What is IGTV and why should your brand be interested?
On June 20, 2018, Instagram launched IGTV – their new platform for content creators to post long-form, vertical videos stretching as long as an hour. The move was seen by many as a response to Youtube’s horizontal format, capitalising on Instagram’s recent achievement of having hit one billion users on its primary platform.
And with a new platform to play with comes new branding and marketing opportunities, of course. Brands such as Nike and Netflix have already begun venturing into the new vertical format with content from interviews to animated short videos. And before the rest of the world follows suit, here are some reasons why your brand should join in on the fun too:
- Make use of mobile
Mobile phones are the new Swiss Army knives. They have become our watch, our alarm, our camera, and now IGTV is attempting to make them the new age television, too. Given that close to 77% of Singaporeans own a mobile phone, the mobile-only IGTV is a great way to expand your brand’s reach.
The transition from a horizontal to vertical format is also a fresh way to revolutionise content for your audience, so make sure you don’t miss out.
- Build boosted bite-sized content
IGTV is your chance to build a new type of content – short, succinct and yet still sweet. It surpasses the limits of Instagram stories and the 1-minute restriction of Instagram video and gives you space to play with. Post anything from interviews to trivia to increase audience interaction without skimping on the duration of your content.
And unlike Instagram stories where content is sometimes “cut” between the different stories, IGTV is seamless and truly Instagram’s attempt at redefining what television means to us.
- Make your brand relatable
The focus of IGTV is authentic, home-made videos with minimal editing – great for brands who want to showcase informal content like their culture and everyday life. The seemingly restrictive dimensions of the vertical format may well be a blessing in disguise, as it forces brands to fish out key messages and keep their content punchy and to the point.
Make your audience feel as if you are a friend. IGTV is your chance to make your brand “human” and relatable. Give your brand a personality on IGTV and make people remember you for it!
If you’re still skeptical about IGTV, let’s all remember the time when Instagram stories was dismissed as a mere copy of Snapchat. Now, it’s all that anyone ever uses!
It’s time to hang up the horizontal format. The vertical revolution has come to town.
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