Company Meta started testing new Instagram video formats with the aim of attracting a larger audience in front of television screens. This move brings a significant change in the work of the platform so far.
Horizontal videos, longer forms of expression and serial shows adapted for viewing on large screens are being introduced. Testing is being done in the USA, but later all novelties will be available globally.
Expansion to new devices and content sharing functionality
These changes follow the launch of the application Instagram for TV for Samsung TVswhich will significantly increase the number of potential users. Before this expansion, the mentioned application was available exclusively on Amazon Fire i Google TV devices.
Representatives of the company point out that television screens represent an important space for further development of the platform. Their goal is to connect the author with the audience through new formats that meet the contemporary needs of viewers and content creators.
In addition to horizontal videos, users can also watch Stories directly on televisions, which was included based on the requests of the audience itself. At the same time, an option that allows users to Reels– from the phone are simply projected onto the TV screen.
The rise of microdramas and keeping authors on the platform
The decision to switch to more traditional, longer formats came from analyzing the behavior of the authors themselves. Notably, many creators use Instagram to announce and promote longer footage that they then post on other platforms. In addition, the market has seen a great rise in so-called microdramas. These are serial stories divided into short episodes that last from one to three minutes.
Inside the company, they believe that this format represents an excellent opportunity for authors who have only dealt with short content until now. This enables them to easily transition to more complex and longer forms.
MetaInstagram has already started inviting authors to start creating such series. Until now, production companies dealing with micro-dramas used Instagram and TikTok mainly to attract audiences, which they would then redirect to their own, external applications. On the other hand, competitor TikTok already launched an application for micro-dramas at the beginning of the year PineDrama and struck deals with major production houses to keep viewers within its ecosystem.
The battle for viewers’ attention between social networks and streaming services
This Instagram initiative brings additional pressure for traditional television and streaming platforms at a time when competition for audience attention is extremely high. YouTube has already managed to surpass Netflix i HBO Max in TV ratings, becoming the most watched video source in the US.
In response to this trend, Netflix began to introduce elements characteristic of social networks. He signed podcast streaming deals and introduced vertical Clips review of short videos.
Blurring the boundaries between digital and traditional parties allows authors to try their hand at classic formats. Audiences still want to gather around interesting stories, and providing new channels for direct access to viewers serves to support the creativity of independent authors on the Internet.