Instagram Eyeing Long Form Content on CTV
In an effort to engage with new audiences and align with latest trends, Instagram have announced that they are reconsidering their approach towards long-form video content on connected TVs. Instagram have previously tried to launch their own app on CTV in 2018. It did not take off and was shut down in 2022.
Instagram’s vice president of product,Tessa Lyons claimed that long-form content is a key element of the app’s planning as part of helping drive creator engagement. This is due to the recognition of short-form vertical videos not being enough to succeed across connected TV.
Currently, YouTube is the top streaming platform within TV streaming watch time in the US and the second most popular Channel in the UK(including traditional TV stations). In Ireland we know that 56% of minutes watched on youTube occur on CTV.This all shows that social media platforms have the capacity to compete with streaming services for eyeballs. And Instagram is betting on users consuming creator content on larger screens.
Through CTV ads, audiences are less likely to skip content as they are more engaged and often watch in groups rather than individually. As a result inventory on CTV generally comes at a premium. This is at odds with the current low CPM we see on social platforms like Instagram and Tiktok.
For brands willing to leverage this opportunity, content strategies will need to expand beyond short promotional clips. It will open up opportunities around long-form narrative storytelling, episodic campaigns and creator partnerships that work across mobile and TV formats. Consequently, this approach would support creators that produce both short and long-form content, including podcasts, livestreams and longer story-telling.
There are currently no timeline as to when we can expect Instagram to formally launch anything. It will be interesting to see how they plan to take on YouTube and the traditional streamers here. As soon as we have more information on this we will bring it to you.
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