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Instagram Features. Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, has revised the previous strategy that excluded long-form videos from the platform. This decision is linked to the introduction of a new format called Features.
Features consists of a new type of widescreen, horizontal-format video designed to compete directly with YouTube and leverage the presence of the Instagram app on smart TVs. The initial launch is currently limited to a testing phase in the United States and a parallel experiment with some creators in Brazil, as communicated by Megan Buckley, an Instagram spokesperson, to The Verge.
Instagram Features: why it matters
The logic behind Features, according to explanations from Mosseri along with Tessa Lyons, VP of product, is to make short and long content “symbiotic.” The idea is that the same content can be enjoyed both in its entirety and as shorter clips shareable in Stories or Reels. In practice, a podcast or comedy special could exist both as a complete video and as shorter fragments.
This announcement follows the launch of the Instagram app for televisions, initially focused on Reels on Amazon Fire TV and subsequently extended to Google TV, Samsung TV, and Apple TV. The availability of long-form videos in horizontal format fits better with larger screens, where vertical Reels might be less appropriate.
Beyond Features, Instagram is testing additional video-related features, including clips that link back to the full video, the ability for creators to create series of interconnected Reels, and improvements to live discovery. The overall goal is to encourage users to spend more time on the platform, rather than just quickly scrolling through content.
What changes and what are the effects
Instagram is therefore aiming to expand its video offering, seeking to provide a more complete and diverse experience for users. It remains to be seen whether this strategy will prove effective in the long term.
Source and further reading on Instagram Features: original article.
* Content created with the assistance of artificial intelligence systems.