibition, etc. Therefore, the creative potential is limitless nowadays. The main thing is to find your own format.
So, what’s the future of YouTube and IG?
As you may see, Instagram is not just a platform for photo content sharing anymore. Instead, it is a strong base developed for phone users. IGTV is targeting the whole new generation because of its simplicity of form and usability. Convenient videoplay, integration with all of the Facebook and Instagram services, usability for phone users, the expanded length of videos and a possibility of fast monetization can’t but attract users who want to spend their time watching videos and those who want to earn some money. Moreover, Instagram is a visual platform where you can read expert texts of high quality. The content makers create text by themselves or sometimes use professional assignment service.
Apart from Instagram’s innovativeness and user orientation, YouTube loses many points because it has become a platform for earning money on digital content. But is it possible yet to build your audience there if you are young and unknown? Maybe yes, but it will surely be a tough challenge, as YouTube is over-saturated with popular video-bloggers, and it gets too hard to become famous. But IGTV is an entirely new and open space for ambitious and creative people. The introduction of IGTV has dramatically expanded the video world. So, it’s a great moment to catch the spell and join the new generation of bloggers – IGTV bloggers.
Author Bio: Kara Erhart is a professional team building coach, ethics teacher and content marketer with 5 years of experience. Follow her on Twitter.