Ever since its launch a few years ago, Instagram IGTV has instantly become a platform of choice for brands to connect with their audiences. It removes the limitations that other social media platforms have on the length of videos.
With IGTV, you can create long-form video content that is useful for your audience. But, you need a solid IGTV strategy before you start posting IGTV videos.
You can't jump headfirst and then learn from your social media marketing mistakes. After all, social media users are not that forgiving and have shorter attention spans than they used to.
Wondering how you can create a winning IGTV strategy? Here are a few tips to get you started:
One of the first things you need for your IGTV strategy is content ideas. Which topics will you post about? What type of content will you create?
You can use IGTV for a variety of purposes, from conducting interviews to creating random fun and engaging videos. If you are struggling to decide what type of content to create for IGTV, why not simply ask your audience?
Of course, you need to shortlist a few options first, before you ask your audience. After that, create a poll using Instagram stickers and share it on your Instagram Story to see what your audience would like to watch.
In the initial stages of the process, you can even pose an open-ended question to your audience inviting ideas. That can be a good place to start. After all, you create content for your audience so it makes sense to involve them in the process.
Videos can be shot in portrait or landscape orientation. While many video editors are committed to landscape, I recommend using vertical videos for IGTV as those are easier to watch on mobile devices.
Many people lock their screen rotation option and would not make the extra effort to rotate their screens to watch your videos. Instead, they simply move on to the next video.
To make things easier for your IGTV audience, and yourself, it's better to go with vertical videos. If you can shoot vertical videos directly, it will save you a lot of time and effort. If not, then you can convert your horizontal videos into vertical videos using tools to edit videos.
Did you know that most people watch social media videos with the sound turned off? It's true.
This is why you should always add subtitles to IGTV videos. Subtitles and pop-up text should be a non-negotiable part of your IGTV strategy if they aren’t already.
Adding text to your videos makes them easy to understand even when viewers don’t have the sound on. Moreover, it also makes your videos accessible to people who are deaf and need subtitles to understand the video content.
When someone goes through your IGTV feed on Instagram, the first thing they see is your cover photos. In a way, cover photos are what you use to make a first impression, grab your audience's attention, and encourage them to watch your videos.
Cover photos usually have one image, ideally a still from your video, and the title of your video in text form.
But, which image should you choose as your IGTV cover photo? The answer is simple: the one that best represents your video and is clear. Do not use any blurry images as your cover photo. And, if you have multiple good options, choose the one that best represents your IGTV video.
Need an example? Check out the cover photos for the two videos in this IGTV feed. The images and titles clearly show what a user can expect to be in the IGTV video.
Even if you create a perfect video, you can't expect people to find it on their own. You need to make an effort to make sure that your IGTV videos reach your target audience. So, what can you do to promote your IGTV videos?
First, you need to post a teaser on your main Instagram feed to let your followers know that you have created an IGTV video.
Luckily, you don't really need to make any effort for this as Instagram automatically provides this option every time you create an IGTV video. Before you post your IGTV video, you simply need to select the option to post it on your feed as well. Simple as that!
You can also share your IGTV video in your Instagram Story to draw people's attention to it and encourage them to watch it. Ask your friends to share it in their Stories feed, too, to reach more people and get more views.
Most IGTV videos get maximum views within the first 24 hours, so you want to make sure that people see them as soon as you post them. For that, you can create buzz about your upcoming video by talking about it on Instagram Live or in your Stories.
Another great way to reach more people through your IGTV videos is to use hashtags, but more on that in the next section.
Hashtags are one of the most effective social media tactics and should be an important part of your IGTV strategy. Why?
Because hashtags help you reach more people who might be interested in your brand or content.
Most social media platforms allow users to follow hashtags they are interested in. When you use a hashtag, your video stands a chance at becoming visible to everyone who follows that hashtag.
This extends the reach of your videos beyond your followers to more people who are interested in a particular topic or niche.
You can use one of the numerous tools to find hashtags that are available online and add the most relevant hashtags to your IGTV videos.
One of the best things you can do to jumpstart your IGTV strategy is to start a regular IGTV video series. It could be something like a weekly guest interview session, a series of videos around a particular theme, or anything else that you can easily post at fixed intervals.
How does starting a series help?
It sets the right expectations for your viewers as they know that every Tuesday (or whichever day you choose) they can expect a new episode on your IGTV. An Instagram IGTV series basically works on the same principle as a TV series. It gives people a chance to wait for your next episode.
An IGTV series will help with getting views within the first 24 hours as people already know when to expect your next episode.
You now know some of the most effective ways to jumpstart your Instagram IGTV strategy. Use these tips to create a winning IGTV strategy and wow your audience.
So, what are you waiting for? Get started on this right now and see the results first hand. Good luck!
