Instagram’s debut in 2010 marked the beginning of a new era in the history of social media. Its quirky filters and emphasis on static images evoked a sense of artistic expression among its users. Rapid expansion in the number of users resulted in a multibillion-dollar sale to Facebook.
Today, Instagram has over 1 billion monthly active users, making it the go-to service for companies trying to expand their reach. Instagram, under tough competition from rivals like SnapChat and TikTok, has begun to shift its focus away from the photographs that originally made it popular and towards video.
Instagram Video Genres: What You Need to Know
It’s crucial to know what Instagram will accept as video material before you start making videos for the network.
Instagram Stories
Instagram Stories require an MP4 or MOV file format.
The maximum length is 15 seconds. If your story is too long, it will be split up.
Size Limit: 30MB
Multiple Ratios: 9:16, 16:9, 4:5
H.264 video compression.
Stories are short movies that vanish from your feed after 24 hours, drawing comparisons to Snapchat. These movies will expire in a short while, but you may save them to your “highlights” area (located above the grid) to watch at a later time. Filters, tags, stickers, polls, questions, and more are just few examples of the interesting interactive components that may be added to stories. Posts and feed items are meant to be up for an extended period of time, whereas tales are more like small bites that may be shared with your audience.
Stories, however, should not be overlooked because of the potential they hold for boosting conversions and customer engagement. In fact, a survey found that more than half of readers went on to explore the brand’s website. In addition, you may only share links to websites in Stories, making them a unique feature of the platform.
Instagram Reels
Formats Accepted: MP4 and MOV
Duration: 0-60 seconds
Pixel dimensions: 500 x 888
Up to 4GB in Size
Optimal 30 frames per second
H.264 video compression.
Instagram’s newest video feature, Reels, was clearly influenced by TikTok. You may either take a new picture using your phone’s camera or select an existing one to upload. Text, augmented reality filters, green screen effects, and audio sound effects are just some of the additional effects you can use with Reels.
When planning ideas and shooting footage, keep in mind that all Reels record in portrait format (16:9). You should definitely take the time to go around the site and see what some of the filmmakers who are using the vertical video format are doing with the format.
You may advertise your business and products in a similar way to how material is shared on the Feed by adding captions, hashtags, and even product tags to your Reels. Since users can search Reels for relevant material, you should keep your keyword research in mind when you craft your caption and hashtag approach.
Instagram Live
It’s awesome that with Instagram Live, businesses can broadcast to their customers in real time, no matter where they are. You may do anything from hosting interviews and Q&As to unboxing and more.
When an Instagram Live is over, the video can be shared and distributed for 30 days before being permanently erased.
Going Live is a great method to interact with your viewers and potential buyers in real time. In real time, your viewers may interact with you through the use of comments, emoticons, and the purchase of special badges that unlock further communication options.
Videos From Instagram’s Feed
Formats Accepted: MP4 and MOV
Timing: between 3 and 60 seconds
9 to 16 in favour
Upload at the greatest resolution you can.
Maximum 30 MB per file size
30 frames per second is the ceiling.
H264 Compression.
Videos posted to a person’s feed will appear next to other content you’ve shared with that user. These allow you to add descriptions and hashtags, but that’s about it; they’re quite simplistic and easy.
Maintain Cohesion
Being inconsistent is annoying. In particular, your target market. If you maintain a consistent posting schedule, your readers will grow to expect high-quality work from you. You can use a software or service that allows you to compose posts in advance and schedule them if you’re having trouble keeping up with regular content publishing.
Schedule your posts to go live at peak activity times after you’ve determined those times via research into your target audience.
A Final Word on Instagram Videos
In 2023, as more and more platforms adopt a video-first philosophy, it will be crucial for businesses to have a well-developed video strategy. Brands can keep their target audiences interested and engaged for years to come by realising and capitalising on Instagram’s creative potential.