Instagram TV (IGTV) For Beginners

Instagram TV (IGTV) is the newest and most amazing feature in the social media platform, Instagram.

Instagram CEO Kevin Systrom announced Instagram TV (IGTV), which allows users to post videos that are 15 seconds to 10 minutes long. This is in direct competition with YouTube and Snapchat.

This is a massive move that will leverage the incredible base Instagram already has: 1 billion active users. Not only that, here are a handful of other facts you need to know about Instagram.

Quick Facts About Instagram

  • Instagram posts utilizing at least one hashtag receives 12.6 percent more engagement than posts without them.
  • There are 16,600,000 Google searches for Instagram per month.
  • Top brands post on average, at least 4.9 times per week.
  • Posts with a location get 79 percent more engagement.
  • Photos with faces get 38 percent more “likes.”
  • There are 25 million business profiles on Instagram.
  • Over 200 million users visit at least one business profile every day.
  • 80 percent of users follow a business profile.
  • Over 300 million users use Instagram stories daily.
  • In one month over 50 percent of businesses published an Instagram story.
  • 1/3 of the most viewed stories are posted by businesses.
  • Instagram will bring in $6.84 global mobile ad revenue in 2018.
  • 60 percent of the adults on the internet use Instagram.
  • Users “like” 4.2 billion posts per day.

How You Can Use Instagram TV (IGTV)

The possibilities with Instagram TV (IGTV) are endless. The most important action you can take right now is to create your own channel, post a video, and then post another video tomorrow.

It doesn’t have to be perfect, it just has to be uploaded and into the marketplace. You will get better over time and figure out what gets the most engagement from your followers and the community.

Here are 10 practical ideas of what to do with Instagram TV (IGTV):

  1. Showcase your company (offices, culture, luncheons, staff, location).
  2. Teach people something.
  3. Post longer videos about something adventurous or fun.
  4. Give a glimpse of your life or business behind the curtain.
  5. Share a lecture or class that you taught, especially if you have Q&A.
  6. Big announcements, whether personal or professional.
  7. Progress updates about your life, your diet, your travels, anything.
  8. Share your tips & tricks on how to DIY.
  9. Pets, people love pets.
  10. Something creative, fun, and exciting that is not on this list.

Technical Specs of IGTV

  • Videos can be uploaded to app or through the web.
  • Videos on IGTV can be uploaded to the Facebook Watch.
  • File size is up to 3.6GB, file type is .MP4, and video size is 9:16.
  • Video thumbnail & cover image format is .JPG.
  • You can browse videos that are categorized by, “For You,” “Following,” “Popular,” and “Continue Watching.”
  • Users can like or comment on videos.
  • Users can send videos to friends directly.
  • Any user can have his own channel (just like YouTube).
  • Videos are full screen and vertical.
  • Video length is 15 seconds up to 60 minutes.
  • Users can use the Instagram app or the IGTV app.
  • Videos autoplay if they use the IGTV app.
  • Creators can use “swipe up” call-to-actions (CTA’s) on videos).

What Now?

Get on Instagram TV (IGTV) now and start using it. Don’t expect perfection, don’t buy fancy equipment, don’t procrastinate. DO…IT…NOW.