Instagram is making another attempt to establish itself as a platform for long-form video content, but convincing creators and audiences to embrace the format could prove difficult, particularly in India. While its new feature, called Features, is designed to give longer videos more space on the platform, creators and industry executives believe Instagram will need to address two major challenges: monetisation and declining attention spans.

Last week, Meta-owned Instagram began testing Features with a limited group of users in the US, with some creators in Brazil also participating in the trial. The format is designed to support longer videos in a widescreen layout, marking another step in Instagram’s effort to expand beyond its short-form video offering, Reels.

However, industry participants believe introducing a new video format will not automatically translate into a successful long-form content ecosystem.

For creators, the biggest question is whether the additional time and effort required to produce longer videos will generate sufficient returns.

Monetisation Remains Instagram’s Biggest Hurdle

Content creator Larissa D’Sa believes Instagram will struggle to attract serious long-form creators without a clear revenue-sharing system.

She pointed out that producing a 15-minute or 30-minute video requires a different approach from creating a Reel. The techniques that help short videos gain traction may not necessarily work for longer content.

D’Sa also highlighted the difficulty of retaining viewers who are accustomed to continuously scrolling through short videos.

Capturing someone’s attention for a few seconds is very different from keeping them engaged for 15, 20 or 30 minutes. Instagram will have to demonstrate that its audience is willing to make that shift.

Prerenaa Khatri, chief business officer at Only Much Louder (OML) Entertainment, also believes changing established viewing habits will take time.

The monetisation gap is particularly important because YouTube already offers creators an established business model around long-form videos.

According to Divyanshu Damani, co-founder of TagMango, Backstage Pass and AI Fiesta, long-form creators on YouTube can generate income through multiple channels, including advertising revenue, brand partnerships, sponsorships, affiliate marketing and direct product sales.

Creators can also monetise their audiences through courses, workshops, memberships, paid communities and physical products.

YouTube’s advertising revenue-sharing arrangement gives creators 55% of advertising revenue from long-form videos, while the platform retains 45%.

Industry estimates suggest Indian YouTubers earn between Rs 50 and Rs 200 for every 1,000 long-form video views. At these rates, a video generating one million views could bring in advertising revenue of approximately Rs 50,000 to Rs 2 lakh.

Sponsorships and additional revenue streams can increase those earnings considerably. Damani said an education-focused creator with around 100,000 subscribers, a quality audience and consistent engagement could potentially earn Rs 10-15 lakh per month.

This established earning potential gives creators a reason to invest in YouTube, something Instagram will need to address if it wants them to produce original long-form content.

Instagram’s IGTV Experience Raises Questions

Instagram’s latest move also comes with a history that cannot be ignored.

The platform previously attempted to establish itself in the long-form video space through IGTV. However, the initiative failed to gain sufficient traction and was discontinued in 2022.

The experience raises questions about whether Features can achieve what IGTV could not.

Damani believes getting users to open Instagram specifically to watch longer videos and spend extended periods on the platform will be a significant challenge.

He also expects creators to initially use Features as an additional distribution channel for videos they have already produced for YouTube, rather than immediately investing in Instagram-exclusive content.

To change that behaviour, Instagram may need to offer incentives to creators who publish their videos on the platform first.

Damani also believes the company will have to invest in original programming and build closer relationships with creators, similar to YouTube’s approach through YouTube Studios.

Without these efforts, Features could find it difficult to compete with an established long-form video ecosystem.

Regional Creators Could Find New Opportunities

Despite the challenges, industry executives see opportunities for creators who have already established an audience on Instagram.

Hetal Khalsa, co-founder and chief creative officer at PivotRoots, believes creators with an engaged Reels following could be among the first to benefit from Features.

Regional storytellers could also gain from the format, particularly those producing interviews, explainers and documentaries in Indian languages.

Longer videos could give these creators more flexibility to develop stories that cannot be adequately covered within the duration of a Reel.

The format may also benefit mid-sized creators who have built a following through short-form content but are now looking to experiment with longer storytelling without having to build an audience from scratch elsewhere.

Hitarth Dadia, CEO and partner at NOFILTR.GROUP, believes Features could encourage a new group of long-form creators to emerge.

He pointed out that many creators already have ideas for longer videos but are reluctant to start a separate YouTube channel or revive an inactive one. Instagram could make the transition easier by allowing them to reach audiences they have already built through the platform.

India’s Response Could Shape the Feature’s Future

India could play an important role in determining whether Instagram’s long-form video experiment succeeds.

The platform has a user base of more than 532 million in the country, making India an important market for its video ambitions. Reels gained significant traction in India before becoming a global offering, and Dadia believes the response to long-form content could be equally important.

Khatri sees another opportunity in bringing content discovery and consumption together.

For instance, users could discover a podcast through a Reel and then watch its complete episode on Instagram without moving to another platform.

That could make the platform more useful for both creators and viewers by connecting short-form discovery with longer viewing sessions.

However, Instagram’s challenge is not simply to provide more space for videos. It must convince viewers to spend more time watching them and give creators a financial reason to invest in producing them.

Features could offer a new opportunity for India’s growing creator community, but its long-term success will depend on whether Instagram can turn that opportunity into a sustainable business for creators.

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