How Savvy Brands Are Using IGTV

[Originally published on the Dash Hudson blog.]

Watch and learn. 📺

IGTV remains a mysterious medium for many brands. Over a year after its launch in June 2018, Instagram’s not-so-new video functionality is slowly but surely winning over the hearts, minds, and eyeballs of Instagrammers 👀. As brands continue to invest heavily in visual marketing strategies, Instagram is betting big on mobile video being the next trend to take flight. It’s finally paying off — as Instagram adds new features to IGTV like the option to add teasers to your regular feed along with improved horizontal video functionalities, social marketers are starting to incorporate the channel into their content strategies.

The IGTV homepage mirrors Instagram’s Explore page with its own feed of videos curated to users’ tastes based on their interests and who they follow on the app. There are three category options: Following, Popular and History. Not unlike the OG ‘Gram, it’s just as easy to get lost in a never-ending stream of content and emerge hours later. Hesitant brands that have yet to capitalize on the platform are missing out on millions of potential impressions.

The YouTube-like video channel gives brands the chance to invest in deeper storytelling to foster and grow their online communities. Early adopters are paving the way for how brands can approach the channel and have the chance to test innovative strategies. From interviews and BTS tours to produced mini-series, brands across industries are turning to the channel to add an extra layer to their traditional content playbooks.

Let’s not forget about the analytics. Once you start testing content on the channel, you can understand which videos are resonating most with your audience with IGTV analytics. Brands can measure performance based on views, engagement and audience retention rate.

As brands are starting to jump aboard the IGTV train, we uncovered some of the savvy strategies that stand out and prove that it’s a channel worth investing in. Stay tuned.👇

Keep Your Audience On Their Toes

It comes as no surprise that media brands are early users of IGTV. Brands in the media industry have no shortage of footage and have the tools and expertise on hand to quickly throw together a cinematic masterpiece.

With many media players developing their own approach to the platform, everyone’s favorite streaming service trailblazer @netflix is leading the charge. From an hour long video of Cole Sprouse eating a burger to epic surprises by the Stranger Things cast, Netflix knows how to work its angles and try out quirky strategies to promote new series launches and season premieres. To drive traffic to the channel, the Netflix social team uses the teaser feature to post a clip on its feed that directly links to IGTV where followers can watch the entire video.

Netflix also leverages IGTV to capture the attention of younger audiences. The social team knows how to play to their strengths with light and fluffy clips with everyone’s favorite celebs, and BTS footage of road trips with the cast of Sabrina the Teenage Witch.

Influencers

Leave it to our favorite influencers to make IGTV magic. No one knows how to turn even the most mundane errand into captivating content better than influencers. Brands: take note. ✍️

Influencers are using the new video channel as a medium to post tutorials, product demos and BTS snippets into their not-so-average lives. Some post similar content to their pre-existing YouTube channels while others are developing IGTV-specific content that flows with their Instagram feed.

@hudabeauty always seems to be leading the beauty influencer pack, so it’s no surprise that the makeup maven is breaking the ice with IGTV. Huda Kattan uses the video channel to do what she does best — offering her audience a deeper glimpse into her beauty routine with her top tips and techniques, while also keeping it real with hair removal demos.

Influencers have proven that you don’t need a big budget to make an impact. All it requires is a phone to make TV gold.

A Storytelling Extension

IGTV lends itself as a medium for brands to invest in meaningful storytelling. Our go-to brand for inspiration, @nike uses IGTV as an extension of its inspirational storytelling, a key pillar of the brand’s content strategy. The brand uses the channel to dig deeper into campaign content and as a channel to feature stories from its customers and athletes to develop authentic connections with its community.

Another activewear powerhouse, @lululemon, is running a strong IGTV game. Lululemon is always looking to cement its identity as not just an apparel company, but a lifestyle brand — IGTV provides another avenue to do so. The wellness-oriented brand has fully built out an IGTV content strategy that perfectly speaks to the brand’s goal with a weekly series, #boobtruth Tuesdays, coverage of the brand’s marathons and curated events, and running tips from the brand’s community of ambassadors. 🏃‍♀️

The Time is Now

IGTV is still at a point where brands can experiment with the long form video channel. The best part? It’s less saturated than other visual marketing channels, making it easier for brands to make a statement amongst competitors. As we’ve learned from some of the brands that have been first to adopt it, there isn’t a clearcut approach to the channel and content doesn’t have to be highly produced to make a major impact.

Header image: @netflix

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