What's happened
Meta is testing new long-form video tools on Instagram, including Features up to 90 minutes and episodic Series, signaling a shift toward longer content on the platform. The move echoes YouTube’s dominance in long-form monetization, as Instagram explores ads and other revenue-sharing options with creators.
What's behind the headline?
The shift to long-form signals a recalibration of Instagram’s creator economy.
- Instagram is re-embracing longer videos after sunsetting IGTV and largely betting on Reels for short-form engagement.
- The monetization question remains unresolved; Meta is exploring pre-/mid-roll ads and other revenue-sharing models, which could realign where creators invest effort and where ad dollars flow.
- The move could pressure rivals by offering a one-stop platform for episodic content, potentially increasing time-on-platform and ad impressions if monetization becomes viable.
- Readers should watch for how ads are implemented and whether creators gain meaningful revenue share vs. brand sponsorships.
How we got here
Instagram has previously experimented with longer video via IGTV, then pivoted to Reels. The new features aim to keep creators from posting long-form content on competitors like YouTube or Tubi, while expanding potential ad revenue.
Our analysis
Business Insider UK reports on Instagram’s overhaul of long-form video, including a test of horizontal videos and potential ad monetization; TechCrunch notes the 90-minute limit and ongoing exploration of monetization; Bloomberg highlights the reboot of Features and Live as part of the long-form push.
Go deeper
- Will Instagram’s long-form tools actually translate into sustainable creator revenue?
- How will ads be integrated—pre-, mid-, or post-roll—and what share will creators receive?
- Will this push users to stay on Instagram longer or simply lure them away to YouTube for monetized long-form content?
More on these topics
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YouTube - Video sharing company
YouTube is an American online video-sharing platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. Three former PayPal employees—Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim—created the service in February 2005.
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Meta Platforms, Inc. - Social media company
Facebook, Inc. is an American social media conglomerate corporation based in Menlo Park, California. It was founded by Mark Zuckerberg, along with his fellow roommates and students at Harvard College, who were Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin Mosk
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Instagram - Social networking service
Instagram is an American photo and video sharing social networking service owned by Facebook, created by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger and originally launched on iOS in October 2010.
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TikTok
TikTok/Douyin is a Chinese video-sharing social networking service owned by ByteDance, a Beijing-based Internet technology company founded in 2012 by Zhang Yiming.
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IGTV - Vertical video application by Instagram
IGTV is a standalone video application by Instagram for Android and iOS smartphones. It allows for longer videos compared to Instagram feeds.
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Adam Mosseri - American businessman
Adam Mosseri (Hebrew: אדם מוסרי; born January 23, 1983) is an American businessman and the head of Instagram. He formerly was an executive at Facebook, which owns Instagram.