This week, Instagram launched a series of new features for its smart TV app designed to get people to spend more time on the platform by using the biggest screens in their homes. In addition to direct Reels, Instagram for TV – currently available on Amazon Fire TV, Google TV, and Samsung Smart TVs – users can now watch Disappearing Stories and horizontal videos with limited features similar to what you usually see on YouTube. And soon, Instagram will make a big push into long-form, episodic content and “live creator experiences” focused on TV.
This entry into the TV space feels very different from previous attempts by the Meta affiliate to grab more of our attention by adding functions borrowed from competitors like TikTok, Snapchat, and Periscope (RIP.) It all hinges on the idea that people want to sit on their couches to watch Instagram content they used to use on their phones.
The fact that we carry our phones with us basically everywhere means that Instagram is always just a few taps away. The mobile-based nature of Instagram is undoubtedly the biggest reason why the platform has managed to hit 3 billion users. Scrolling through Instagram’s discovery page is something you should do when you’re bored and already swiping on your phone. It’s easy to shoot the app and send videos to friends while you’re commuting, waiting for an elevator, or using the bathroom. But Instagram’s latest pivot is toward static experiences meant to be shared with people in the same room. This is a big bet.
Instagram says public feedback is what inspired it to roll out new features for the TV show. Some of them – like being able to stream Reels from your phone to your TV – make a certain amount of sense. If someone wants to share a funny video with the group, it can be easier to throw it on the big screen rather than everyone having to put together a phone. What sounds even more questionable is Instagram’s new dedicated TV channels that are supposed to “make it easy to find videos that everyone in the room can enjoy together” even though the feed is tailored to the interests of individual users.
It’s also hard to imagine that people want to watch a News carousel – a vertical multimedia slide show – on their televisions. Stories look odd on widescreen displays, and interacting with them using a remote control is no easier than swiping at them on a phone’s touchscreen. That’s probably why Instagram is also testing a dedicated section for widescreen content. The company’s plan to develop longer content and series of episodes by creators is a sign that Instagram knows that its TV program will not be a place where people scroll through videos that last only a few seconds.
It’s clear that Instagram is trying to take some of the attention away from YouTube and new ones like the many microdrama platforms that have started to pop up.
Microdramas are still a booming business. The industry’s revenue is estimated at $14 billion at the end of the year. On mobile, Instagram is in an excellent position to enter the microdrama game given its built-in app, large user base. Most microdrama apps require you to sign up and pay per episode or subscribe to monthly or yearly plans to access their content. If Instagram can convince creators to start producing some of these types of videos on their own, the company could turn itself into a new microdrama hub.
Instagram may be the leader in vertical content for now, but with the understanding that vertical, horizontal videos need to be central to the TV app to be successful. Talking to The Hollywood ReporterInstagram VP of product Tessa Lyons said the company sees short-form content as a “very accessible way” for creators to “get into long, multi-part storytelling.” Lyons also explained that part of what prompted Instagram for TV’s new emphasis on long-form videos was seeing creators use Instagram to promote their projects that live on other platforms.
But even if more Instagram creators embrace long-format, landscape video, the TV app will have a hard time matching YouTube. Like Instagram, YouTube has copied some of the features of its competitors, but YouTube has always been a place for a variety of content that allows it to be viewed on the big screen. You might start watching a YouTuber skit or video essay, but it’s easy to end up with a playlist of music videos or a feature-length studio film. The breadth of YouTube’s content library is why it continues to be the most watched broadcaster in the US, and while there’s a lot to see on Instagram, the two platforms aren’t exactly the same in terms of what they offer viewers.
There’s a level of commitment that comes with watching something on TV that Instagram content never worried about before. You don’t need to lock all the way to enjoy a short clip on your phone. But a video on TV should be something that can hold your attention for more than a few minutes.
This pivot to TV might work if Instagram can really get creators to start releasing polished series instead of filling the space with more mobile content. But without a sharp influx of compelling projects designed for TV viewing, this could end up being another example of Instagram losing ground while chasing its competitors.
