Instagram在美测试最长90分钟长视频功能

Instagram is testing up-to-90-minute Features with select U.S. creators, plus Clips as Reels and Series. The move follows YouTube and TikTok, but operator planning should account for a wide monetization gap.

What happened

Instagram Chief Adam Mosseri and Vice President of Product Tessa Lyons previewed a range of new long-form video posting options on Monday that are currently being tested in the app. The updates are positioned as a way for creators to extend their relationship with audiences, while also helping Instagram get people spending more time in the app.

The main new format is called Features. It will let creators post videos of up to 90 minutes, which Instagram says will enable expanded storytelling formats including podcasts, vlogs and interviews. According to a press release, Instagram has already been testing Features with creators in Brazil, and is rolling out the option with select creators in the U.S. beginning Oct. 26, with plans to expand in the coming months.

Instagram is also expanding Clips as Reels, which lets creators link up to eight Reels clips back to a longer video post. Testing began with creators in Brazil earlier this year, and select U.S.-based creators will get access this week. A separate Series option will allow creators to tag Reels within a dedicated topic set, aimed at linking episodic content in one theme or narrative focus. Instagram has been testing Series since June.

Key facts

• Features will allow videos up to 90 minutes; Instagram says it can support podcasts, vlogs and interviews.
• Clips as Reels lets creators link up to eight Reels clips to a longer video post, with U.S. creator expansion beginning this week.
• Series lets creators tag Reels within a dedicated topic set and has been in testing since June.
• Instagram previously launched IGTV in 2018 and shut it down in 2022 after it never caught on.
• VidIQ analysis shows YouTube generally pays creators between $1 and $10 per 1,000 long-form views. Top creators with more than a million subscribers earn around $50,000 per month on YouTube, versus between $5,000–$15,000 on Instagram.

Our analysis

This is not simply another video format update. Instagram directly ties the push to competitive pressure from YouTube and TikTok, both of which have expanded long-form and connected TV viewing. The source notes that according to Nielsen, YouTube is now the biggest streaming content provider in the U.S., with more than a billion hours watched on home TV sets every day. TikTok has also leaned into microdramas and livestreams. Instagram likely sees its long-form expansion as a response to those viewing shifts rather than a standalone product bet.

The difference from the IGTV era appears important. IGTV was a separate app launched in 2018 and shut down in 2022. The new Features, Clips as Reels and Series are being built inside Instagram and linked to existing Reels behavior and the connected TV app. That suggests Instagram is trying to make long video an extension of current creation habits instead of asking audiences to adopt a new destination.

But the source also points to a major unresolved issue: creator monetization. Instagram monetization based on views alone is effectively zero unless a brand deal is attached. That gap against YouTube’s ad revenue share model may limit how many creators invest in 90-minute programming, especially for formats such as podcasts or interviews that require higher production effort.

What it means for operators

• Audit existing Reels content now and identify up to eight clips that could be packaged into a longer video once Clips as Reels becomes available to your account. This lets you extend content life without producing from scratch.
• Plan long-form formats around podcasts, vlogs or interviews, but do not treat Instagram view counts as direct revenue. Build brand deals or off-platform monetization into the plan, because Instagram monetization based on views alone is effectively zero unless a brand deal is attached.
• Use Series to group episodic Reels under one narrative theme, which aligns with Instagram’s stated goal of driving more long-term engaged viewing. This is a low-cost way to test serialized formats before investing in 90-minute Features.
• Prepare for connected TV viewing by checking how your content looks on a larger screen. Instagram launched an updated CTV app in December, and users will soon be able to use their phones as remote controls, so navigation and on-screen legibility may become more important for retention.