Instagram TV or IG TV for short is Instagram’s long-form channel that is viewed in vertical orientation just like their stories function. The access to Instagram TV is only exclusive through Instagram’s app and having a massive following in your Instagram profile will definitely help get you noticed on IG TV. This guide will be an in-depth look at the tips and tricks you can use to take advantage of Instagram TV’s capabilities for business and marketing.
What is Instagram TV (IG TV)?
Instagram TV (IG TV) is an extension of Instagram’s social platform. In one way or another, it can be compared to stories but longer and has the same functions as YouTube. The difference is, videos may only be viewed in a vertical orientation. Its other purpose is its use as a powerful business and marketing tool that may be used to propel your business forward.
Instagram TV is one of the best opportunities you can get as a marketer due to its:
- Engagement building capabilities
- The ability to collaborate with influencers and other marketers/businessmen
- To improve your knowledge of Instagram marketing and business strategies
- And many more that we will talk about later!
Before we begin with the important details, let’s talk about setting up your IG TV account first and how to use IG TV.
How to make an IGTV Account
Creating an IG TV account is no separate from how you would create a normal Instagram account. You will be going through the same registration process like picking a username and using your email for the verification process. Like we have mentioned earlier, Instagram TV is directly tied and exclusive to Instagram. There is no other way to access IG TV but through the means of Instagram’s app and the IGTV APP itself. It is also important to know that you may only create and link one IG TV Account (or as Instagram would like to call it “channel”) to one Instagram account.
Using IG TV
Using IG TV through the IGTV app is pretty simple.
- First, download the IGTV app on your smartphone through Google Play Store or Apple App Store, depending on your mobile OS.
- Once you have downloaded the app, tap the IGTV app icon and you will be greeted with a “Welcome to IGTV” message. Underneath the message, you will see a “continue as (your Instagram username). Tap that button.
- Then, tap create channel. Your Instagram account will automatically do things for you. It will sync your newly created IG TV channel to your Instagram account.
- Now that you have your very own channel, you can start uploading videos from your camera roll right away. Of course, you want to make sure that the stuff you’re about to upload are things that are related to your business. IG TV’s function isn’t really the same as Instagram stories or posts since IG TV is more inclined to businesses or TV shows who want to promote their material or products on the Instagram platform.
- If you don’t feel like uploading yet, then feel free to watch other content creator or influencer’s IG TV videos. If you’re interested in seeing their posts, you can simply click on their username and you will be taken to their Instagram profile where you will see their Instagram videos and photos.
That’s it! Using IG TV is as easy as using Instagram, so don’t sweat about it too much. Now, let’s dive deeper as to why using Instagram TV will be beneficial to your business and marketing success.
Why IG TV can be good for expanding business
As of writing, Instagram is still one of the most popular social media platforms out there. It currently sits 23rd on the Alexa Rank (website traffic rankings) which just shows how much of an influence it packs.
It’s important to keep in mind that IG TV is indeed powerful for business, but setting up a stronger foundation like an online marketplace or a website is going to be your best bet to ensure your IG TV career will be supported.
Build your business website with Strikingly’s advanced website builder. With our hundreds of templates, there is no way you won’t find one theme that suits your taste. Got a problem? Our 24/7 live customer support is here to chat with you and your technical hiccups.
With its tight integration with Facebook and its other services like Facebook Messenger, Instagram is bound to just keep getting bigger and better. With that, IG TV will also continue to grow as a compelling choice as a tool to improve and expand a business. Here are some benefits and things you can do with IG TV to make your business stand out from the rest:
- You can start a video series that demos a product of yours
Video series are one of the more popular IG TV shows formats on the platform. You can create a three-part series where you feature a line of your product and how to use it effectively. You can even use the series to create skits or high budget shows that revolve around clever product placement and wittiness. Just like with our previous guides, creativity is the game here. While your product can be good on its own, being creative and imaginative in IG TV can go a long way, especially considering that IG TV’s demographics are mostly teenage boys and girls.
- There is potential to go viral
Like with any social media platform, there is potential to go full-on viral with Instagram and IG TV. If your advertisements or video series catches the attention of the audience, it can get shared around and your business and product will be an overnight superstar. Of course, solely betting on this chance is risky and unreliable. You still need to create a compelling channel that is deserving to go viral and a brand image that is clean, reputable, and trendy. But knowing that there is always this chance that your product may be discovered by a big named influencer, or a fellow marketer, is always nice to have.
- Your business’ reach will expand
The cool thing about IG TV is that most of its users are young people who are into trendy stuff. So, if you like doing and selling trendy stuff then IG TV is the perfect business expansion plan for you. Even if your intended buyers are adults, you can still reel in young audiences as long as you know how to fit in with the trends and be creative with your videos. There is also the advantage of being able to show the world your goods and services. It doesn’t matter where someone is watching your channel. As long as they have IG TV and they stumble upon your videos, they will be able to build trust and loyalty with your business.
- Take your buyers and audience behind the scenes
Being able to see BTS of how a video or (product for this matter) is always fascinating. With Instagram TV, you will be able to bring your audiences to how things are started around your business and how videos are shot, edited, and published. Or better yet, you can even show them how you make or manufacture your products. It’s always cool to make them feel like they are part of the family, and these videos are small steps to getting there!
Important tips to keep in mind while uploading to IG TV
Using IG TV as a channel and platform for your business may be a new niche for some since there are some things you need to do differently than your traditional video hosting websites like YouTube. Here are some of the tips that can help you:
- Keep in mind that in the IGTV APP and IG TV, videos are always vertical!
This is very important to remember. IG TV is vertical orientation exclusive, similar to how you view IG stories or Snapchat stories. Remembering this will help you set up your future videos’ aesthetic and theme while also optimizing it for post-processing/video editing.
- Keep the aesthetic consistent and clean
Going minimalist may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it certainly is good for IG TV since the vertical orientation can pull off some great shots. Keep your videos’ aesthetic consistent and clean throughout your series. Be mindful of the stuff you put in your videos, and observe if colors match or not. Make sure your actor or actress’ clothing matches the theme, and that the product is the main subject of the video.
- Learn to cross-promote your other platforms
Don’t forget to mention your other social media and website platforms during or at the end of your videos! Recommending your viewers to check out your Instagram, FB, and YouTube pages will boost your numbers accordingly as they will be notified that you exist on those platforms too. Don’t be shy to plug your business website too! Or maybe even a blog? It’s all your choice!
- Keep your content close according to your business
If you are a clothing line business, then make sure that your content only goes over your clothing line and business. Sure, it’s okay to drift off to other types of content once in a while but your viewers already have established in their minds that your brand’s name is linked to only that niche of business. If you are a candle business, then avoid trying too hard to put your audience’s attention to other trends. Keep them hooked with your product as long as possible!
IG TV is a powerful tool and all, but your own website can be like that too
Instagram TV is a powerful business tool, no surprise about that. It’s basically Instagram Videos but for marketers and businessmen. While IG TV offers tools and features that are business-friendly, having your own website is still the way to go.
