Instagram TV (IGTV) is Instagram’s long-form video platform—and it could be a great tool for your brand’s Instagram marketing strategy.
Launched in June 2018, IGTV has a few different elements that make it stand out:
- Longer than Instagram stories. Regular users can upload videos that are up to 10 minutes long. Verified users can upload hour long videos.
- Standalone platform. Though you can watch IGTV videos via your Instagram app, it also comes with its own standalone app designed for creators who really want to leverage the platform.
- Improved discoverability. In early 2019, Instagram let their content creators share one-minute previews of their IGTV videos on their feeds. This allows users to catch their audience’s attention without ever having to leave the Instagram app.
One of the best ways to leverage IGTV? Create an IGTV series. This is a regular series of videos your brand will release on a schedule each week, month, or (if you really love putting out content) day.
Instagram announced their new series tools in fall 2019.
Now you can easily watch IGTV series from creators you love and get notified when there are new episodes.
????@YaraShahidi @KadeSpice @IngridNilsen pic.twitter.com/0QmpHwpxYw— Instagram (@instagram) October 22, 2019
It lets brands and influencers create different series (just like on TV) and post it on a separate IGTV page. Like YouTube’s video notifications, followers and fans can sign up to be notified when a brand they follow uploads a new video.
Let’s walk through exactly how you can set up a series on IGTV, how to make it successful, and a few examples of great IGTV series in 2020.
Table of contents
How to set up a series on IGTV
Elements of a successful IGTV series
5 of the best IGTV series in 2020
How to set up a series on IGTV
To help set up your IGTV series, start with this short, helpful video on how to use the platform via Hootsuite Academy.
There are three ways you can set up a series on IGTV:
- Via the Instagram app
- Via the IGTV app
- Via your desktop
Let’s walk through how to do both.
How to set up IGTV via the Instagram app
Tap on the cross button at the bottom of your home feed.
You’ll be sent to your photo and video gallery. Choose a video longer than 60 seconds that you would like to add to your IGTV series.
Instagram will then give you two options to share your video:
- Short Video. These are videos up to 60 seconds that you can share to your profile.
- Long Video. These are videos longer than 60 seconds that you can share to IGTV. A preview of it will appear on your feed.
Choose Long Video and click Continue.
You will then be able to choose the cover image from either the video itself or your gallery. This will appear on your audience’s IGTV feed as the thumbnail for your video.
Once you choose your cover image, tap Next.
Fill out the information of your video including a title and description. From here, you can also add it to your series by tapping on Add to Series. Do so now.
If you don’t have an IGTV Series yet, create one by tapping on the Create Your First Series.
Fill out the information about your series including the title and description of it. Then tap the blue checkmark in the top-right corner.
Once you’ve filled everything out and added it to your series, you can edit the preview and profile cover on your Instagram feed. You also have the option to make it visible on Facebook and Facebook Watch.
When you’re finished, tap Post on the top-right corner and voila! You’ve just created your first IGTV series and uploaded your first video all in one go!
How to set up IGTV on the IGTV app
This process is going to be pretty similar to the Instagram app. Begin by going to your IGTV app.
From your home feed, tap the cross button in the top right corner.
Choose a video longer than 60 seconds that you would like to add to your IGTV series.
You will then be able to choose the cover image from either the video itself or your gallery. This will appear on your audience’s IGTV feed as the thumbnail for your video.
Once you choose your cover image, tap Next.
Fill out the information of your video including a title and description.
From here, you can also add it to your series by tapping on Add to Series. Do so now.
If you don’t have an IGTV Series yet, create one by tapping on the Create Your First Series.
Fill out the information about your series including the title and description of it. Then tap the blue checkmark in the top-right corner.
Once you’ve filled everything out and added it to your series, you can edit the preview and profile cover on your Instagram feed. You also have the option to make it visible on Facebook and Facebook Watch.
When you’re finished, tap Post on the top-right corner and you’re done!
How to set up IGTV on the desktop
Go to Instagram.com and log-in to your profile.
Then go to your profile and click IGTV.
Click on Upload under “Upload a Video.”
From here you can choose a video that’s between 1 and 60 minutes long to upload to your IGTV series. Pick a cover photo for your video as well as the title and description. Once you’re finished, click on Post and you’re done!
Elements of a successful IGTV series
Though there are a lot of different elements that go into making a good IGTV series, here are three that we suggest you nail in order to get your audience engaged.
Get their attention quickly
To engage your viewers you need to hook them. Do so by getting their attention in the first 30 seconds of the video.
According to Wistia, this is the time in videos that matter the most.
Put something compelling or irresistable in the front of your video. Maybe you’re posing an intriguing question? Or maybe you’re making a promise to your viewer that they’re going to learn or see something if they keep watching?
The possibilities to be creative are endless. Ultimately, they depend on your viewer and the goals of your videos—which brings us to …
Plan ahead
Though it might be tempting to just turn on your camera and start filming, good storytelling is all about planning and plotting.
That’s why you need to make sure you know what you want to cover in your video, and know how it will impact your audience.
Plot out the beginning, middle, and end of your video. Maybe even make a script?
Include the setting, what you want to actually say, and who is going to say it. This is how you will make videos that engage and thrill your viewers, while also getting a clear message across.
Use relevant hashtags
As of January 2020, you can’t simply search for topics on Instagram and find a video about that topic. Instead, you have to search for channels or specific brands.
Annoying, yes. However, there is a way around it: Hashtags.
By including a relevant hashtag in the description of your series’ videos, you’ll make sure your videos show up on the hashtag page on Instagram where it can be discovered by non-followers.
5 of the best IGTV series in 2020
Looking for IGTV series to help inspire your own? Here are five we suggest you follow:
So Yummy
So Yummy is a food channel that shows followers how to create delicious recipes through engaging and gorgeously shot videos. Seriously. Three seconds into any of these videos and your mouth will be watering all over your phone.
(Sorry, too gross?)
They also boast more than 10 million followers due in no small part to their videos.
BBC News
BBC News has a variety of videos ranging from Royal Family drama, to climate change, to designer prosthetic legs. Each of their videos is also great in getting viewers to be a part of the conversation with CTAs encouraging them to comment. Not bad for a nearly century old public service broadcaster.
Lele Pons
Former Vine star turned YouTube and Instagram personality Lele Pons boasts a following of nearly 39 million followers—and a lot of them tune into her fun and engaging IGTV channel. One series to note is her cooking show “What’s Cooking with Lele Pons” where she takes a comedic bent to your typical cooking fare.
NASA
It’s no surprise that the agency dedicated exploring the depths of outer space is rife with Instagrammable material. What is surprising is their fantastic IGTV presence—especially their series “What’s Up?” which gives viewers videos focused on the different “stars, comets, planets, and other celestial events” occurring that month.
Buzzfeed
Buzzfeed is another brand that always brings great and engaging content to the forefront. Their IGTV series is no different. One series of theirs to note: Buzzfeed Animals. I mean, c’mon. Look at this content:
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