Instagram is testing a long-video format called Features, designed to let creators upload horizontal videos up to 90 minutes long. The test connects those videos to short Reels, giving viewers a way to discover a clip and continue watching the full program without leaving Instagram. The feature could suit podcasts, stand-up performances, educational lessons, and episodic content.
What is Instagram’s Features test?
Features is a limited Instagram test for long-form video. Creators can publish a horizontal video of up to 90 minutes, then link short Reels to it. A viewer who finds one of those clips can follow the link or on-screen prompt to watch the complete video.
The approach combines two viewing habits: discovering content through short, recommendation-driven videos and choosing to spend more time with a full episode or performance. Instagram has not announced a general launch date or confirmed that every account will receive access.
How does the long-video feature work?
- Upload a full video: The creator posts a horizontal video, up to 90 minutes long, to their profile.
- Choose short highlights: The creator cuts engaging moments from the full video into Reels.
- Link each Reel to the full video: Viewers can use the Reel’s link or viewing prompt to continue watching the complete program.
- Organize related clips: Instagram is also testing a Series feature that groups connected Reels on a creator’s profile.
The test reportedly allows up to eight Reels to connect to one long video. That limit gives creators room to promote several moments without turning the full program into an unmanageable chain of clips.
Who could benefit from Instagram’s long videos?
Podcasters could post a full episode and use short clips to highlight a strong exchange, useful takeaway, or funny moment. A 30-minute conversation, for example, might generate several Reels that each introduce a different topic and lead viewers to the complete episode.
Comedians could share short routines as discovery clips, then directly interested viewers to a full set. Teachers and course creators could publish a complete lesson alongside short explanations that preview individual concepts. Episodic creators could use Series to group related clips and make a topic or sequence easier to follow.
What is the purpose of linking Reels to full videos?
Short clips can attract attention, but they do not always give viewers a convenient path to the complete material. By linking Reels directly to a longer video, Instagram can make the transition from discovery to extended viewing easier. Creators can use the short clip as an introduction rather than treating it as a standalone post.
For viewers, the main benefit is continuity: they can move from a Reel to the full video within Instagram. For creators, linked clips provide multiple entry points to one central piece of content.
How could Instagram’s Series feature help creators?
The Series test is intended to group related Reels on a creator’s profile. This could help creators arrange clips around a subject, course, podcast episode, or recurring segment. Instead of relying on viewers to find every Reel individually, a creator could present related videos as a more coherent collection.
Series could also complement long videos. A creator might use a collection of short clips to introduce a full episode, or organize lesson highlights alongside longer instructional videos. Instagram has not provided a full public description of how Series will work or when it will become widely available.
Will Instagram long videos be available on TVs?
Instagram is also exploring support for viewing long-form content through a TV app. If introduced, this would give viewers another way to watch videos that are better suited to a larger screen, such as podcasts, performances, and educational programs.
A TV viewing option could extend the journey that begins with a Reel on a phone: a viewer discovers a clip, opens the full video, and watches it on a larger screen. The availability and details of this TV experience have not been confirmed for all users.
How does the test differ from IGTV?
Instagram previously launched IGTV as a destination for long videos and later discontinued the standalone service. Features takes a more integrated approach by connecting full-length videos with Reels and creator profiles rather than asking users to adopt a separate viewing destination.
The new test also builds on Reels’ role as a discovery format. Linking short clips to longer videos may help Instagram use existing browsing behavior to introduce audiences to full programs. Whether this model performs better than IGTV will depend on viewer interest, creator adoption, and the quality of the long-video experience.
How will creators earn money from Instagram long videos?
Meta has not announced a clear advertising-revenue share for long videos in this test. That leaves creators without a confirmed, standardized payment model for the format. YouTube, by comparison, has publicly described a 55% share of advertising revenue for eligible creators; Instagram’s long-video monetization terms remain unclear.
Creators may still explore sponsorships, subscriptions, and other existing income sources, but they should not assume that the Features test includes a specific revenue guarantee. Meta would need to explain eligibility, ad placement, revenue calculations, and payment terms before creators could assess the format as a dependable income channel.
What should creators do while the feature is being tested?
- Test a complete program: Start with a podcast episode, lesson, performance, or other format that benefits from uninterrupted viewing.
- Create a small set of strong clips: Select moments that make sense on their own and give viewers a clear reason to watch the full video.
- Plan the viewing path: Make the relationship between each Reel and the full video clear, and arrange related clips logically.
- Review audience behavior: Track which clips lead viewers to the longer video and whether those viewers continue watching.
- Keep revenue expectations flexible: Treat the test as a distribution opportunity until Meta publishes specific monetization terms.
When will Instagram Features be available to everyone?
Features is in limited testing, and Meta has not announced when—or whether—it will reach all Instagram users. The company may use test results to evaluate viewing time, transitions from Reels to full videos, creator feedback, and potential business models before deciding what to do next.
What does Instagram’s long-video test mean for users?
If Instagram expands Features, users could discover a short clip and watch its full episode or performance in the same app. Creator profiles may also offer more organized collections of related videos, while possible TV support could make long-form viewing more comfortable.
For now, the test represents an effort to connect Reels discovery with longer viewing rather than replace short videos. Its long-term impact will depend on whether viewers choose to watch full programs, creators find the tools useful, and Instagram clarifies how the format can generate revenue.
Be the first to comment