Instagram's long-form push leaves major questions unanswered, industry experts say

Instagram's push into long-form video could give creators another outlet for their shows, but questions over viewing habits and whether the format can generate enough revenue could determine how far it can challenge YouTube, industry experts have told The Daily Influence.

Earlier this week, Instagram began testing Features, which will allow selected creators to publish videos of up to 90 minutes and link to them directly from Reels. The format will not initially include advertising revenue sharing, prompting criticism from some creators over how they will be paid for longer videos.

Instagram boss Adam Mosseri addressed the issue on Threads on Tuesday, saying he had received "a lot of inbound" about longer-form video.

"We understand the economics matter a ton, and are exploring multiple options to help long-form creators get paid," he wrote, adding that Features is still being tested and will "take time to get right".

Convincing the unconverted

Bryce Adams, US influencer lead at The Goat Agency, said one challenge will be persuading Instagram users accustomed to shorter videos to spend longer watching, particularly if the platform wants to challenge YouTube in long-form.

"Long form content is a part of YouTube's DNA," he told The Daily Influence. Creators can help by bringing established audiences with them, Adams said, but making long-form content "is a different skill set than social-first content" and "a tricky needle for IG to thread".

Instagram is linking Features directly to Reels, allowing viewers to move from a short video to the creator's full programme without leaving the app.

Amber Smith, strategy director at We Are Social, said the approach builds on Instagram's existing strength in discovery.

"Having the ability to link a Reel teaser to the full episode or longer form piece of content gives podcasters and comedians a way to turn discovery into depth without leaving the app," she said.

Jay Clouse, founder of creator education company Creator Science, said cross-publishing could also lower the barrier to creators testing the format.

"We've already seen creators happy to cross publish their videos to Spotify, so I think this has potential as long as the same asset can be uploaded easily," he said.

The monetisation problem

Jessica Dante, founder of travel entertainment company Dante Media, wrote on LinkedIn that she would keep her long-form videos on YouTube despite having 530,000 Instagram followers and receiving millions of views there each month.

"They'll remain on YouTube, where we get Adsense revenue, so even if we don't have a sponsor for that video, I know that my production costs will eventually be covered," she wrote.

Smith said YouTube's existing model gives Instagram another hurdle to overcome.

"YouTube owns the living room and pays creators a share of ad revenue, and Instagram currently offers neither a comparable audience on TV nor a revenue share," she said.

She added that Features could still shift where sponsorship money goes.

"Where I'd watch is the brand side: if creators can bring existing partnerships across, some sponsorship budgets could start moving, even if the content lives in both places," Smith said.

Adams was more cautious about the brand opportunity. "I don't think that longer form content directly translates to more conversions," he said. Longer videos would give creators more room for branded content, as on linear TV, but he questioned whether those deals would keep pace with commerce-led opportunities.

Perhaps more revealing is that Instagram has started testing Features while one of its most important commercial questions – how creators will be paid – remains unresolved.

It shows just how competitive the battle for top creator talent has become, after a year in which platforms have rolled out new incentives to lure established names from rivals and pushed further into formats long dominated by YouTube.