Video is taking over. Instagram has created IGTV. Which is their platform dedicated to everything video. It connects through your Instagram page and you can post videos up to one hour on the platform. The coolest aspect is the default for videos, is vertical instead of horizontal. Recognizing most people watch videos on their smartphones.
With IGTV being brand new, the time is perfect for content creators to dive in and make magic happen. Now before you start repurposing old videos remember that IGTV wants you to be native. This means they want people to stay within their app. So to get preference it’s best to not cut your video in half and direct people to watch the rest on YouTube. You should use IGTV as a separate audience. Yes, both platforms can live in the world of social media. But with the rumors that IGTV will be making monetization easy soon. YouTube should question what’s next in for innovation.
Now here are our Top 5 Tips for tackling IGTV like a Boss
1. BEST USES FOR IGTV
Since the IGTV favors vertical video. You need to think vertical when creating content. This means that your long vlogs in cool locations may not work the same. You have to realize most of the video will be on your face unless you pan away. As long as you know that, you can make vlogging happen. You have to make sure that you have a story to tell. Here are some creative ideas for IGTV: Behind the Scenes, Travel Films, Fashion, Music Videos, Recipe videos, How To’s and Fitness. That should get you started!
DO NOT FILM LANDSCAPE/HORIZONTAL. This is a big no-no. I’ve started looking through the app and I've seen quite a few people posting old videos that are landscape. If your video causes me to turn my phone horizontal. I’m never coming to your page again to watch videos. In a world where first impressions matter. Make sure yours is in the right format!
If you’re hoping to use the same footage for YouTube as you do for IGTV. Make sure you are always centered in the frame to make cropping easy later. Keep reading for tips on cropping and settings!
2. USE YOUR SMARTPHONE
Though you can use a fancy DSLR camera, don’t let your lack of high tech gear stop you. You can jump in and start making cool content with the iPhone. A quick and easy way is using Instagram Stories to film. Instagram stories allow you to film small chunks that you can add words or fun effects to. The best way to use it, is to save individual videos from your story. Save each small clip right after you film. It’s easy to use later and piece together a story. The reason I don’t think you should post an entire IG Story into IGTV is that they’re different. No one wants to see a video if you have a selfie photo in the middle. If you’re boomerang crazy like us! Downloading individual clips eliminates the unnecessary selfies and boomerangs. Once the clips download we like to use an iPhone app like inShot to piece them together.
3. REPURPOSE OLD CONTENT
If you have existing content that is horizontal, it might be able to fit in the new IGTV aspect ratio. Use professional editing software such as Final Cut Pro X, Premiere Pro, or Avid. We use Final Cut Pro X for its ease of use and quick turnaround. Especially for YouTube and IGTV videos. Using Final Cut Pro X here are the steps we like to use:
Duplicate the project
Go into the info tab on the right of your duplicated project
Click on modify settings
Create a custom video resolution of 1080 x 1920
Apple ProRes 422 HQ
Make sure it says Standard Rec - 709
Click Surround Sound make sure it’s set to 44.1 kHz for the audio.
Once in your new project, you have two options for resizing your horizontal video using Final Cut. The first option is using spatial confirm (in the side panel) setting that to “Fill”. The problem with that is you can’t change the composition. Use the transform tool to resize the video and move it around until it fits your needs.
4. BEST PROFESSIONAL GEAR
If you feel you’ll be making content for IGTV long term. It’s a good idea to invest in some professional equipment to stand out from the crowd. The best suggestion is to get a lightweight DSLR or mirrorless camera. For most YouTube content we use the Sony Alpha Series cameras. They have awesome autofocus, shoot 4k video and have a lightweight body and design. To shoot vertical video, get an external monitor, camera cage that has mounting points and a flexible ball head. By using the camera cage you can turn the camera on its side and mount to a tripod. With a flexible ball head, you can flip the monitor so you can check your framing. This lightweight camera rig setup is great for quick videos and (possibly) light enough for vlogging.
Bonus Tip: The most affordable IGTV microphone is the Rode Micro.
5. IDEAL EXPORT SETTINGS FOR IGTV
For IGTV, the length of your video has to be between fifteen seconds and ten minutes for smaller accounts. For larger verified accounts they get between 15 minutes and an hour. The sweet spot for your videos should be between one to three minutes.
Audio and playback issues came up when we uploaded our first IGTV video. If you’re wondering how to fix audio issues with uploading to IGTV? Here are some export settings that fix the upload using Final Cut Pro X:
Make sure your video codec is h.64
Audio format Quicktime AAC
Make sure that the audio below says 44.1 kHz
The size must be lower than 650 MB for videos less than 10 minutes
IGTV has a lot of potential to be huge for audience interaction and content creation. We plan on using IGTV for behind the scenes, native content and fun travel videos.
Watch our full video on How To Use IGTV below:
Listen to podcast here:
What are some tips or questions you have regarding IGTV? Let us know!