Instagram pivots to long-form video with new 90-minute limit
Instagram is rolling out "Features," a new video format supporting up to 90 minutes of horizontal content, marking a strategic expansion into YouTube-dominated territory.
Instagram has announced the launch of "Features," a new video product that allows creators to post horizontal content up to 90 minutes in length. This development represents a shift from the platform's traditional focus on short-form Reels to long-form video, a move designed to keep creators and their audiences within the Instagram ecosystem.
Instagram’s head, Adam Mosseri, and VP of product, Tessa Lyons, stated that the feature is intended to support diverse storytelling formats. The product is designed to work in tandem with existing short-form content, allowing creators to link up to eight Reels to a single long-form video, effectively using shorter clips as trailers or previews.
The move aligns Instagram more closely with YouTube, which currently dominates the digital long-form video market. With YouTube consistently generating billions in advertising revenue, the expansion suggests an effort by parent company Meta to capture a larger share of the video advertising market by positioning Instagram as both a source for quick clips and longer, high-engagement content.
The feature is scheduled to begin a limited rollout this month, with plans for wider accessibility over time. Users will be able to discover this content through the Explore page and the Instagram TV interface.