Instagram launches long-form video pilot in US

The move is being seen as Instagram’s attempt to compete with Google-owned YouTube, which has become an increasingly powerful player in both the short- and long-form space.

The format is aimed at podcasters, comedians, and other long-form creators, as it lets them refer viewers to the full video from short-form reels on the platform.

Features will be available on mobile, but Meta’s goal is to carry the viewing experience to the Instagram for TV solution, which launched last year with Samsung, Fire TV, Google TV, and is now expanding to Apple TV in the US.

Instagram announced the Features test in a video shared on the platform.

Tessa Lyons, VP Product, Instagram, said: “What you’re now going to be able to do is, you see a clip of a podcast that you love, you can just click and continue watching or watch the full video, and you’ll be able to dive in and see the whole thing because creators are going to be able to link these Reels to their overall Feature.”

Instagram has already been testing the feature with creators in Brazil and plans to expand to tens of thousands of creators in the US. These videos will also be recommended to users on Instagram’s Explore page and in other areas.

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