Video is becoming increasingly important in digital marketing. Video enables brands to better communicate with consumers and offers a clear way to get a message across. Consumers already interact with video content online on a daily basis, with shoppers around the globe consuming nearly 1 billion hours of YouTube content per day. It comes as no surprise then that digital competitors of YouTube are creating new options for digital marketers. IGTV, or Instagram TV, is a brand-new option out there for marketers. What is IGTV and how can brands capitalize on it to spread brand awareness?
What is Instagram TV (IGTV)?
On June 20, 2018, Instagram CEO Kevin Systrom announced that Instagram TV would be available to all users. IGTV is a long-form video app that is accessible within the Instagram app and debuted over the course of several weeks for users on Android and iPhone devices. Anyone can upload videos; all of which appear as full-screen, vertical videos with a maximum length of one hour per video. In the same announcement, Instagram noted it now has 1 billion users, placing it third behind YouTube and trailing Facebook at the top.
Read More: The Ins & Outs of Instagram Lead Generation
How Can IGTV Help with Branding?
The greatest benefit that businesses can enjoy from the growth of video marketing is the simplicity with which video content can be created and shared with followers. While many of the videos available on YouTube are highly polished and edited to look “perfect,” the same effort isn’t required with the new IGTV feature from Instagram. The goal isn’t providing some idealized presentation of a product, but rather, to simply spread the word. Just because IGTV doesn’t require polishing, doesn’t mean it should be approached without some extra thought though. Here are a few tips to keep in mind before getting started:
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Although the maximum length is one hour of video content, only those users with a large following have access to this upload length. All Instagram users get 10-minute video length to start with, which is plenty. Just keep the time constraints in mind.
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Videos can bolster your branding because each one is uploaded with a description. Before simply posting a video, take the time to add some links to products and landing pages in the description to drive additional traffic.
What Should the Focus Be in Creating Video?
For those brands creating video content to use on IGTV, it’s important to remember that there should still be a focus to video content. Here are a few steps to follow when generating video content to distribute on IGTV:
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Deliver value: Make sure the video content has a purpose. Offer value to consumers through insight, tips, strategies or general wisdom that fits the brand.
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Be entertaining: Don’t take it too seriously! Deliver some joy and humor through the videos. It humanizes the brand.
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Create awareness: Make sure videos share what the business actually does, introduce leadership and employees, and share what those people believe the true value of the company’s services/products are.
Read More: 5 Powerful Tips to Make Your Videos Convert
Future of IGTV
IGTV very well may prove to be on the cutting edge of video content marketing going forward. While videos are limited at this time to 10 minutes for all Instagram users and one hour for those with large followings, the plan is to eventually provide all users with unlimited video lengths. This could challenge the status of traditional TV, even YouTube, and give brands unlimited access to consumers without having to pay for ad spots in the process.