IGTV Playbook for Crafting Engaging Content

In today’s digital age, video content has become an essential tool for businesses to connect with their audience. Instagram, one of the world’s leading social media platforms, offers a powerful feature called IGTV (Instagram TV) that allows businesses to create and share longer-form video content.

This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know about creating the perfect IGTV video for your business, from understanding its purpose to mastering advanced techniques for engagement and growth.

Understanding IGTV and Its Purpose

What is IGTV? IGTV, short for Instagram TV, is a feature within the Instagram app that allows users to create and share longer video content. Unlike regular Instagram posts or Stories, IGTV videos can be up to 60 minutes long for verified accounts and 15 minutes for regular users. These videos can be either vertical (9:16 aspect ratio) or horizontal (16:9 aspect ratio), though vertical videos are often preferred as they’re more native to mobile viewing.

The Purpose of IGTV Videos IGTV serves multiple purposes for businesses:

1. Brand Storytelling: Longer videos allow for more in-depth storytelling, helping businesses showcase their brand personality and values.
2. Product Demonstrations: Businesses can use IGTV to provide detailed product demonstrations or tutorials.
3. Behind-the-Scenes Content: Give your audience a glimpse into your company culture or production process.
4. Thought Leadership: Share industry insights, expert interviews, or educational content to establish your brand as a thought leader.
5. Customer Engagement: Use IGTV to answer frequently asked questions, host Q&A sessions, or feature customer testimonials.

How IGTV Helps Your Digital Marketing Strategy Incorporating IGTV into your digital marketing strategy can provide several benefits:

1. Increased Engagement: Longer videos can lead to higher engagement rates as viewers spend more time with your content.
2. Improved SEO: IGTV videos appear in Instagram’s Explore page and can be shared to your feed, potentially increasing your content’s discoverability.
3. Cross-Platform Promotion: IGTV videos can be shared on other social media platforms, extending your reach.
4. Series Creation: The ability to create series on IGTV encourages return viewers and helps build a loyal audience.
5. Monetization Opportunities: As your IGTV channel grows, you may be able to monetize your content through ads or sponsorships.

Creating Your IGTV Video

Planning Your IGTV Content Before you start filming, it’s crucial to plan your content carefully. Consider the following:

1. Define Your Audience: Who are you trying to reach? What are their interests and pain points?
2. Set Clear Objectives: What do you want to achieve with your IGTV video? Brand awareness, lead generation, or product sales?
3. Choose Your Topic: Select a topic that aligns with your audience’s interests and your business goals.
4. Create a Storyboard: Outline the key points you want to cover and how you’ll present them visually.
5. Determine Video Length: While IGTV allows for longer videos, consider your audience’s attention span and the complexity of your topic.

Technical Considerations for IGTV Videos To ensure your IGTV video looks professional, pay attention to these technical details:

1. Video Format: Use MP4 file format for best results.
2. Video Length:
   • Mobile upload: 15 seconds to 15 minutes
   • Web upload: 15 seconds to 60 minutes (verified accounts only)
3. Minimum Frame Rate: 30 FPS (frames per second)
4. Minimum Resolution: 720 pixels
5. Maximum File Size:
   • 10-minute videos should be 650MB or less
   • 60-minute videos should be 3.6GB or less
6. Aspect Ratio:
   • Vertical (portrait) – 9:16
   • Horizontal (landscape) – 16:9
7. Cover Photo: 420px by 654px (1:1.55 ratio)

Step-by-Step Guide to Uploading an IGTV Video

1. Open the Instagram app and tap the “+” icon at the bottom of the screen.
2. Select the video you want to upload from your device’s library.
3. Tap “Next” and then choose “Long Video” to indicate you’re creating an IGTV video.
4. Select a cover image for your video. You can choose a frame from the video or upload a custom image.
5. Add a title and description for your video. Use relevant keywords to improve discoverability.
6. (Optional) Add your video to a series if applicable.
7. Choose whether to post a preview to your Instagram feed and story.
8. Tap “Post” to publish your IGTV video.

