Instagram Video Update: What You Need To Know and How to Adjust Your Social Strategy

By Kevin Burns

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Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, recently said it was "no longer a photo-sharing app." As such, it's no shock that the Facebook-owned company is making changes to increase video visibility within the app.

This, combined with the rise of TikTok and the increased use of social media due to the impacts of the pandemic, has made video content more important than ever to a successful social media presence. Thanks to Instagram's new video update that went live on October 5th, 2021, now is the perfect time to update your social strategy.

Here is what you need to know:

What Is It?

Say goodbye to IGTV, Instagram's long form video format, and hello to the new Instagram Video. Users will now see the new Instagram Video tab on their profiles with a play icon where the IGTV tab once was. This tab will now display all video content under one umbrella. However, this tab will still be separate from the Reels tab and videos posted in a carousel (more than one image or video in a single post) will still appear on users' main profile page. Furthermore, IGTV ads will now be called Instagram In-Stream video ads.

The Benefits

The new Instagram Video comes with new features including trimming, filters, and people and location tagging. Video previews on Instagram feed will now be 60 seconds long, as opposed to the previous 15-second preview. Users can still cross-post their videos via stories and share them as direct messages on the app.

The change also comes with a new scrolling video feed. When watching videos on the app, viewers can tap anywhere on the video to enter full screen mode. Once in this mode, users will be able to continue scrolling through other Instagram Video content. Like Instagram Reels, this change gives brands and creators more opportunities to be discovered by users that do not already follow them.

Understanding how videos are performing will now be easier than ever. Feed post insights and video insights are merged into one single combined metric for business and creator accounts.

Creator and Business accounts can still monetize their long-form content, however, the preview will still be 15 seconds long. For accounts looking to boost their videos to reach more people, videos must be no longer than 60 seconds in length.

How to Update Your Instagram Strategy

The new scrolling video feed will show users videos from accounts the algorithm thinks the user will want to see, even if they do not already follow the account. This means it is going to be much easier for users to discover new accounts through their video content. Social media teams and creators are now left with the question, "Reels or Instagram Video?"

Reels will still reign superior when it comes to discoverability since Reels has its own tab on the home page and the opportunities to hop on trending sounds and challenges. However, non-Reel video content will likely be performing better than ever.

It's, therefore, recommended to post a healthy mix of both Reels and Instagram Video content to optimize your video strategy on Instagram. Whether it's a Reel or in Instagram Video, it's always best to catch the viewer in the first few seconds with enticing visuals, sound and copy to encourage them to continue watching and stop them from scrolling.

When deciding if a video should be posted as a Reel or as an Instagram Video, here are some things to keep in mind:

• You can increase your chances of a Reel performing best when you are hopping on a trending challenge or sound. Not only is this what users are looking for, but it also places your content under the trending sound or hashtag. This makes it more likely to be put on the screens of new users.
• Even if it is coming from a brand, users don't expect content on Reels to be professional and polished. In fact, some of the highest performing Reels are just people in front of their phone speaking. We recommend using Reels for more authentic and low-budget content — and using Instagram Video for more polished and professional video content.
• Now that long form videos can be trimmed in-app, social media managers and content creators can now edit their videos right on Instagram. Editing in-app can now take a step out of your process and afford you more time for other tasks like community management or strategy.
• Now that video previews end at 60 seconds, it is recommended to build up to an enticing or exciting moment that will happen right after the 60 second mark. This will encourage viewers to click into the video to continue watching and then scrolling through the Instagram Video feed.

Source: Facebook News

The views and opinions expressed in Marketing Maestros are solely those of the contributor and do not necessarily reflect the official position of the ANA or imply endorsement from the ANA.