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What Is IGTV on Instagram?

Would You Watch Hour-Long Videos on Instagram? Because Pretty Soon, You Can

Instagram video is about to get a major, TV-inspired makeover. On June 20, the social media app announced it would be launching long-form video with a new offering called IGTV.

"It's time for video to move forward and to evolve . . . whatever we do, it has to be mobile first," Instagram cofounder Kevin Systrom told a crowd of reporters at the SF event. "We built something brand new: we call it IGTV."

IGTV will be available on the home screen of the Instagram app, as well as in its own standalone app. The IGTV app should be available in the coming days. The new effort marks a big change for Instagram, where video clips currently cap out at 60 seconds, and puts it squarely in competition with YouTube and Snapchat's Discover feature.

Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Brinton Parker

Videos in the app will also appear in a mobile-friendly, vertical orientation — another feature Systrom said marked an evolution in creating video better suited to the way we consume it these days.

Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Brinton Parker

The Instagram team today made it clear that they are building a team of content creators and social media celebs to utilise the new product.

"It's super simple and intuitive to use," said project manager Ashley Day. "We bring high-quality content to you from the creators you know and love . . . Starting today, anyone can become the next IGTV creator."

— Additional reporting by Lindsay Miller

Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Brinton Parker

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