Creating an IGTV Series IGTV series are an excellent way to encourage viewers to return to your channel regularly. Here’s how to create one:

1. When uploading a video, tap “Add to Series” on the upload screen.
2. If it’s your first series, tap “Create Your First Series.”
3. Give your series a name and description.
4. Tap the blue checkmark to save your series.
5. For future uploads, you can add videos to existing series or create new ones.

Optimizing Your IGTV Videos for Success

Crafting Engaging Content To create IGTV videos that capture and maintain viewer attention:

1. Start Strong: Grab attention in the first 15 seconds with an interesting hook or preview of what’s to come.
2. Tell a Story: Use storytelling techniques to make your content more engaging and memorable.
3. Keep It Visually Interesting: Use a mix of shots, incorporate graphics or text overlays, and consider using transitions between segments.
4. Optimize for Silent Viewing: Many users watch videos without sound, so use captions or text overlays to convey key information.
5. Maintain Brand Consistency: Use your brand colors, fonts, and overall aesthetic to reinforce brand recognition.
6. End with a Call-to-Action: Encourage viewers to engage further by liking, commenting, or visiting your website.

Leveraging Influencers for IGTV Collaborating with influencers can significantly boost your IGTV strategy:

1. Choose Relevant Influencers: Partner with influencers whose audience aligns with your target market.
2. Co-Create Content: Work together to create content that feels authentic to both your brand and the influencer’s style.
3. Cross-Promotion: Have the influencer share the IGTV video on their account for increased reach.
4. Influencer Takeovers: Allow an influencer to create content for your IGTV channel, bringing their unique perspective to your audience.
5. Long-Term Partnerships: Consider ongoing collaborations to build a consistent presence with the influencer’s audience.

Expanding Your IGTV Reach To maximize the visibility of your IGTV videos:

1. Cross-Platform Sharing: Share your IGTV videos on other social media platforms and your website.
2. Use Instagram Stories: Create teaser content in Stories to drive viewers to your IGTV videos.
3. Optimize Hashtags: Use relevant hashtags (up to 30) in your video description to improve discoverability.
4. Engage with Your Audience: Respond to comments on your IGTV videos to encourage further engagement.
5. Collaborate with Other Brands: Partner with complementary brands for co-created content and cross-promotion.

Analyzing and Improving Your IGTV Performance Use Instagram’s built-in analytics and third-party tools to track your IGTV performance:

1. View Count: Monitor how many people are watching your videos.
2. Audience Retention: See how long viewers are watching and where they drop off.
3. Engagement Rate: Track likes, comments, and shares to gauge audience interest.
4. Click-Through Rate: If you include links, monitor how many viewers are clicking through.
5. Follower Growth: Track whether your IGTV strategy is helping to grow your overall Instagram following.

Use these insights to continually refine your IGTV strategy, focusing on content types and topics that resonate most with your audience.

Mastering IGTV for Business Success IGTV offers a powerful opportunity for businesses to connect with their audience through long-form video content. By understanding the platform’s purpose, mastering the technical aspects of video creation and upload, crafting engaging content, and continually analyzing and improving your performance, you can create an IGTV strategy that drives real results for your business.

Get Started

Now you know how to make an IGTV video. The steps of uploading a video are very easy and allow you to publish the way you want to. Try to create short and sweet videos that help viewers. Get as creative as you want, as long as it tells the right story. This tool is very useful to your business because of the relationship it builds between you and your customers.

Read more on the right content for your page and begin creating your videos today.

Get Started

Now you know how to make an IGTV video. The steps of uploading a video are very easy and allow you to publish the way you want to. Try to create short and sweet videos that help viewers. Get as creative as you want, as long as it tells the right story. This tool is very useful to your business because of the relationship it builds between you and your customers.

Read more on the right content for your page and begin creating your videos today.

FAQs

• Can anyone make an IGTV video?
• How do I add an IGTV video to Instagram?
• Can you post IGTV from mobile?
• How do I add IGTV to feed?
• Can you post to IGTV in a series?