Instagram announced big changes to its video offering and formatting today, through a Live stream from its Menlo Park, CA., headquarters hosted by its CEO and cofounder Kevin Systrom. The social media platform and app launched IGTV, a new app and space within the existing platform to watch long-form video (up to an hour). Videos had previously been limited to a minute in length.
Kim Kardashian West, Virgil Abloh, Selena Gomez and Dominic Chambrone of the Shoe Surgeon were among the top fashion and social media influencers to get onboard with the unveiling on their channels today with their own clips. “Instagram has always been the place for fashion,” said Eva Chen, Instagram’s director of fashion partnerships, at their New York offices. “Instagram and fashion have been going hand-in-hand for eight years strong. I think IGTV will add another layer of opportunity for people to share amazing content.”
With the new mobile-first feature, videos will fill a vertical screen. It also starts as you open the app, so you don’t have to search for content as you get started. The new service will share video from people you currently follow and also suggest clips from accounts you might be interested in. “Vertical video means that it’ll get everything in. Instagram now is 1 billion people, and it’s an amazing way for brands and people, and creators — everyone under the sun — to connect.”
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Chen noted that Louis Vuitton is using IGTV for behind-the-scenes content, while Gucci is using it for runway shows. “I think the best brands and the first brands to hop on IGTV will do it in an authentic and compelling way,” she said.
