Video on social media has skyrocketed in recent years, and it isn’t slowing down. Popular platforms that cater to social video include TikTok, YouTube and Twitch — all of which have a different approach to video content. Instagram is covering all the bases, giving users the ability to upload videos in differing formats. Today, we’re going to show you how to upload to IGTV.

IGTV vs other platforms 

Instagram has five different formats for posting videos. IGTV is the long-form video section on Instagram, comparable to that of YouTube. Some other ways to upload a video is using Reels, Stories, simple posts and lives. These features are made for different formatted videos and each form compares to the competitors. 

The Instagram platform

Instagram offers a unique, more personal platform. Generally, your audience is mixed with friends, family, acquaintances and some fans. For many, Instagram is their preferred form of social media. Instagram may hold most of your following, so in-app access to uploading videos is more efficient for increasing engagement. 

The platform creates much potential for being discovered and vice versa. The explore/discover page is a great place to get your content out there. Instagram uses a number of methods of being able to tap into different communities. Through the use of hashtags, marked locations and suggested accounts to follow, creators have a multitude of ways to grow. 

Courtesy of Instagram/IGTV

Familiarity

Using IGTV to produce video content is beneficial for the avid Instagrammer. If someone is well versed with using the app, they can adapt quickly to IGTV compared to using another app or software entirely to upload a video. It is an easier transition for those who may not have a TikTok or a YouTube account yet. 

IGTV Format

IGTV videos count as posts and will stay on your profile, unlike stories that disappear after a day. They are separated onto a different tab on the profile but still exist in your main feed. With IGTV, users are able to upload 15 minutes of video through the app, and up to an hour through a browser. All videos must be one minute at least to post.

They should be in MP4 file format when uploading from a computer. Users are able to upload either a vertical video with a 9:16 aspect ratio or a horizontal video with a 16:9 ratio. The minimum resolution you can upload is 720 pixels. The eligible file size differs in the length of your video. The maximum size for a video under 10 minutes is 650 MB. For videos that are 10-60 minutes, the maximum size is 3.6GB. 

IGTV video requires users to have a cover photo for a video. The recommended size from Instagram is 420px by 654px for the cover. Important to note is that you may not edit your cover photo after its been uploaded. 

Instagram makes it a point to make sure their users receive the best possible experience with the app. To be sure of this, videos must follow their Community Guidelines. This allows viewers the ability to report a video if it’s thought to be going against the guidelines. 

How to upload to IGTV

Instagram app 

When uploading from the app on an Andriod or iPhone, start out by tapping your profile picture or the face icon in the lower right-hand corner of Instagram. Continuing you’d click the + button in the top right to open the create panel. From here you choose IGTV video then you’ll be brought to your video gallery, choose a video to upload. 

After selecting your video, click the next button in the top right. You’ll be brought to the cover page where you select a frame from your video or an image from your camera roll. Consider preparing an image beforehand posting the video. From this, you tap the next button again. Then you’ll be prompted to enter a title and add a description. Also, this is you can decide to start a series or choose to post a preview to be shared you your feed. 

Lastly, at the bottom of this page, you may choose to post it straight to your IGTV or save it as a draft. Being able to save to drafts allows for more time to fix last edits up if needed. 

IGTV app

When using the IGTV app to upload, the process is quite similar. On the home page, you’ll tap the  + button in the top right-hand corner. Then you’ll be able to record a video directly from this screen or select a video from your gallery. Remember, the video must be over a minute long to post. Then once you have your video, you’ll tap the lower right-pointing arrow. From here you’ll follow the instructions from above starting at the cover page step. This a great method to stay on top of your IGTV and not get distracted by the rest of what the Instagram app offers. 

Instagram in a browser 

Uploading a video from Instgram.com may be a preferred method for individuals who thrive with editing footage on a computer setup. When logged on you’ll go to your profile and select the IGTV tab. Then click the blue Upload button. On the next page, you’ll be able to upload a video, select a cover and add a title and description. Then you can post it or draft it. With this process, you may have access to a wider gallery for video and a more thorough workflow. 

Why IGTV?

The long-form video sharing via Instagram IGTV offers opens the door to creators to expand on their account or brand. It is more accessible to your existing following on Instagram and has room to grow substantially. IGTV is diverse in nature. You are able to conduct your personal process in video uploading with multiple ways to do it with IGTV. The importance of vertical video is also addressed in this feature. Vertical video can be easily transferable to other apps made for it like TikTok. IGTV is an option for all Instagrammers to expand their range on their profile if they so choose.