You See Me Scrollin’: IGTV

Millennials are watching less actual TV than ever in favour of mobile video, with an estimated 47% of the demographic watching zero content through traditional TV platforms. Social media strongarm Instagram has responded to this mobile-first generation with IG TV.

An in-app extension to the platform, combining the addictiveness of scrolling
through YouTube videos with that of scrolling through the Instagram news feed. It’s a perfect storm of content and a wonderland for both users and creators alike.

With Instagram already the primary platform for brands and influencers, IG TV has presented the opportunity and solution to tell their story in more detail, holding the attention span of their audience for longer, engaging with them more deeply.

The platform is accessible to both sides of the relationship, making it easy to share messages, ideas and opinions. It champions vertical video, so there’s no need to turn devices to the side to watch in full screen, and it’s simple to create and publish content — with its optimal video dimensions being that of a smartphone camera.

Furthermore, unlike Instagram stories, where comments and reactions are sent via direct message and visible only to the publisher, viewers can leave visible comments, opening the floor up for conversation and public engagement.

The platform also auto-plays as soon as the app is open, working much like the discover page on Instagram, users will be fed an endless supply of videos based on previous content they’ve engaged with, giving content creators a new opportunity to organically reach a new relevant audience.

Big brands obviously were the first to jump on the new feature and test its power, with innovative campaigns such as Bacardi’s “Life Moves” project. The rum company teamed up with dance duo siblings Les Twins to create a fan-directed music video; A full-length video comprised of shorter clips voted for by the fans in Instagram polls, then debuted on IGTV.

Meanwhile, Netflix celebrated the 60-minute video limit to play a full hour of actor Cole Sprouse eating a burger, and fashion brands across the globe instead opted for practicality, finding a new home for their runway shows.

Much like stories, IGTV is a chance for brands to get experiment a little more, and get a little weirder — but with more time to do so. Influencers, naturally, are hitting the platform in droves, expanding opportunities for brand collaborations.

The platform is infantile, but we’re excited to see where it leads. At this stage, there are no ads, so it really is a purposeful brand-building tool; a chance for brands and influencers to further solidify relationships with their audience through longer, more meaningful, or at least entertaining, content.