I’m sure by now you will have heard of IGTV. You might not know what it is and you might not think that it will appeal to your audience but like with all features on Instagram, in a few months you won’t know how you survived without it. We’ve done our research and written a quick guide for how as an influencer you can make the most out of IGTV. 

 

The Low Down:

Image: Instagram Business

You can access IGTV via the Instagram where they have added an extension next to the Direct Message icon or alternatively they have created a separate app available on IOS and Android. This allows users to “enjoy video without all the distraction” Systrom, Co-founder of Instagram. 

 

• You can upload up to an hour of footage immediately from your phone
• Currently has no ad’s but has potential to be added in the future
• Instagram will not pay Influencers directly for IGTV content after the ‘flop’ of Facebook Watch Video Hub
• Plans to be the destination for watching longer videos
• Content is organised in channels rather than profiles – when you sign up you are asked to create a ‘channel’ which is matched with the profile you use on Instagram
• Celebrities have set up channels already e.g. Jiff Pom and Kim Kardashian, as prompted by IGTV
• ‘For You’ section on the app allows you to scroll through content matched to you from your Instagram profile
• Can click ‘Following’ to see most recently watched videos by people you follow on Instagram
• ‘Popular’ section shows you the most watched videos on the whole of IGTV at that time
• Has no features on the app to create your own video – you do this externally on your phone and then simply use the app to upload. 
• IGTV allows creators to upload immediately from either the Instagram Extension or from the IGTV app.

 

How Influencers Can Utilise IGTV

IGTV can then complement shorter snippets of videos posted on your Instagram Stories or on you feed. For example Jiff Pom will post teasers/best bits of the IGTV video. 

Monetisation: 

• This is expected to be built in the near future and will potentially include ad revenue shares
• Could attract advertisers as a more premium ad inventory as they shift away from television which will enable influencers to monetise on the app
• Direct links can be placed on the video so influencers can seamlessly drive traffic elsewhere e.g. to other social channels or to items they are promoting. Enabling influencers to grow audience and earn money

 

More Personal Videos:

Beauty, lifestyle and fashion influencer @lilypebbles has already taken to IGTV to showcase her ‘June Favourites’ and ‘What’s In Her Makeup Bag’ which she usually features on her YouTube channel. 

As she only posts videos on her YouTube channel once a week this is a great avenue for her to go down to post quick videos to increase her engagement in between posting. 

She said in her video how she is enjoying the “unedited style” of videos IGTV allows you to post and how it can be more of a relaxed and personal platform to use over YouTube which is more professional. 

 

Overall, the future of IGTV seems really exciting and I can’t wait to see how it continues to develop. It’s a convenient and seemingly reliable place to watch video on the go and I think it’s only a matter of time before it blows up. 

 

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Lucy Barker 

I’m Influencer Marketing Executive here at ZINE, where I manage communications of over 40,000 influencers. I’m obsessed with coffee, shopping and makeup.