Table of Contents
Over the past decade, social media has become an essential marketing tool for brands and influencers. Most social media platforms offer different features that can be used to promote one’s brand and reach a wider audience. Because audiences respond the best to visual advertisements, brands and influencers post longer video content primarily on YouTube. But, one video sharing platform that is proving to be very effective in influencer marketing is Instagram’s long-form video feature, IGTV.
What Is IGTV?
Instagram Television, or IGTV, was launched by Instagram in June of 2018. IGTV allows Instagram users to post vertical videos from a minute to an hour in length. Unlike Instagram stories, these videos do not expire and are saved on your profile as a post. The video also shows up on your followers’ feed, giving them the option to watch the entire video after they have seen a preview. Similar to normal Instagram posts, viewers can like, comment on, and share IGTV content.
Since its launch, IGTV has become increasingly popular among Instagram users. Creators use the platform to showcase their art or music, celebrities use it to engage with their fans and promote upcoming projects, and news sources use it to reach a wider audience.
Instagram users can find content from all genres on IGTV. For example, So Yummy posts recipes and cooking advice on their channel, Miley Cyrus has started a talk show, Bright Minded, where she speaks about mental health with celebrity guests, and Vox posts informational videos about current global events.
Currently, the world is experiencing a lot of social and political unrest. Because of this, we are relying on social media for information more than ever. There are a lot of resources available on IGTV regarding the Black Lives Matter movement, COVID-19, and other pressing issues.
How Can Brands and Influencers Use IGTV?
Brands and Influencers should always be looking for new ways to engage with their audiences on social media. It’s important to keep up with current trends and establish your social media presence across popular platforms. Using IGTV is a great way to diversify your social media strategy and post content that helps your followers get to know what makes you or your brand unique.
Brands
Here are a few ways brands can use IGTV:
- Introduce the brand or a specific product.
- Post tutorial videos.
- Show brand events or shows.
- Post influencer or user videos showing products being used.
Some brands go above and beyond on IGTV. In addition to their product advertisements, Fabletics shares workout routines, recipes, and self-care advice on the platform. This has allowed the brand to create a strong social media presence. Brands that keep up with current social media trends across platforms continue to grow in popularity and draw attention from their competitors. These are a few other brands that are setting the bar high on IGTV:
- Dior
- Revolve
- Anthropologie
- Mejuri
- Tarte Cosmetics
Influencers
Here are a few ways influencers can use IGTV:
- Post videos within your niche (beauty, travel, fitness, parenting, photography, etc.)
- Partner with brands to review their products or show them in use.
- Post life updates or vlog-style videos.
- Use your voice for good/activism.
Influencers must showcase their personality and expertise to their followers and brands they could potentially partner with. IGTV is a great platform to use if you want to set yourself apart from other influencers on Instagram. As the market becomes more competitive, influencers will be expected to go above and beyond their regular Instagram content. These are some popular influencers who utilize IGTV:
- Manny Gutierrez – 4.2M Followers
- Jena Frumes – 4M Followers
- Whitney Simmons – 3M Followers
- Aspyn Ovard Ferris – 2.2M Followers
- Laura Lee – 1.9M Followers
- Cassey Ho – 1.8M Followers
Benefits of Using IGTV
Audio-visual content is the most effective form of advertisement because it allows viewers to easily connect with a brand or message. It’s the closest a brand or influencer can get to face to face communication with their followers. So, posting videos is the best way to showcase your brand or your personality.
But, if consumers respond the best to video content, why use IGTV over other video-sharing platforms like YouTube?
These are the platforms that are considered the most important to influencer marketing:
| Marketing Platform | Importance to Influencer Marketing |
|---|---|
| 89% | |
| YouTube | 70% |
| 45% | |
| Blogs | 44% |
| 33% |
Although establishing a presence across different social media platforms is crucial to influencer marketing, Instagram is the platform brands and influencers should invest most of their time in. 80% of Instagram users report that the app helps them decide if they want to buy from a brand. I have personally bought multiple products after seeing them being advertised on Instagram. So, if you are planning to expand your social media presence on one platform, it should be Instagram.
Here are some of the benefits of using IGTV:
- Increases visibility.
- Allows for more audience engagement.
- Diversifies content.
- Sets you or your brand apart.
- Looks professional and shows extra effort.
Brands and influencers that use IGTV create much more of a connection with their audience than those who only post pictures and stories on the platform. If you are losing followers or experiencing less engagement than usual, your audience may be getting bored with your regular content.
Current and potential followers would be much more intrigued by brands and influencers who change up their content and put a lot of effort into their accounts. So, if you are looking to expand your reach or boost audience engagement, diversifying your content with fun and interactive IGTV videos is a great place to start.
