If Pythagoras discovered that the Earth was a sphere, Instagram thinks that the World is vertical

For sure you all have seen this new functionality already in your feed. Instagram launched a new app/functionality called IG-TV that is supposed revolutionize the way we consume TV-like content. They are taking on YouTube and it’s not a case that they named the app “TV”. It’s not a secret that TV consumption is decreasing amongst millennials and that video consumption on social networks is skyrocketing (+120% on FB only in the last year). Instagram stories are becoming THE new platform where users spend more time and vertical videos are just the norm now. IG has also introduced, long-form videos and a lot of partnerships with “content creators”. It’s a model a-la-youtube that has proven to be successful. IG wants to take it to a mobile-first experience.

Why is this a big thing for us?

YouTube was considered the new TV but it was born out of the TV paradigm. YouTube was designed on desktop and for desktop and the experience is not 100% on mobile. On the BigG platform, you have to turn your phone and place it landscape mode to have a fully immersive experience and that entails the user to switch behavior in the middle of an action and handle the phone with two hands when we shifting viewing mode. An acrobatic gesture that requires real skills and it’s incredibly time-consuming. Right? But how lazy have we become? Well, that’s the whole new model of thinking and IG is riding the wave of consumer behavior that is not even “Mobile First” anymore, but “Only Mobile”.

What does this mean for us marketers?

We have a possibility now to explore long-form video content that is native for the app with incredible influencers. Some are already talking about original series for IGTV.
Let’s see how that pans out but for now, we need to acknowledge the presence of the app and this trend. Search for this app, download it and give it a try. You might find very interesting content right away.