A push toward long-form video
Instagram has begun testing uploads of videos up to 90 minutes long in the United States and some other markets. According to TechCrunch, the move marks a significant shift for a platform that has spent years promoting short-form vertical videos.
The new format is currently available to a limited number of creators in the United States and Brazil. Instagram is also testing a feature that lets creators group short microdramas into a series, linking individual videos into a single narrative. Videos will display a label indicating that other episodes are available. The feature is being tested in the United States, Mexico and India, with plans to roll it out to most countries.
This is not Instagram’s first attempt at long-form video. In 2018, the company launched IGTV as a mobile alternative to YouTube. The format failed to gain widespread popularity, and the standalone app was discontinued in 2021. The ability to post videos of up to 60 minutes was subsequently integrated into Instagram itself.
