Instagram’s IGTV is the talk of the Internet since the social media platform announced the launch of its new long-form, vertical-only video feature a few days ago in lieu of reaching one billion users. It’s been called similar to a TV network as well as a potential rival to YouTube and Snapchat Discover.
Either way, Instagram, as well as parent company Facebook, has always shown an interest in extending its video platform. Well, that’s for them to figure out and for the rest of us, we’ll just have some fun with it. Read on what you need to know about IGTV, how to use it, what apps that allow vertical video editing and more.
1. How to get IGTV
You’ll find it within Instagram on the top right corner of the app. A little button will also pop up if the people you follow have posted something new.
On another note, IGTV is available as a standalone app as well. However, it will only be “rolling out globally over the next few weeks on Android and iOS” so some users might already be able to download the app.
2. Unlike Instagram Live, you’ll be able to resume watching from wherever you left off
If there are going to be one-hour long videos, chances are you won’t always be able to finish them in one sitting. Luckily, IGTV allows you to pick up where you started previously.
3. Not everyone can upload an hour-long video
Currently, only users who are verified or have a huge number of followers have the ability to upload videos up to the full 60 minutes. For everyone else, it’s capped at a maximum of 10 minutes, and a minimum of 15 seconds.
4. You can’t shoot videos within IGTV
Unlike Instagram Stories, you can’t piece it all together within the app, add stickers, add GIFs, add text, squiggle some lines — you get what we mean. If you want your video to have all these overlays, it has to be pre-edited. Also, it should be in a vertical format.
5. Videos shot in horizontal mode are accepted too
However, note that it will only show the centre portion of your video. Hence, if you choose to shoot or edit it in horizontal mode, make sure the subject is in the centre.
6. Apps that allow vertical video editing
With the introduction of IGTV, it won’t be long before most video editing apps allow vertical formats too. Until then, there are already apps available for the job. On desktop, there’s Adobe Premier Pro and Final Cut Pro. On the phone, there’s Quik (made for GoPro but great for editing videos in general) and Vue (which allows you to shoot videos within the app, in portrait orientation).
7. How to upload from desktop
Uploading long-form videos on IGTV is made even easier by doing so on Instagram’s web interface. Just go to your profile on the web browser and you’ll find a new ‘IGTV’ button between ‘Posts’ and ‘Saved’.
8. There’s a size limit for the videos
IGTV limits the upload size of the videos to 5.4GB. Understandably 4K videos produce great quality as well as a huge file size. As IGTV is meant to be watched on a smartphone, Full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution is just nice.
9. Cross-posting
Have a great Instagram Live video? Unfortunately, you can’t cross-post it to IGTV. You’ll have to download that video and re-upload it to IGTV. But from IGTV, you can cross-post any video there to Facebook.
How do you feel about IGTV? Take the poll below to let us know!
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