Instagram has been successful with its short-form video feature, wherein you could see random memes or heartfelt videos get millions of likes in just a day. You would think that long-form videos would make sense, but Instagram boss Adam Mosseri thinks the platform should stick to short videos.
Instagram Won't Add a Long-Form Video Feature
In case you don't remember, Instagram already tried this before with its IGTV feature, and it wasn't exactly as successful as Reels. This alone can be proof that Adam Mosseri might be making the right decision.
He said that long-form videos might undermine the site's "core identity to connect people with friends." It won't even be as necessary since people can already post long videos that can last for up to an hour anyway, as pointed out by The Verge.
As for connecting with friends through video formats like Reels, Mosseri explained that users usually help each other explore interests through short-from videos. Connecting and exploring are two jobs that are "symbiotic" since friends can share content that others might also like.
Long-form videos might not fare well in this kind of relationship, seeing as videos that might last more than 10 minutes could lead to users losing interest before it ends. With longer formats, users will also see less content from various creators about different topics.
Mosseri added that "you see less content from friends, you interact with your friends less, and you're actually less likely to send that content or that video to a friend." With that said, Instagram is sticking to its usual video formats.
Short-Form Videos Taking Over Social Media
Many would argue that our attention spans have grown shorter ever since short-form videos became a thing, and it might actually be true. Shorter videos are preferred by a lot of users since they will be able to watch more content.
This is a fact that is known by many companies, especially since it has been made more apparent by TikTok as it blew up in popularity. YouTube, for instance, has released its own short-form video called Shorts.
Some content creators even use this to post the best parts of a longer video on YouTube to encourage fans to watch it. Facebook also has its own Reels and Instagram users can post their content cross-platform. However, Facebook Reels cannot be posted on Instagram.
The short-form video culture just keeps growing over the years, so much so that there is an industry behind it now. A lot of content creators earn a living by posting these content, and they can do so on several platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.
Each platform has their own monetization policies, some better than others, but still serve as revenue sources for those who are willing to put in the work and post on more than one social media platform.
While TikTok has already allowed users to post up to 10 minutes, users are still sticking to short-form by posting videos with an average duration of one to two minutes. This can serve as another example why Adam Mosseri is making the right decision.
