Top IGTV Tips for your Instagram Social Media Strategy

Top IGTV Tips for your Instagram Social Media Strategy

Want to add to your list of Instagram social media strategies? Then you definitely should include using the IGTV feature in your marketing strategy. IGTV is Instagram’s newest platform for long-form video. It accommodates videos that are up to an hour, and allows creators, Instagram’s most affluent users, and brands to post.

IGTV is different from Instagram stories because creators have a separate channel solely for IGTV, where their footage can be stored within their account. There is also a separate IGTV app that Instagram is asking people to download. The platform focuses on the use of vertical video, which, while commonly used, is not as widely suggested as horizontal videos on other channels like YouTube or Facebook.

No matter where your posts may fall on a user’s feed, your IGTV post will be at the top with a visible notification, which is great for brand awareness.

Unlike more established Instagram features, it’s not yet clear what type of content is most effective for brands on IGTV. There are fewer brands with IGTV channels compared to the number of brands using Stories or posting regularly on their feed. However, this feature is also a great way to diversify your content and for building your brand.

In this article, we will consider. . .

• The elements of a successful IGTV series
• IGTV video length
• How to create an IGTV channel
• Editing IGTV video titles and descriptions
• IGTV Analytics
• How to find videos and channels on IGTV
• Best IGTV channels and brands to follow
• More ideas for your IGTV series

Plus, discover more ways to Boost Your Instagram Social Media Strategy

The elements of a successful IGTV series

Though there are a lot of different elements that go into making a good IGTV series, here are three that we suggest you nail in order to get your audience engaged.

Get their attention quickly

To engage your viewers you need to hook them. Do so by getting their attention in the first 30 seconds of the video. According to Wistia, this is the time in videos that matter the most.

Put something compelling or irresistable in the front of your video. Maybe you’re posing an intriguing question? Or maybe you’re making a promise to your viewer that they’re going to learn or see something if they keep watching?

The possibilities to be creative are endless. Ultimately, they depend on your viewer and the goals of your videos—which brings us to our next tip …

Plan ahead

Though it might be tempting to just turn on your camera and start filming, good storytelling is all about planning and plotting. That’s why you need to make sure you know what you want to cover in your video, and know how it will impact your audience.

Plot out the beginning, middle, and end of your video. Maybe even make a script. Include the setting, what you want to actually say, and who is going to say it. This is how you will make videos that engage and thrill your viewers, while also getting a clear message across.

Use relevant hashtags

As of January 2020, you can’t simply search for topics on Instagram and find a video about that topic. Instead, you have to search for channels or specific brands.

Annoying, yes. However, there is a way around it: Hashtags.

By including a relevant hashtag in the description of your series’ videos, you’ll make sure your videos show up on the hashtag page on Instagram where it can be discovered by non-followers.

IGTV Video length

Anyone with an Instagram account can upload an IGTV video. Most videos must be between 15 seconds and 10 minutes long.

However, Instagram has said larger accounts and verified accounts can upload videos that are up to an hour long. If you’re publishing an hour-long video, you must upload it to IGTV from a computer.

How to create an IGTV channel

To make an IGTV channel, simply download the IGTV app, and sign in with your Instagram account’s username and password. Next, select the “Settings” gear icon (beside your account picture), and click “Create Channel”.

Editing IGTV Video Titles and Descriptions

To upload and edit your IGTV video title and description, follow these steps:

1. Open the IGTV app and click on the icon of your profile. Then, click “Upload Video”.
2. Allow IGTV access to your videos, and then click on one.
3. Click “Next” in the top right.
4. Here, you’re able to type a “Title” and “Description”. You can also edit the cover photo.
5. When you’re done, click “Post” to publish your video.

IGTV Analytics

Once you’ve published a video to IGTV, it’s easy to find analytics on your video. IGTV provides in-app insights including how many views, likes, and comments it has received, audience retention, and at which points of the video most people stopped watching.

To get these insights, open your IGTV app and click on one of your published videos. Then, follow these steps:

1. Open your video, and then click the “…” icon at the bottom.
2. Select “View Insights”.
3. Here are your insights, including engagement metrics and audience retention metrics.

How to find videos and channels on IGTV

When you open the IGTV app, you can use the search bar to find videos or channels. If you’re not sure what you’re looking for, you can scroll through videos from “accounts you’re following”, “popular videos”, or “recommended for you” videos.

If you’re on the Instagram app, you can find someone’s IGTV content on their page if they’ve uploaded videos to IGTV. Look beside an Instagram user’s Story Highlights, and you’ll see an IGTV circle. If you click the circle, it will bring you to that person or brand’s IGTV channel.

Best IGTV channels and brands to follow

There are a few brands and channels that create particularly impressive and unique content on IGTV. If your business is starting from scratch on IGTV, here are a few channels and brands you’ll want to add to your must-watch list for inspiration:

1. Netflix
2. Spotify
3. Vistaprint
4. Airbnb
5. Tastemade
6. Buzzfeed
7. National Geographic
8. BBC News
9. The Daily Show
10. Nike Football
11. CBSThisMorning
12. MTV
13. Food Network

A few influencers in particular are worth checking out on IGTV. These content creators are using IGTV as a platform to create original content and appeal to a specific audience. If you’re looking for influencer inspiration, take a look at videos from these creators:

1. Lele Pons
2. Zoella Beauty
3. Chiara Ferragni
4. Hannah Stocking
5. Anwar Jibawi
6. Huda Kattan
7. King Bach
8. Murad Osmann
9. Nash Grier
10. King Keraun

More ideas for your IGTV series

Mini-trailers to front-page news, like BBC News

Repurpose your content, like Gary Vee

Repurposing content is ultimately the easiest IGTV strategy for your business, especially if you’re not sure what to put on IGTV. Notice how Gary Vaynerchuk repurposes everything he’s ever made. His famous #AskGaryVee show, in which Gary talks about social trends, the future of Snapchat, various business tactics, etc., is literally everywhere—from his Youtube channel to his podcast, and now on his IGTV channel.

Show backstage sneak peeks, like Elle UK

Stay on top of your brand, like Vox

Be bold and unpredictable, like Netflix

Be consistent, like 60 Second Docs

Show off your own products, like Sephora

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