Instagram Launches 90-Minute Video Feature to Attract YouTube Creators

Instagram is testing a new video format called Features, allowing creators to upload horizontal videos up to 90 minutes long as it seeks to compete with YouTube.

Instagram Tests 90-Minute Features Videos to Compete With YouTube

Instagram is exploring a major expansion of its video offerings with a new format called Features, designed to support long-form content and attract creators who currently publish on YouTube. The Meta-owned platform is testing the feature with selected creators as it looks for new ways to keep audiences engaged within its app.

The format supports horizontal videos of up to 90 minutes, potentially opening Instagram to longer podcasts, detailed vlogs, comedy specials and other extended content.

Why Instagram Wants to Challenge YouTube

YouTube has established a strong position in the online video market through its advertising and creator monetisation model. Although short-form videos on platforms such as Instagram and TikTok attract large audiences, creators often depend on sponsorships and brand partnerships to generate income from them.

YouTube, by comparison, shares 55% of advertising revenue from eligible videos with creators. According to the supplied report, the platform has paid more than $100 billion to creators and media companies over the past four years.

Instagram’s new initiative could help it retain creators who publish longer videos elsewhere. By offering extended viewing experiences within its own app, the company aims to give users more reasons to stay on Instagram instead of switching to YouTube.

How Instagram Features Videos Will Work

Instagram is testing Features with a selected group of creators in the United States, following earlier trials in Brazil.

The format allows creators to upload horizontal videos lasting up to 90 minutes. This gives them more flexibility to produce content that requires additional time, including interviews, podcasts, travel documentaries, tutorials and longer entertainment videos.

Clips as Reels Connect Short and Long Videos

Instagram is also developing a tool called Clips as Reels to connect its short-form and long-form content.

The feature will allow creators to extract shorter clips from their longer Features videos and publish them as Reels. Viewers watching these clips will be able to access a direct link to the complete video.

This approach could help creators use Reels to attract new viewers before directing interested audiences towards their longer content. It also allows Instagram to retain its focus on short-form videos while introducing a more extended viewing option.

Downloading Videos and Watching on Television

Users will reportedly be able to save longer videos to their phones and cast them to television screens.

Instagram is also expanding its television presence through an app for Apple TV. The move builds on its existing support for television platforms including Samsung, Amazon Fire TV and Google TV, offering users more ways to watch video content on larger screens.

Will Instagram Pay Creators for Long Videos?

Creator monetisation remains one of the biggest unanswered questions surrounding Features.

Instagram has not announced a fixed advertising revenue-sharing programme for the new format. However, a Meta spokesperson told TechCrunch that the company is exploring performance-based incentives and additional ways for creators to earn money through fans and brand partnerships.

Instagram head Adam Mosseri also addressed the development in a post on X, formerly Twitter. He said the company was gradually testing the format and recognised that financial incentives were important to creators.

Mosseri indicated that Instagram was examining different approaches to compensating long-form creators and would provide further updates as its plans develop.

A clear monetisation model could be important to the success of Features, particularly for creators who already earn revenue from YouTube. Without competitive earning opportunities, Instagram may find it difficult to persuade established long-form creators to shift more of their content to the platform.

Instagram’s Earlier Attempt at Long-Form Video

Features is not Instagram’s first effort to establish itself as a destination for longer videos.

In 2018, the company introduced IGTV as a separate app focused on extended video content. However, it struggled to compete with established platforms, and Instagram discontinued the service in 2022.

Instagram head Adam Mosseri had previously expressed reservations about bringing long-form videos back, given that Reels encourage sharing and engagement. However, Instagram Vice President of Product Tessa Lyons reportedly supported another attempt, arguing that users should be able to watch more in-depth content from their favourite creators without leaving the app.

Under the new approach, Reels will remain central to Instagram, while Features will provide an additional option for viewers seeking longer videos.

Instagram Also Tests Series for Episodic Reels

Alongside Features, Instagram is testing another tool called Series. It will allow creators to group related episodic Reels in a dedicated section of their profiles.

The feature is intended to make it easier for followers to watch connected videos in sequence, particularly when creators publish stories or recurring content across multiple episodes.

Together, Features and Series indicate that Instagram is exploring ways to support different viewing habits, from quick clips to extended videos and episodic storytelling.

Conclusion

Instagram’s 90-minute Features format represents a renewed effort to compete with YouTube in long-form video content. Its success will depend on viewer adoption, creator interest and the development of attractive monetisation options. By linking longer videos with Reels and expanding television access, Instagram is attempting to build a broader video experience without abandoning its short-form identity.