Instagram may have started out as a platform for sharing heavily filtered still photographs, but since then, it’s transformed into so much more. With Stories, live broadcasts, and mini loops now available, photographers and video makers have a multitude of options for creating content, and one of the tools that can help accounts expand their reach and gain new followers is IGTV.
In this guide, we’ll go over everything you need to know about IGTV, including how photographers and video makers can use it to promote their work on Instagram.
What is IGTV, and how does it work?
IGTV — short for Instagram TV — is an in-app feature and standalone app that allows users to upload long-form videos for their audiences. And while using IGTV is fairly intuitive, new users may find themselves with some questions.
IGTV is more formal and more long-form than Stories (which are only 15 seconds long). Stories also disappear after 24 hours, while IGTV videos remain on the app until you manually delete them.
They are public only if your account is. If your account is set to public, anyone can view your channel and videos. However, if your account is set to private, only your approved list of followers will have access to your IGTV videos.
No. Anyone with an Instagram account can create a channel and upload videos.
IGTV videos are permanent. They will remain posted on your channel as long as you want.
No. Unlike Stories, you can’t see who has watched your IGTV videos. You can only see the number of views a video receives.
How to use Instagram TV
IGTV sounds a lot more intimidating than it is. In this section, we’ll go over all the ins and outs of how to make the most of Instagram TV, so you can post your videos with confidence.
IGTV video specs
Before you upload your first video, there are a couple of specs you’ll want to be aware of:
- File format: MP4
- Minimum video length: 60 seconds
- Maximum video length (when uploading on mobile): 15 minutes
- Maximum video length (when uploading on desktop): 60 minutes
- Vertical aspect ratio: 9:16
- Horizontal aspect ratio: 16:9
- Minimum frame rate: 30 FPS
- Minimum resolution: 720 pixels
- Maximum file size (for videos 10 minutes long or less): 650 MB
- Maximum file size (for videos up to 60 minutes long): 3.6 GB
- Cover photo size: 420 pixels by 654 pixels
How to create an IGTV channel
If you want to upload a video to Instagram TV, you first have to create your own channel where your videos will live on your account. Viewers will be able to access your IGTV videos within the Instagram app by navigating to your profile and selecting the IGTV option.
To create a channel, download the IGTV app and make sure you’re logged in to your Instagram account. Once you do that, simply follow the instructions below:
- Open the IGTV app.
- Select the button to continue as your account.
- Tap the three horizontal lines at the top-right of the screen.
- Select Create Channel.
And voila! Your channel has been created. Once you upload your first video, your channel will appear on your Instagram profile.
How to post on IGTV
You can post an IGTV video through the Instagram app or the IGTV app. Below are instructions for posting a video via the dedicated IGTV app:
- Open the IGTV app.
- Press the video icon at the top-left of the screen.
- Record your video (or upload a video by pressing the image icon at the bottom-left of the screen and selecting your video).
- Press the arrow at the bottom-right of the screen to proceed to the next step.
- Choose a cover by selecting a screenshot from your video or uploading an image to be your cover.
- Press Next.
- Fill out a video title and description.
- Press Post.
Next, we’ll show you how to post a video to IGTV from the Instagram app:
- Open the Instagram app.
- Press the magnifying glass icon at the bottom-left of the screen.
- Navigate to the IGTV button at the top-center of the screen.
- Press the + sign at the top-right of the screen.
- Scroll through and select the video you wish to upload.
- Press Next.
- Choose or upload your cover.
- Press Next.
- Fill out the video title and description.
- Press Post.
How to share a preview of your IGTV video on your feed
When you upload a new Instagram TV video, it’s a good strategy to share a preview of it on your feed. Here’s how to do that:
- Open the Instagram app.
- Press the magnifying glass icon at the bottom-left of the screen.
- Navigate to the IGTV button at the top-center of the screen.
- Press the + sign at the top-right of the screen.
- Scroll through and select the video you wish to upload.
- Press Next.
- Choose or upload your cover.
- Press Next.
- Fill out the video title and description.
- Turn on the Post a Preview option.
- Edit the Preview and profile cover as you wish.
- Press Post.
Toggling on the Post a Preview option on will create a one-minute preview, which will be posted to your profile and visible in your followers’ feeds.
How to use IGTV to showcase your creative work
If you’re a photographer or video maker, Instagram is an incredible platform to share your work. So how can Instagram TV play into your growth strategy? We’ve rounded up a few ideas for photographers and videographers to use.
Share tips and advice
Give back to followers who are new to your industry! Film a video in which you share your 10 best photography tips or pieces of advice you wish you had gotten when you first started shooting on iPhone. If it’s valuable, evergreen content like this will draw in viewers again and again.
Showcase a recent project
Do you have a collection of clips from a recent photoshoot or creative adventure? Combine them, add some background music, and share the result as an IGTV video. Plus, if you’re a videographer or photographer for hire, it’s an excellent way to showcase the work you frequently get hired for to potential new clients.
Answer frequently asked questions
Do you find yourself repeatedly answering the same questions from your followers? Instead of constantly sending out the same old answers, create an IGTV video about it! That way, you have a place to send people and a resource you can reference over and over again.
Give a tutorial
Whether it’s demonstrating how to use a complicated new lens or sharing a trick for always capturing clear nighttime photos, tutorials are some of the most popular IGTV content. Get creative and brainstorm some of the unique insights your followers would be interested in learning.
While there are tons of ways to reach new followers and showcase your content, Instagram TV offers the opportunity to create long-form videos that people can return to again and again. You don’t have to make it the basis of your social media strategy, but a well-executed channel will give your audience another reason to visit your profile. And if you’re looking for more Instagram know-how, this guide to the Close Friends feature on Instagram might come int handy.
