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Why Marketers Should Get on the IGTV Bandwagon
IGTV is turning 2. And it looks like this new platform is about to earn its stripes…
While IGTV experienced modest uptake and growth in its infancy, a few tweaks to functionality have boosted its popularity. Now it’s time to get on the IGTV train.
Here’s how you can use IGTV as part of your digital marketing strategy.
The IGTV low-down
Instagram’s dedicated video platform could be a competitor to YouTube. It lets content creators make long-form videos, especially in the vertical layout best suited to mobile.
Videos can be up to an hour long, but (as we’ll show you later) they don’t have to be that long… and probably shouldn’t be.
As of 2020, IGTV is still not as big as Snapchat, but you can use IGTV to tap into the regular Instagram usership, which is bigger than Snapchat and rivalled only by Facebook.
IGTV’s latest updates may have turned the platform into a game-changer and given it huge video marketing potential. Just over a year ago, it allows you to put IGTV video previews on your regular Instagram feed.
Since then, IGTV views went through the ceiling. According to Later, views on IGTV videos went up by 300-1000%.
Now you can use IGTV to create longer video content than regular IG videos and reach the same audience. As you can see, the benefits of IGTV for business are promising, but you have to know how to use it…
Why you should use IGTV for digital marketing
Increase Instagram engagement
As a digital agency that specialises in content marketing, we can tell you that the stats about video marketing don’t lie.
Online video is growing in popularity. Recent data shows that a third of online activity is spent watching video and more than half of that is viewed on mobile devices. Some have predicted that by 2021, over three-quarters of mobile data traffic will be video.
Just as online video grows, so does the return-on-investment for marketers. According to hubspot, 88% of video marketers in 2020 said video gives them a positive ROI. Compare that to 33% who said the same back in 2015.
What this shows is that IGTV lets you harness the popularity of video while tapping into the huge Instagram audience. It lets you increase engagement on your regular Instagram account, and better communicate with your existing audience.
Round-out your video marketing strategy
Because IGTV is designed for longer videos in a vertical layout, it’s perfect for the types of video marketing you can’t usually do on Instagram.
Use IGTV for:
- Product demos
- Brand stories, like how you started
- Office tours, behind-the-scenes teasers
- How products are made
- Tutorial videos
- Introductions to product features
- User-generated content
- Events
- Expert interviews
- Influencer marketing
- Q&As
Great for top-of-the-funnel marketing
Like other social media platforms, IGTV is great for top-of-the-funnel marketing such as raising brand awareness and building engagement.
Unlike IG Stories, content on IGTV doesn’t expire, so your videos can be viewed time-and-time again.
IGTV also lets you add a link to your video descriptions. You could use this as a lead generation tool or a way of increasing traffic to your site.
How to use IGTV for video
Now that you know why IGTV is so valuable, we’ll show you some tips on how to make good IGTV videos.
Keep videos snappy
While IGTV has the capacity for hour-long videos, some data suggests that viewers prefer their IGTV videos around the 2-5 minute mark.
The length of your videos will depend on your audience and the type of content you’re creating. For example, a how-to video might be longer than a sneak-peak video.
Keep this in mind and test your videos to determine the ideal length.
Recommended next videos
Like YouTube, IGTV plays the next video in a playlist automatically. It also recommends similar or related videos after you’ve watched. Take advantage of this by creating plenty of video content and generating interest in your brand.
Title wisely
YouTube video titles are often crafted with SEO in mind. But IGTV doesn’t allow users to search video titles, only content creators, so you’ll need a different strategy for crafting titles.
Instead, craft titles to grab attention. Stick to the 75-character limit, so that it doesn’t get cut off.
Always cross-promote
As we explained earlier, IGTV is best used as part of a holistic digital marketing strategy. You get the best results when you put IGTV previews on the regular Instagram feed. Always do this to catch your audience’s attention.
You can even add IGTV videos or previews to your IG Stories too. But beware: Avoid posting YouTube videos directly to your IGTV. YouTube will have a different aspect ratio that is not ideal for IGTV.
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