Sometimes, less is more, and retirement can mean new opportunities. IG chief Adam Mosseri has signaled that big changes are coming to the platform in the following weeks. Opting for a more streamlined Instagram experience, they’re retiring the separate, long-form IGTV branding and opting for a more general ‘Instagram Video Format.’
As per Instagram’s explanation:
“Starting today, we’re combining IGTV and feed videos into one format – Instagram Video. We’re also introducing a new Video tab on your profile, where this combined video format will live, to make it easier for people to discover new video content.”
A new video tab (play button icon) now displays all your video uploads in one place. The merging of IGTV and general Instagram video will also bring about new playback functionality, where viewers can tap anywhere on the video to go fullscreen. Users will still be able to keep scrolling to discover new or highly relatable content. Users can also look forward to new video filters and trimming tools and the bonus utility of being able to tag locations in videos that were not present back on IGTV.
Instagram also notes a change regarding in-feed previews:
“Video previews in feed will now be 60 seconds long, unless the video is eligible for ads – in which case, the preview will still be 15 seconds.”
What The Changes Entail
With these new additions, users will be able to view more content without tapering, which aids in engagement by building interest. Creators and business users can also look forward to new insight tools, allowing them to optimize their video content through a combined metric.
Instagram also notes that IGTV ads will also be receiving an overhaul:
“With Instagram Video, IGTVAds are now called Instagram In-Stream video ads. Eligible creators can still monetize their long-form content, and brands can reach audiences engaging with long-form video. For businesses interested in boosting their videos to reach more people, videos must be no longer than 60 seconds in length.”
It’s never a simple thing when a merger occurs. Some welcome the changes, while others find it difficult to adapt. Yet one thing is for sure, with these updates also come potential changes to best practices.
In the end, what IG chief Adam Mosseri wishes to ultimately achieve is a more streamlined and simpler Instagram, noting that the push is driven by the platform and has become increasingly complicated with the addition of IGTV, reels, stories, and more.
The Wrap
The overarching idea behind Instagram’s decision to merge all its video formats into one resulted from a realization that the platform was beginning to be too ‘bloated’ with new features and functionality that it was potentially turning off both old and new users alike. Facebook had the same issue with Messenger, stating that they had to scale it down because the plethora of additions made it too much to deal with.
All this points to the idea of being minimalist — that sometimes being simple is the best option. While new features can add to user experience, too much of them becomes an encumbrance. When it comes to platform interaction and profile management, two almost identical features combined into a single coherent one is a significantly superior solution because it avoids clutter and redundancies.
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