Instagram head Adam Mosseri previously promised that the photo and video sharing platform will be focusing more on just being a photo app. They have been shifting focus on video and now they’re doing a bit of a revamp on some of the video components within the app. They have decided to do away with a separate IGTV feed and is now combining feed videos and the longer IGTV videos in one format called Instagram Video. Reels however will still live in a separate feed.
Basically, you’ll get a new Video tab in your Instagram profile that will house all the videos except the short-form video format Reels. You’ll still be able to upload the usual video in your feed and for longer videos, formerly called IGTV videos, they’ll still show 60-second previews in the Feed (unless it’s eligible for ads which will give a 15-second preview). So they’ll be in one format and you’ll still be able to upload videos the same way, whatever the length. Instagram Live videos will also be housed in that section.
You’ll still be able to cross-post the videos through Stories and share it as well through direct message. There will be new features like trimming, filters, and the ability to tag people and locations in the video. Shops will also be able to tag their products in the video. The other options like adding to series, sharing to Facebook, allowing ads, and creating promotions still seem to be there. For creators and businesses, feed post insights and video insights are now combined into one metric.
Having videos (except Reels) in just one format and section should be easier for users to find content from their favorite creators. You can now also tap anywhere on the video to go into fullscreen mode. There’s also the option to continue scrolling through their video feed to see other content that might catch your interest. However, the fact that Reels is still separate doesn’t mean all the video content is now streamlined.
The Instagram Video section and changes to other video formats have started rolling out globally for both iOS and Android. Expect more video-focused features and changes to come to the platform in the next few months.
