IGTV is an exclusive video platform that Instagram launched in June of 2018. It allows
Instagram users to create their own IGTV channel and share long-form pre-recorded
videos that are up to an hour in length. IGTV is optimized for use on both desktop and
mobile devices and is designed specifically for vertical videos. It is available as an
integrated function of the Instagram mobile app and website, but you can also download
IGTV for business as a standalone mobile app in the Google Play and Apple app stores.
IGTV is a fairly new platform, but it is expected to undergo major growth by the end of
2020. As such, now is the time for business to get involved with IGTV. Stay two steps
ahead of your business’s competitors by familiarizing yourself with IGTV and taking
advantage of this exclusive video platform as an effective social marketing tool for your
business.
1. Resize and Adjust
IGTV for Business
Different social media platforms that accommodate photo and video posting have
different ideal aspect ratios for videos, which can be confusing and frustrating for
posters and viewers alike. If you post videos on your IGTV channel without sizing and
adjusting them correctly, they’ll show up sideways or with partly cut-off frames—which is
pretty much guaranteed to drive away viewers.
IGTV is designed for vertical videos, so make sure to record your content vertically or
rotate pre-recorded or cross-posted horizontal videos by 90o before posting them on
your IGTV channel. Also keep in mind that the ideal aspect ratio for IGTV videos is 9:16,
so try to stick to that ratio or close to it when cropping and adjusting your videos during
the editing process.
2. Create Long-Form Content
IGTV is designed for long-form content. It allows users to post videos that are up to 60
minutes long. If you have a quick 10-second video clip to post, IGTV probably isn’t the
best platform to use. While Instagram Stories is well-suited for short content,
IGTV is unique in its ability to accommodate longer videos and businesses should take
advantage of that feature.
So how long should your IGTV videos be? If every video you post is an hour long, you
will likely tire out your viewers’ attention spans pretty quickly. Anywhere between 5 to 10
minutes tends to be the ideal length for IGTV videos. Videos of this length are long
enough to take advantage of IGTV’s ability to accommodate longer videos, but don’t
stretch out so long that your viewers’ attention slips away before the video is even
halfway over.
3. Write a Thoughtful Title and Description
IGTV gives users the opportunity to write a title and description for each video they post.
It is important not to overlook this step in the posting process, as writing engaging titles
and descriptions for your IGTV videos can majorly influence how far your videos reach
and how engaging they are for viewers.
The titles of your IGTV videos should be about 20 words long to get the gist of the
video’s topic across effectively without being overly wordy. As for the descriptions of
your videos, keep them brief but clear. Include relevant keywords and one or two—but
no more—hashtags. Adding clickable links to the descriptions of your IGTV for business is
also an effective strategy for driving more traffic to your business’s website.
4. Don’t Take It Too Seriously
IGTV is designed as a user-friendly, down-to-earth platform. It’s meant to be casual, so
don’t worry too much about professionalism when editing and posting content for your
IGTV channel. A standard smartphone is the only tool you need to take advantage of all
of the features IGTV has to offer. You should make sure your videos flow well and are
aesthetically pleasing for viewers, but keep the strict professionalism to a minimum on
this video platform.
Using IGTV for business is a great way to engage with your viewers and show
potential customers that your business has a voice and a personality that set it apart
from competing faceless corporations. Prioritize posting IGTV content that is intriguing
to your followers and draws in potential customers. Focus on engaging your viewers
and don’t worry too much about how professional your videos look.
IGTV for business is gearing up to be the next big thing in social media marketing. Stay ahead of
your competitors in 2020—use these tips to help you take advantage of IGTV as a
game-changing marketing tool for your business this year.
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