Instagram strikes again! Just as it hit one billion monthly active users, the social media giant launched their latest video-sharing platform: IGTV (Instagram TV) in June 2018.
IGTV is a new entertainment feature within the Instagram app (as well as having its own standalone app) that allows users to share videos of up to 10 minutes long (and an hour for established accounts) through their own IGTV channel.
Quite similar to Youtube, you may think! And yes, some might say stepping into a long-form content outlet is an adventurous move for Instagram, when short, on-the-go visual content like Instagram Stories has worked so well for them. But it’s all part of Facebook's plan to lure viewers over from YouTube to their own offerings.
So what are the general benefits and features? The biggest benefit of IGTV is that it’s linked to your Instagram account and will carry all your followers over to your new channel.
Feature-wise, followers can comment while watching videos (like Facebook Live), content will autoplay in users’ feeds and they can filter through videos based on categories such as ‘For You’, ‘Popular’, ‘Following’ and ‘Continue Watching’.
So you know what IGTV is, but how can it benefit your business?
As mentioned, you don’t need to put any time and effort into building an entirely new base of followers on this new outlet or learning the ins and outs of a new platform. The followers you gain through campaigns on Instagram will automatically be notified whenever you post content on IGTV too.
Having the ability to publish longer videos to your followers means more options and more freedom. It means you can forget the stress of getting the perfect video in under 3 minutes, and start sharing your brand message and knowledge with users without limits (we’re thinking expert vlogs will work pretty well for people using their phones on their daily commute!). The best part? You don’t have to tell users to ‘swipe up’ or ‘click the link’ because there’s no need to leave the app!
IGTV also allows you to post videos from a desktop, so videos you’ve enlisted a production company to produce can also be shared easily.
So let’s have a look at what kind of videos you can now share through IGTV:
Explainer Videos
Explainer Videos describe and promote one of your products or services to make it accessible and more digestible for your customers.
Motion graphics are mainly used on Instagram for product ads, event promos, etc. There’s not a lot of room there for a more extensive video with scripted voiceover – IGTV will be the place for that. You can post a teaser on your Instagram profile or story and link to the full explainer on IGTV to provide more in-depth information.
Company Profile / Meet the Team Videos
Similar to Testimonials, Company Profile videos don’t always lend themselves to very short durations. In these kinds of videos, you want to be able to talk about your services, show your expertise and introduce the people of your company, to create a connection with viewers and build engagement.
Some Company Profile videos almost have a documentary style: businesses open their doors and show how things are carried out behind the scenes, talking about their approach and their work ethic.
These videos can suffer from a short duration, as you don’t want to rush the pace too much. The more you let the interviews and content unwind, the more the human aspect will come through to the audience.
Testimonials & Case Studies
Testimonials are always great to create interest and impress potential clients.
You might have seen businesses on Instagram posting testimonial quotes as pictures, but this content is not always very appealing and convincing. Having the person on camera creates a much more genuine result and is by far more effective. And if you’re looking to post a more extensive Case Study video, you might find that one minute just isn’t enough.
By posting your Testimonials on IGTV, your speaker will be able to share their experience in a conversational and natural way, avoiding a rushed, overly edited or contrived message.
Tutorials and Vlogs
IGTV can also be a great place to share your knowledge and educate your audience. Social media is great for ‘meeting’ your clients at the touch of a button, to informally discuss news, updates, doubts, services and share your expertise. Seeing you or your staff talking to camera will immediately trigger engagement in the viewer, as well as a sense of trust.
You could, for example, create some vlogs and talk viewers through a particular update in your market, or make a tutorial where you teach them how to use your latest product. Your audience will feel like you’re offering a free service and lending your time to them, so this is a great way of building a strong connection.
Most tutorials businesses have shared on Instagram have been short clips or stop-motion videos with text or vlogs which were mostly shared through stories where they would disappear after 24 hours.
Now, you have the time to talk your viewer through any process or topic step-by-step. Your video will not disappear as a story would, meaning you can keep all your vlogs on your channel like episodes of a series. Prepare to get everyone hooked!
Looking to kickstart your IGTV with a video content strategy? Contact a member of our team today to discover what Together Video can do for you!