Millions of Internet mentions, serious analyzes, stock rise and first influencers on the run. Instagram has finally presented its IGTV application, which allows you to add and watch videos lasting up to one hour. Is this the next revolution and death sentence released on YouTube?
The last two days have shown that the market reacted quite well to the new project. Facebook’s stock went up and comments are mostly positive — though still cautious. The application itself still seems to like users sniff with new functionalities.
But what can we already say about IGTV?
- It’s clear that Instagram wants us to spend more time scrolling on it. In 2014, users spent an average of 21 minutes a day on Instagram. Data from last year show that people under 25 spend there 32 minutes, and those over 25–24 minutes a day. And this means growing advertising revenue.
It is BTW interesting when we recall recent Instagram’s announcement on the functionality that will allow users to check how much time they spend using the application.
- Instagram finally has a chance to enter into more substantive video content, mostly reviews — so it is certainly a tip of the hat to the professional influencers. If IGTV meets their expectations, they may slowly begin to move away from YouTube. But…
- … The end of YouTube is exaggerated. Recently that channel has professionalized significantly. Its 4k movies, if watched on the TV screen, look better than many television productions. IGTV will attract a different type of influencers, who will use it to promote what they currently post on Stories: lifestyle, events, highlights, Q&A, LOLcontent. Those who care about a good video content rather than ‘talking to the camera’ will stay on YouTube.
- When it comes to desktop and horizontal video things are pretty similar. It’s a bit too early to get ready for a funeral. OK, ‘team vertical’ and ‘team mobile’ were enforced but in my opinion IGTV won’t be a drastic change-maker. Somehow I don’t believe we will start to watch vertical TV soon ;)
- The music industry gets a completely new, interesting and interactive tool. How to use it? Will IGTV now become the main channel for the promotion of clips, and an alternative for YouTube or maybe even its successor? After all, 10 minutes is a lot of time for creatives and musicians to manage.
Is IGTV a mobile video revolution? Probably not, although it has a good chance to change the industry, primarily the influencers’ market. However, I do not expect the geomagnetic reversal of Earth. But — time alone will tell.
