by Brittany McSorley
Social media marketing on Cape Cod takes many forms: sharing gorgeous beach photos, highlighting local history, teaming up with neighboring businesses to spice up the off season . . . the list goes on. There are plenty of social media practices that have become standard, but it can be tough to know when to get on board with new trends. As 2019 wound down, many predictions were made about what social media marketing would look like in 2020. Now that the new year is in full swing, we’d like to add a suggestion of our own: 2020 is the year to incorporate IGTV into your marketing strategy.
Instagram introduced IGTV (short for Instagram Television) in June 2018. It’s technically a standalone video app for the platform, but to the casual Instagram user, it simply appeared to be a new avenue for sharing content. Before, the options were standard posts, story posts, and, for the bravest of us, going live. With the debut of IGTV, marketers also became able to share longer videos, working around Instagram’s pesky one-minute limit on regular video uploads.
In fact, IGTV videos can be up to 60 minutes long, which creates a lot of opportunity for marketers and influencers alike. IGTV videos are also saved permanently; there’s no 24-hour lifespan here like there is on Instagram Stories. And, helpfully, you can share previews of these longer vids to your main feed, giving your followers the option to watch a video in full if they’re hooked.
Since it was introduced back in 2018, IGTV hasn’t quite skyrocketed to popularity the way its creators may have hoped, but it is being used, and with video content expected to become even more popular in 2020, this could be the year that IGTV becomes impossible to ignore for social media marketers.
So, if and when you take the IGTV plunge, how should you use it?
According to squarelovin, the strength of IGTV lies in the built-in audience. You can now reach your established Instagram following in a brand new way, with much longer video content, if you so choose. You have a lot more time to say much more to your audience.
A 60-minute window of opportunity may be overwhelming to some, but remember, your videos don’t necessarily have to be long. They just have to be interesting. (And having more than 60 seconds to work with is definitely a marketing relief. Have you ever been convinced of anything good in 60 seconds?)
The kind of content that works best on this platform is in-depth, behind-the-scenes stuff. Think tutorials, webinars, or interviews with experts or employees. Show off your staff in the process of designing and creating a product, or showcase your service being used by satisfied customers.
IGTV is specifically designed for videos created on smartphones. Off-the-cuff ideas thrive there, so you don’t need to worry too much about how expertly formatted or professional-looking your videos are. Simply avoid shaky camera work and use common sense for the rest.
A few important things to keep in mind as you begin your IGTV journey:
- The ratio: IGTV is designed for vertical videos, the assumption being that you’re recording the content on your phone. Double-check the ratio if and when you share from another source.
- SEO: Keywords are still important. (Will we ever be free of them?) Remember to consider SEO when you create the title and description for an IGTV video.
- Schedule: If you can’t commit to posting to IGTV somewhat regularly, you may be better off opting out entirely. Followers like routine, even if that just means two IGTV posts a month.
Now that you’ve been briefed on content and method, you may be looking for some real-world inspiration. We understand. According to Skillslab, these are some brands that have been using IGTV with great success:
- Netflix: Surprise, surprise. Netflix’s first IGTV endeavor was an hour-long video of Riverdale star Cole Sprouse eating a burger. Odd? Definitely. But people watched it. A lot of people.
- Warby Parker: The eyewear brand lends a personal touch to its online presence by sharing interviews and uplifting stories on IGTV.
- National Geographic: NatGeo has quite a devoted Instagram following, and has used IGTV as a place to showcase what some might call mini documentaries, in the form of fascinating, long-ish videos.
Is 2020 the year you branch out and try something new? If so, IGTV may be the perfect place to start.
