Instagram’s IGTV feature is getting removed for good! What does this mean for all you creatives? Well, it doesn’t mean the only way to make videos now is through Reels. In fact, IGTV isn’t necessarily getting removed, but more so getting absorbed by another feature. Today we’re discussing what this new feature is and what will happen to our hour long videos. If you didn’t notice the removal, now’s your time to catch up!
Why Is IGTV Being Removed?
Before we can get into what Instagram is doing now, we must discuss why this change is happening to begin with. When Instagram put their IGTV logo at the top right corner of the app, they were hoping to reach a broader audience. However, from the 2 years after its launch, only 1% of users were actually using the special button. So, in 2020, Instagram chose to drop the button that was on the homepage. After that, IGTVs could be reached with a tab on your profile.
In the past year, we see Reels making a bigger impact on Instagram than IGTV ever did. So, Instagram is finally retiring the IGTV feature. Because only 1% of users were actually using the feature, Instagram chose to close its doors on IGTV. In order to keep Instagram simple to use and easy to navigate, the IGTV feature has been cut from the whirlwind of features Instagram offers creatives.
What Does This Mean For Video Length?
One great thing about the IGTV feature is that it lets you post up to an hour long video and play a preview on your feed. So with IGTV gone, will we still be able to make these longer videos? YES! Since IGTV is being absorbed by Instagram Videos, the limit on videos will just change to a longer period of time. The best part about this is that posting these lengthier videos will be available for EVERYONE! You will also have the creative tools of trimming, adding filters, and tagging people and locations.
What About Saving Live Videos?
With IGTV, when you go live on Instagram, you have the option to save the video when it ends and post it on your IGTV tab. With IGTV retiring, the question we ask ourselves is concerning these recorded live streams. What it looks like at the moment is that yes, we can still share our Live Streams after it’s over. The only difference we’re really looking at here is the fact that they’ll post to your feed like a regular video would.
What Content Can I Still Post?
While IGTV is leaving, if you have any content on there, they will transfer over to your feed posts under a new Video tab. From the looks of it, all other features are staying the way they are. This means that there are still 4 different ways to create and share content on Instagram. These 4 features left are:
- Videos (normal videos and old IGTVs)
- Feed posts
- Reels
- Instagram Stories
This probably won’t be a big change for most of you, as only 1% of users would use IGTV. However, this is a great way to hop on the video bandwagon and start posting more videos as shareable content.
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