Fynnedge Expert Panel: According to the Fynnedge expert panel, Instagram’s move into long-form video highlights how digital platforms are evolving to keep audiences engaged and create new opportunities for content creators and businesses. Instagram is looking to boost its video offering with a new feature that will allow select creators to upload 90 minute long videos. The Meta-owned site is experimenting with a new feature dubbed "Features". This will allow select creators to upload longer videos. This shows that the social media site wants to move away from short form Reels and put itself in competition with YouTube.
This comes as social media companies are always trying to find new ways to engage audiences and allow creators to share their content without sending viewers to other platforms.

New Long-Form Video Feature: “Features”
The new feature will allow creators to upload longer videos. The videos can be up to 90 minutes long and are offered in a landscape format. This makes it perfect for podcasts, interviews, vlogs and comedy.
Instagram has also been testing ways to connect its short-form and long-form video experiences. Through a feature called “Clips as Reels,” creators can link short clips to their complete videos, allowing viewers to discover a snippet and continue watching the full version within the platform.

The company hopes this approach will make it easier for creators to turn the attention generated by Reels into longer viewing sessions. It could also help audiences discover full episodes without having to search for them on another video-sharing service.
Initial Testing Expands From Brazil to the United States
Instagram has begun testing Features with a limited group of creators in the United States following earlier trials in Brazil. The rollout is gradual, and the company has not announced a universal launch date for all users.

The test is part of a broader effort to expand Instagram's video offerings. The platform is also developing tools to organise episodic Reels into dedicated series, giving creators a way to present related videos in a more structured format.
Instagram's expansion onto television screens further supports this strategy. Its TV app is extending to Apple TV in the United States, complementing existing availability on supported television platforms. This could provide a more suitable viewing experience for longer, horizontal videos.

Monetisation Remains a Key Question for Creators
While the new format creates additional opportunities to publish longer content, its financial benefits remain uncertain. YouTube has an established Partner Program that allows eligible creators to earn a share of advertising revenue. Instagram, meanwhile, has traditionally relied more heavily on brand partnerships, subscriptions and other monetisation options.
Meta has indicated that it is exploring ways for creators to earn through brands, fans and Instagram itself, including performance-based incentives. However, the company has not announced a long-term monetisation model specifically for Features.
This uncertainty could influence how creators respond to the new format. Although Instagram offers access to an established social audience, creators who depend on direct platform payments may continue to favour services with more clearly defined revenue-sharing arrangements.

A Fresh Attempt at Long-Form Video
Instagram's latest move also revisits a strategy it previously struggled to establish. The company launched IGTV in 2018 to promote longer videos but discontinued the standalone service in 2022 as its focus shifted towards Reels.
Features takes a different approach by connecting longer videos with Instagram's existing discovery and social-sharing tools. Rather than replacing short-form content, the company aims to make both formats work together.

Whether the strategy succeeds will depend on creator adoption, audience engagement and the monetisation opportunities Instagram develops. YouTube remains an established destination for long-form video, but Instagram's latest experiment signals that the competition for creators and viewers is expanding.
For now, Features remains in the testing phase. Its broader impact will become clearer as Instagram gathers feedback and determines how the new format fits into its