Instagram Launches IGTV App for Creators
On June 20, 2018 Instagram launched a new vertical TV app called "IGTV" - Instagram TV. The new app allows creators to upload up to 1-hour of vertical video content. This is a direct move to compete with YouTube -- which, to date, is the world's most popular long-form video creator platform.
Screenshot of the new IGTV app in action on iOS.
What is Vertical Video?
Vertical video is designed for mobile phones. Just like Instagram stories, the videos take up the full screen when you hold the phone vertically. But now, on IGTV your vertical uploads are not limited to 15-seconds. They can now run up to 60 minutes in duration.
In any video editing software you can create custom and professional vertical videos. In the tutorial below, I show you how to setup a vertical (1080px by 1920px) sequence in Adobe Premiere Pro and export it for Instagram. Also, with Adobe's latest release of their new video editing software, Project Rush, you will soon be able to edit and directly share to IGTV from Rush.
Learn how to edit vertical video in Adobe Premiere Pro.
IGTV Vertical Video Requirements
- Duration: Videos must be between 15 seconds and 10 minutes long.
- Note: Larger accounts and verified accounts can upload videos up to 60 minutes long, but they must be uploaded from a computer.
- Format & Aspect Ratio: Videos must be in MP4 file format. →Videos should be vertical (not landscape) with an aspect ratio of 9:16.
- Frame Size (resolution): 540x960, 1080x1920 (minimum resolution of 405x720 pixels.)
- Frame Rate: Videos should have a minimum frame rate of 30 FPS (frames per second.
- File Size: Maximum file size for videos that are 10 minutes or less is 650MB. The maximum file size for videos up to 60 minutes is 3.6GB.
- Cover Photo Size is 420px by 654px - jpeg format only. Right now, you can't edit your cover photo after you've uploaded it. Try these Cover Photo Templates.
The Rise of Templates for Vertical Video
There are many sites, such as Envato Market and Motion Array, who sell a variety of motion graphics templates to assist creators in making fast and stylish videos. Recently these sites started integrating more templates for vertical video in their marketplace. You can browse trending vertical templates here:
Envato Market's Videohive library includes a revamped collection of vertical templates for creators.
Motion Array includes a revamped collection of vertical templates for both Adobe Premiere Pro and After Effects.
Will There be Channels on IGTV?
Yes, but the channels are the creator's profiles (accounts). In other words, your Instagram account will be your IGTV channel. When you first login to the new IGTV app it will immediately begin playing video from the users that you already follow. If you were to update and login today, you can begin watching long-form vertical video on IGTV.
For those of you that were skeptical of the success of vertical video, this is the rise of it. YouTube now may see a major shift in creators migrating to vertical format.
You can now update your Instagram app and download the IGTV app.