Instagram tests 90-minute horizontal videos to rival YouTube

Instagram has announced a major shift in its content strategy with the launch of Features, a new format allowing horizontal videos of up to 90 minutes, directly challenging YouTube's dominance in long-form video. The feature is currently in a limited test with select creators in the United States, with plans for a broader rollout by the end of 2026 Source: Infobae, El Español.

What Features offers

Features enables creators to upload long-form content such as podcasts, interviews, and vlogs in a horizontal, TV-like format. Videos can be linked to short Reels clips, acting as trailers that drive viewers to the full episode Source: La Voz del Interior. Instagram is also testing Clips as Reels, allowing up to eight short snippets from a long video to be shared as Reels Source: La Voz del Interior.

A change of heart

Adam Mosseri, Instagram's head, acknowledged his previous opposition to long videos, stating in 2024 that they would distract from social connections. Now, he believes short and long formats can complement each other Source: El Colombiano. This is not Instagram's first attempt at long-form video; IGTV, launched in 2018, was shut down in 2022 after failing to gain traction Source: El Colombiano.

Expanding the ecosystem

Instagram is also introducing Series, a tool to organize Reels into episodic content, and Instagram for TV, an app for smart TVs that will include Reels, Features, Series, and live streams Source: La Voz del Interior. Live streams will gain greater discoverability, appearing in the Reels tab Source: La Voz del Interior.

Key points

• Features is being tested with a small group of US creators; Brazil was an earlier test market Source: El Colombiano.
• Mexico, the US, and India are among the first countries for Series creation tests Source: La Voz del Interior.
• Instagram has not yet announced revenue-sharing for creators on Features, a key concern raised in comments Source: El Colombiano.