After introducing IGTV ads in May last year, Instagram’s first creator monetisation feature, the video- and photo-sharing social network announces the introduction of IGTV ads to Australia and the UK, and looks to keep expanding globally during the year. “Last year we started testing ads in IGTV with a revenue share model for some US-based creators, and have slowly expanded the test as we’ve improved the experience,” Instagram announced in an official post. IGTV ads allow to engage audiences by offering immersive ads, at the same time providing Instagram creators with a revenue source and a platform to showcase brands.
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What is IGTV?
Instagram TV, known as IGTV, is an IG feature for sharing long-form video from 1 minute to 1 hour in length (similar to a YouTube channel).
It allows creators, brands, and businesses to share even more with their audience.
Since its release in 2018, IGTV has evolved into a powerful channel for video storytelling to keep up with competitors like YouTube.
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IGTV Ads
In 2020, Instagram played into this need for video content for businesses by announcing IGTV ads, to pilot ads on its IGTV long-form video platform.
Instagram started testing this new ad opportunity last year in the United States and announced a couple of weeks ago that IGTV Ads is now expanding to Australia and the UK. Instagram content creators will be selected to test out IGTV Ads and, thus, will be able to monetise their work thanks to this new revenue model.
IGTV ads’ partner program for content creators is expected to work along the same lines as YouTube’s Partner Program, where creators receive 55% of earnings.
Creative Asset Guidelines
IGTV’s ads asset guidelines are as follows:
- Video ad length: max 15 seconds
- Recommended format: MP4
- Aspect ratio: 9:16 (built for mobile)
- Minimum resolution: 720px.
What do IGTV Ads Look Like?
IGTV Ads allows brands and marketers to promote businesses through engaging video stories. An IGTV Ad will look as follows for IG users when they watch a video from a content creator:
What Does This Mean for Your Business?
Instagram is expected to reach 989 million users by 2022 (source). The usage of pictures and videos as a marketing tool is increasing on every platform, and this is not surprising as consumers indicate videos to be their favorite type of content to watch from a brand on social media (Animoto, 2018).
Video has become an invaluable tool for both brands and marketers to captivate and connect with their audience, and its popularity continues to take unprecedented proportions. This year, IG video ads received 3x times more engagement than image ads (source). Don’t miss out on this opportunity to engage with your target audience and raise brand awareness by writing appealing content and creating high-quality visuals.
Do you want to learn more about IGTV ads and how they can help you achieve your digital marketing strategy? Contact us now or check out our Media Buy service page!
