Instagram tests 90-minute videos as it expands beyond Reels
Instagram is testing a new long-form video format called Features, giving selected creators the chance to share videos up to 90 minutes long. Here’s what the update could mean for independent artists and music promotion.
Instagram is making a bigger play for long-form video, with a new feature that could change how creators share content and build audiences on the platform. Its new Features format allows selected creators to upload horizontal videos of up to 90 minutes. Alongside new ways to connect longer videos with Reels, the update signals a shift in Instagram’s approach to video as it looks to compete more directly with YouTube.
For independent artists, producers and labels, it could open up fresh ways to share performances, studio sessions and behind-the-scenes content. However, questions remain around availability and how creators will earn money from their videos.
What’s new with Instagram’s long-form videos?
Instagram is testing three connected features designed to help creators share longer content that works alongside the reach and engagement that short-form video can offer. The idea is to let users continue to discover a creator through Reels and then spend more time with their content in a longer format.
According to Social Media Today, the main updates include:
- Features: A new format for horizontal videos lasting up to 90 minutes. Instagram suggests it could suit podcasts, interviews, vlogs and other longer content.
- Clips as Reels: Creators can link up to eight Reels to a longer video, giving viewers a way to discover a short clip before watching the full version.
- Reels Series: A dedicated way to group related Reels together, making it easier for audiences to follow episodic content.
Features and Clips as Reels have been tested with creators in Brazil, with testing expanding to a small group in the US from 26 October. Instagram plans to broaden access over time, but it hasn’t confirmed when the features will become available to everyone.
Why is Instagram pushing into long-form video?
Instagram has spent years prioritising short-form content. Previously, Instagram head Adam Mosseri has raised concerns that longer videos could take attention away from the Reels, photos and carousels people share with friends.
Yet, it’s not the first time Instagram has tried to make long-form video work before either. The platform launched IGTV as a standalone app in 2018, before discontinuing it in 2022.
This time around, Instagram appears to be taking a different approach to address those concerns. Rather than treating longer videos as a separate experience, it’s looking to connect them with Reels and existing features.
Whether that approach proves more successful remains to be seen, but it reflects a broader shift towards platforms offering multiple ways to discover and watch content.
What about monetisation?
This move also marks a clear attempt to compete with YouTube, which has long been established as the go-to destination for longer videos and creator monetisation.
However, Instagram hasn’t confirmed a dedicated advertising revenue-sharing model for Features. In comments reported by TechCrunch, a Meta spokesperson said the company is exploring ways for creators to earn through brands, fans and Instagram itself, including performance-based incentives.
That leaves a significant question unanswered. YouTube offers eligible creators a share of advertising revenue through its Partner Program, whereas Instagram creators have traditionally relied more heavily on brand partnerships, subscriptions and other income streams.
Until Instagram reveals more about its plans, it’s difficult to know whether Features will become a meaningful source of income for artists and creators. For now, the clearest opportunity is the potential to give audiences more ways to engage with creators and their work.
What does this mean for independent artists?
For musicians, Instagram’s long-form video push could create more opportunities to turn existing material into content that keeps fans engaged beyond a single scroll.
Artists could share a full live performance, a detailed production breakdown, a studio vlog or an interview, then use shorter clips to direct viewers towards the complete video.
This fits with a wider approach to music promotion: make the most of each release by adapting your content for different formats and platforms. One release or promotional material can provide material for multiple posts, from short teasers and behind-the-scenes clips to longer videos that give fans a closer look at your creative process.
If Instagram makes it easier to connect these formats, artists could have another way to guide fans from an initial discovery to a deeper connection with their music.
And whether you’re creating Reels or experimenting with longer videos, getting your music onto Instagram means you can use it in eligible content. RouteNote can help distribute your music to Instagram and other major streaming and social platforms worldwide.
Instagram’s video strategy is still evolving
Instagram’s move into 90-minute videos shows how social platforms are increasingly competing for more than quick views. They’re looking to keep audiences engaged for longer, whether that’s through Reels, longer videos, livestreams or viewing on a television.
For independent artists, that could mean more ways to tell their story and give fans a closer look at their music. But the new format is still being tested, and its value will depend on how widely it rolls out, how well audiences respond and whether Instagram develops meaningful monetisation options.
For now, there’s no need to overhaul your content strategy around a feature you might not be able to access yet. Keep experimenting with the formats already available, make your content work across your active channels and look out for further updates as Instagram develops its long-form video offering.
And if you’re preparing your next release, RouteNote helps you distribute your music to major streaming and social platforms worldwide.
Distribute your music to Instagram and streaming platforms everywhere for free with RouteNote today.