Instagram takes on YouTube with 90-minute ‘Features’

Meta-owned Instagram has initiated a major strategic shift in its creator economy playbook by rolling out ‘Features’, a new format allowing select creators to upload horizontal videos of up to 90 minutes.

The move marks a direct challenge to YouTube's dominance in the long-form video market and a notable reversal for Instagram, which previously shut down its standalone long-form attempt, IGTV, in 2022. The new format is specifically targeted at podcasters, comedians, and interviewers looking to consolidate their audiences on a single platform.

The pivot represents a stark change in philosophy for the platform. Instagram Head Adam Mosseri had previously been reluctant to embrace long-form video, expressing concerns that it could cannibalise the time users spend sharing content with friends.

However, in a recent interview with creators Colin and Samir addressing the launch, Mosseri outlined the platform's changing logic. “We want to be the most culturally relevant platform, and to do that, we need to show up where people are,” Mosseri stated.

Despite the aggressive push to attract high-production creators, Instagram has not yet implemented a direct ad revenue-sharing programme for ‘Features’.

Instead of the ad-revenue splits that have made YouTube highly lucrative for long-form creators, Instagram is currently relying on performance bonuses and creator-led brand partnerships to drive financial rewards. Industry analysts suggest this lack of a clear, platform-native revenue-sharing model could make top-tier talent hesitant to upload exclusive, high-investment long-form content to the app.

Rather than positioning short and long-form as competitors, Instagram is attempting to build a seamless viewing funnel. Alongside 'Features', the platform is testing "Clips as Reels," which allows creators to link up to eight short Reels directly back to a full-length video. This effectively turns the short-form Reels feed into an in-app discovery engine and trailer system for longer episodic content.

To support extended viewing habits, Instagram is also updating its dedicated TV application to prioritise 'Features' across Samsung, Fire TV, and Google TV, with Apple TV support slated to launch soon.

The 'Features' test initially began with creators in Brazil and is now rolling out to select partners in the US, including fashion creator Monet McMichael, entrepreneur Emma Grede, and sports interviewer Donald De La Haye, with plans for broader global expansion in the coming months.