Instagram is expanding its video offerings by introducing Features, a new format that allows selected creators to publish horizontal videos of up to 90 minutes. The move marks a shift beyond the short-form content that helped make Reels popular.
Instagram head Adam Mosseri announced the format in a six-minute video featuring the platform’s Vice President of Product, Tessa Lyons. Instagram has begun rolling out Features to selected creators in the United States, targeting podcasters, comedians and other creators who produce long-form content.
“Instagram is all about connecting people over creativity. And creativity is so much more than just short-form video or posting carousels,” Lyons said.
Reels Will Connect Viewers to Full Videos
Features will operate alongside Reels, allowing creators to promote longer videos through short clips. Viewers can then open a promotional Reel and continue watching the full video.
Lyons explained that viewers who discover a favourite podcast through a short clip will be able to access the complete video through a link connecting the Reel to the creator’s Feature.
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Instagram is also introducing Series, a format for multi-episode video content. The platform has started testing Series with selected creators in the United States, India and Mexico, with expansion to more countries expected.
Instagram Expands Live and TV Viewing
The platform plans to integrate live streams into the Reels feed, allowing Instagram to recommend broadcasts to users who do not follow the creators hosting them.
Instagram is also bringing its TV app to Apple TV, following its introduction on Samsung and Amazon Fire TV devices.
Upcoming features are expected to let users control the TV experience with their phones and see what their friends are watching.
These updates reflect Instagram’s broader effort to expand its video ecosystem and give creators more ways to publish content while helping viewers discover longer videos.
