Technology and Scienceupdated 1h ago2 min read
Instagram Tests 90-Minute Horizontal Videos With Adam Mosseri, Competing With YouTube
“Instagram is still not planning a revenue-sharing program akin to YouTube’s”
“It’s too early to share a long-term monetization model, but we’re exploring ways for creators to earn”
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Instagram is testing 90-minute horizontal videos with select creators in the United States. The feature, called Features, links Reels to full-length content to compete with YouTube.
Features up to 90 minutes
Instagram began testing “Features,” a new horizontal video format that supports videos up to 90 minutes long, as the company looks to compete with YouTube. Instagram head Adam Mosseri introduced the change in a horizontal video posted on the platform on Monday with Tessa Lyons, Instagram’s vice president of product. Lyons said the feature lets creators link Reels to full-length videos so viewers can “click and keep watching or watch the full video.”
Instagram also said the test is aimed at a select group of creators in the United States, while the feature has already been tested with creators in Brazil. Instagram’s rollout is positioned as a shift from Reels-first viewing toward longer, landscape content that can be watched in the Instagram app and on Instagram for TV.
Reels to full episodes
Instagram said Features is designed for podcasters, comedians, and other long-form creators, and it uses short-form Reels as a gateway to longer episodes. Tessa Lyons told The Hollywood Reporter that creators can link Reels to their “overall feature,” so viewers can “dive in and see the whole thing.” Instagram also said the videos will be recommended to users on Instagram’s Explore page and in other areas, tying the new format to discovery inside the app.
Adam Mosseri said Instagram is “very committed to it long term,” while the company tests how the format works for creators and audiences. Instagram’s approach also includes “Clips as Reels,” which lets creators make Reels out of long-form content so the Reels link viewers to the longer video.
TV push and creator deals
Instagram said it wants the viewing experience to carry over to Instagram for TV, and it is expanding that TV presence to Apple TV in the U.S. Tessa Lyons said, “We think the best viewing experience for longform horizontal content is on a big, horizontal screen,” as Instagram expects deeper consumption to happen on larger displays. Instagram also said it is working on “a few different deals” with early creators for Features, and it said there is currently no exclusivity around putting the videos on Instagram.
Instagram said existing ad deals will carry over into the videos, and it will also work with creators without existing placements to find deals. The company framed the move as part of a broader entertainment push, with Netflix and Disney adding podcasts and videos from creators to compete for more consumer viewing hours and to challenge YouTube.