After TikTok was banned in India and certain parts of the world, Instagram became an instant hit overnight because of the reels, its short form content features that keep you hooked. However, Meta’s platform could enter the long-form content arena and rework on its content features strategy. Instagram is currently testing a new video feature that will allow creators to upload videos lasting up to 90 minutes.
Instagram head Adam Mosseri and Vice President Tessa Lyons explained the new format, “Features”, in a video. Features will allow creators to build on their existing Reels content and use the audiences they have developed through short videos to reach more viewers with longer content.
What Are Instagram Features?
Features will offer long-form horizontal videos to Instagram, giving creators another way to share content apart from Reels. Meta sees the format as an opportunity for creators to expand their existing content and build stronger connections with their audiences.
Mosseri acknowledged that he had previously opposed the idea of bringing long-form videos on Instagram. However, changing viewing habits, including friends watching Reels together and people using Instagram’s TV apps, have encouraged the company to reconsider its approach.
Instagram also sees an opportunity to connect short clips with longer videos. For example, creators could share podcast highlights or comedy clips through Reels and direct interested viewers to full episodes or longer specials published as Features.
In a post announcing the initiative, Mosseri said, “Sat down with @tessalyonsss to talk about why we’re investing in longer videos, which we’re going to call Features, and how they fit with Reels, Series, Live and TV. It’s early, and we’re testing and listening to feedback as we go. But we’re excited to give creators more room to tell their stories with the communities they’ve already built here. More to come.”
Instagram offers several monetisation options, including subscriptions and brand partnerships. However, it does not generally pay creators based on video views in the same way YouTube does through its advertising revenue-sharing programme.
Mosseri discussed this challenge during an interview on the Colin and Samir Show, which focuses on the creator economy. “You can get paid by the platform directly, you can get paid by a fan, and you can get paid by a brand,” Mosseri said.
He explained that brand partnerships remain the primary source of income for creators on Instagram, while some also earn money directly from their followers. “And right now, the way that it works on Instagram primarily is you primarily get paid by brands. Some people get paid by fans. We have still a small performance-based program, but … we spend more money than we make back by a long shot, and so it doesn’t really make sense to scale up because we’re just burning capital,” he added. This highlights one of Instagram’s biggest challenges as it attempts to attract creators who want to earn more from their content.
