After nearly 3.5 years on the grind, Instagram has decided to discontinue IGTV. This decision was largely influenced by users as well as Instagram’s desire to improve the platform user experience. The general consensus was that IGTV was confusing, difficult to navigate, and troubling for creators to effectively adapt their day-to-day approach.
The following quote, pulled directly from Instagram's blog, says:
As a creator, I think there shouldn't be a divide between video formats on Instagram; feed video and IGTV should be just video. When a person is looking for content to watch online they're never specifically looking for long format or short format, they're just looking to watch videos and be entertained. I'm glad I now won't need to navigate to so many different surfaces to watch things on Instagram. — @henrytado
The Pivot
As with all social media, the best and most effective platforms adapt early and refine frequently. Gathering insight through a continual stream of analytics, a company like Instagram can follow the patterns and provide the necessary adjustments to enrich the user experience.
By combining IGTV with feed videos, renaming it Instagram Video, and retooling the application, Instagram has improved the functionality of their product. Even better, they’ve made it super easy to use. Creating a video tab and adding features like trimming, filters, and tagging are highly intuitive and purpose-driven.
What’s really interesting is that Instagram's chief, Adam Mosseri, is making a big emphasis on the pivot. No, not the Friends reference I just linked to but rather the decision of Instagram to shift their focus from photography to video. IGTV was created as an attempt to overtake Youtube as the primary vehicle for mobile viewing. The dream hasn’t been crushed and Instagram still believes that there is an opportunity to become the leading platform for mobile video consumption. They’ve determined to create an incentive for Creatives to utilize Instagram as their primary means of content creation.
Reels, Just Got Real
Instagram has just enabled creators to tag their products and enable them to be shoppable. This isn’t a new idea as their main competitor, TikTok has already implemented this tactic. That being said, taggable products are an amazing opportunity for companies that we represent! Selph Marketing believes that Taggable Products will be a powerful marketing tool and an opportunity for major conversion rates as Instagram continues to position itself for long-term success.
Also, an important note is that any video that has already been created and uploaded to TikTok and then repurposed on Instagram with the TikTok watermark will be removed from Instagram’s Explore Tab.
We know the value of time and the continued need to stay relevant. If you’re looking for an expert team of Social Media Marketers, look no further. Contact Selph Marketing today for any of your marketing needs!