Instagram is preparing to move beyond short-form content by testing video uploads of up to 90 minutes, a shift that could strengthen its competition with YouTube for creators and audiences.
Announced on Monday, October 26, the new format, called “Features,” is designed to give creators more room to publish longer videos directly on Instagram. The test marks a significant change for a platform whose video strategy has largely centred on short clips and Reels.
Instagram Looks Beyond Short Videos
For years, Instagram and other social platforms have focused on short-form video to attract viewers and encourage content sharing. However, this format has not consistently translated into substantial direct earnings for creators.
Instagram currently offers ways for creators to make money through brand partnerships, fan subscriptions, and limited performance-based programmes. But Instagram head Adam Mosseri has acknowledged that the company’s existing performance-based initiative costs significantly more than it generates, making it difficult to expand.
YouTube, by contrast, has an established advertising revenue-sharing system. Eligible creators in its Partner Program receive 55% of the advertising revenue generated by their videos, giving them a more direct financial incentive to publish content on the platform.
YouTube reported that it paid more than $100 billion to creators, artists and media companies over the four years preceding its September 2025 announcement.
Instagram’s longer-video experiment could help it attract creators who currently rely on YouTube for full-length content and use Reels mainly to promote their work.
Monetisation Remains Unclear
Although the new format creates more opportunities for longer videos, Instagram has yet to announce how creators will earn money from them.
A Meta spokesperson told TechCrunch that the company was exploring ways for creators to generate income from brands, fans and Instagram itself, including performance-based incentives.
The company did not confirm whether it would introduce advertising revenue sharing for the new videos.
Introducing ads could give Instagram another way to monetise longer viewing sessions, but it remains uncertain whether the platform will adopt a model comparable to YouTube’s Partner Program.
Instagram previously attempted to establish a dedicated destination for longer videos through IGTV, which it discontinued. The latest test represents another effort to accommodate creators who want to publish more substantial content without directing their audiences elsewhere.
Connecting Reels With Longer Videos
Instagram is also testing a feature called “Clips as Reels,” which allows creators to turn portions of longer videos into short Reels. Viewers can use these clips to discover the full video, creating a link between Instagram’s established short-form format and its new long-form offering.
Users will also be able to save longer videos and watch them through Instagram’s TV app, extending the experience beyond mobile devices.
Mosseri said he had previously opposed bringing long-form video to Instagram because Reels encourages sharing and direct messaging. However, Instagram Vice President of Product Tessa Lyons advocated for the change, arguing that users should be able to explore more content from their favourite creators without leaving the platform.
The company wants short- and long-form videos to complement one another rather than operate as competing formats.
Testing Expands to the United States
Instagram is currently testing Features and Clips as Reels in Brazil and plans to extend the experiment to a small group of users in the United States.
The company is also developing better discovery tools for Live videos and a dedicated section on creator profiles for episodic Reels. The latter would allow connected videos to be organised into series, similar to playlist-style features on competing platforms.
For creators, the potential benefit is a single platform for attracting viewers through short clips, building deeper engagement with longer videos and exploring additional income sources.
However, Instagram’s ability to challenge YouTube will depend partly on how it eventually pays creators. Longer uploads may help retain audiences, but a clear and sustainable monetisation model will be important if Instagram wants creators to make it a primary destination for their work.
Source: The Colin and Samir Show
