Instagram said Monday it is testing "Features," a new upload type that lets creators post videos up to 90 minutes long, TechCrunch and The Next Web reported, a notable turn for the Menlo Park-based Meta app after years of chasing short-form video.
Why it matters: Longer videos leave more room for ads, which could eventually let Instagram compete with YouTube for creators who want to get paid.
How Features works
The format is pitched at podcasters, comedians and other creators who want to share full-length shows, The Next Web reported. The test starts with a small group of U.S. creators, with some in Brazil also taking part.
Features will appear in main feeds and on the Explore page. Instagram is also testing Reels that link to a full Feature and plans to let creators group related Reels into a series on their profiles. Features will also show up in Instagram's TV app, according to The Next Web.
A change of heart
Instagram head Adam Mosseri said in a video that "for a long time, I have been against doing long-form video on Instagram," TechCrunch reported. Instagram previously tried longer videos with IGTV, a separate app it launched in 2018 and shut down in 2022, The Next Web noted.
"We want to be the most culturally relevant platform, and to do that, we need to show up where people are," Mosseri said in an interview with creators Colin and Samir, according to The Next Web.
The money question
YouTube gives creators in its Partner Program 55% of the ad revenue from their videos, TechCrunch noted. For now, Instagram doesn't plan to share ad revenue from Features.
"It's too early to share a long-term monetization model, but we're exploring ways for creators to earn from brands, fans, and Instagram, including performance-based incentives," a Meta spokesperson told TechCrunch.