The world of Instagram TV is constantly growing. We love surfing through channels from bloggers, influencers, creators, and more. When it comes to creating your own IGTV channel and posting your first few videos, it can be a little challenging to get started. According to Hootsuite, 95% of U.S. Instagrammers use Youtube. Since IGTV is essentially a new version of YouTube, it's best to jump on the bandwagon now to get ahead of the curve with your content. We're here to guide you through it all!
In a previous blog post, we discussed how you can find IGTV on your Instagram app and how to create your own IGTV channel. Today, we're diving into the details of Instagram's video requirements, things to keep in mind when sharing an IGTV preview to your Grid, and how you can schedule your IGTV videos in the Creator Studio for Instagram. Before getting started, make sure you download the IGTV app!
Let's talk about cover photos. These images are important to consider given they contribute to the overall look and feel of your IGTV Grid and your Instagram Grid (if you choose to post a preview to your grid). You have two different options for selecting a cover photo when you're uploading your video to IGTV. The first option is to select a frame within your video to be the cover. This is a great option if you have an intro slide that shares more information on the content of your video. Or, if you have a frame with eye-catching photography.
The second option is to upload a separate image file from your device as the cover photo for your video. We love this option as well since we sometimes want a particular image that's not included in a frame of our video. Here are some things to keep in mind when creating a cover photo for your IGTV videos:
When uploading videos to your IGTV channel, you'll also see that you have the option to post an IGTV preview to your Instagram Grid and Feed. Posting an IGTV preview to your grid is a great way to drive more traffic to your IGTV channel! There are some dimensions you should keep in mind for the cover photo you upload since it also gets shared to your Instagram Grid and Feed.
The next step is to enter a Title and Description for your IGTV video. The copy you place here is also your set caption if you post an IGTV preview to your Instagram Grid as well. You're able to tag users, include hashtags, and any links you want to add for your audience. If you include any redirect links, your audience will be able to click on it directly in the description box in IGTV. The link will only be displayed in the caption on your Instagram Grid, and your audience won't be able to tap on it. Don't forget to include a CTA (call-to-action) in your IGTV description box so your audience will know where they can find more info!
Once you post your IGTV preview to your Instagram Grid, you'll notice that your video won't appear in your Grid Planner as your most recent 18 Instagram Posts. Our team at PLANOLY created a neat workaround you can use to add your IGTV video from your Instagram Grid back to your Grid Planner as one of your most recent 18 Instagram Posts! Please note that as of right now we're unable to pull the original cover photo you selected for your IGTV video, but we do select the first frame as the default cover on your Grid Planner in PLANOLY. You can follow the steps below to add your IGTV preview back to your Grid Planner:
You can also head over to our HELP DESK for a visual guide.
If you're looking to start planning and scheduling your IGTV videos on WEB, you can do so on the Creator Studio for Instagram. As of right now, Instagram doesn't give 3rd party apps the ability to schedule IGTV videos, but if they do in the future we'll be able to provide scheduling for IGTV! Having your IGTV content scheduled and ready to go is always a good plan. You can follow these steps to schedule your IGTV videos: