How to Use Instagram TV (IGTV)

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Video Transcript | Intro

Video outperforms all other types of content on Instagram. With Instagram TV, you can upload videos that are as short as 15-seconds and as long as 10 minutes! And verified accounts can upload videos as long as an hour!

You can further drive engagement with your Instagram TV videos by surfacing previews of them in your main Instagram feed. 

Setting up a channel and posting content 

Let’s get started by creating an IGTV channel. Keep in mind you can only create one channel per Instagram account.

Download the IGTV app, or tap the widget to launch IGTV from your feed. Next, tap the gear icon and create your channel. Your Instagram account will automatically sync to your new IGTV channel, making it easier for your followers to navigate to your channel directly from your profile.

With your channel created, you can upload pre-recorded, videos straight from your camera roll.

Best practices

Let’s now look at a few best practices for getting the most out of the IGTV video content you post.

Length

Unlike videos posted in your feed, IGTV videos can be up to ten minutes long. But -- shorter content does still perform better; so aim for your videos to be less than five minutes long unless you have a specific need for it to be longer.

Publishing Cadence

Another engagement tactic is to establish a publishing cadence that draws your followers back to your channel regularly. Do this by uploading multiple videos as a sequential series over a longer period of time. Be sure to remind your audience when to tune in to see the next video. 

Discoverability

Next, make your video more discoverable on Instagram by including hashtags in the video description. If you want your video to drive traffic to a specific web page, keep in mind you can include a clickable link in the video description. 

Post as a preview 

Lastly, to further aid in the discoverability of your video, be sure to share a 60-second preview of it in your feed. This is one of IGTV’s most valuable features because you can leverage the engagement you’re already getting in your feed to drive views of your longer-form IGTV content. 

Once posted, the preview will show up both in your feed and on your profile. Then, viewers can tap to watch the rest of the video on your IGTV channel. Keep in mind that your IGTV video must be a minimum of 60-seconds for this to work. 

Once a preview is posted, you can share it to your Story, for additional visibility. just like you would a normal post. 

You can also delete a preview from your feed at any time without affecting the video’s availability on IGTV. 

Analytics

Now that your video is live, be sure to monitor analytics and report on its success. 

In the analytics section, you’ll see engagement data and audience retention insights. Audience retention shows how many people watched the full video and where they dropped off. So if your viewers consistently stop watching at the three-minute mark of a six-minute video, consider shortening the length. 

Be sure to note these analytics regularly. Then cross-examine them against your other Instagram and web analytics for a holistic view of all your efforts.

Looking for more? Check out our blog and learn how to create a social media strategy in 8 easy steps!