Instagram wants to control your attention

This week, Instagram was launched list of new products for its smart TV program designed to make people spend more time on the platform through the biggest screens in their homes. Vertical addition ReelsInstagram for TV – available on Amazon Fire TV, Google TV, and Samsung Smart TVs – users can now watch Need News and horizontal videos with the same format you see on YouTube. And in the near future, Instagram will make a big push for long-form content, content and social media-focused content.

This entry into the TV space is very different from what the Meta company tried to capture our attention by adding functionality borrowed from its competitors. TikTok, Snapchatand Periscope (RIP.) It all boils down to the idea that people want to sit on their couches to watch Instagram content that they usually consume on their phones.

The fact that we take our phones with us everywhere means that Instagram is always a little bit up-to-date. The mobile nature of Instagram is the main reason for this The platform has managed to hit 3 billion monthly users. Scrolling through the popular Instagram site is something to do when you’re bored and already scrolling through your phone. It’s easy to turn on the app and send videos to your friends while you’re walking, waiting for the elevator, or using the bathroom. But Instagram’s latest pivot is planning a live event that needs to be shared with people in the same room. This is a big bet.

Instagram says that community feedback is what inspired the new release of the TV show. Some of them – like being able to cast Reels from your phone to your TV – make a lot of sense. If someone wants to share a funny video with a group, it would be easier to put it on the big screen instead of having the whole group on the phone. What’s a bit dubious is Instagram’s new dedicated TV channels that are supposed to “make it easier to find videos that everyone in the room can enjoy together” even though feeds are tailored to their preferences.

It’s also hard to imagine that people want to watch a group of News – which consists of cartoons on their televisions. Stories look difficult on large screens, and interacting with them using the remote control is no easier than just surfing the phone screen. This is probably why Instagram is also testing a dedicated section for more content. The company’s plan to produce long-form and creative content is a sign that Instagram knows its TV app won’t be a place where people watch videos that last only a few seconds.

It is clear that Instagram is trying to capture the attention of YouTube and other new features like many microdrama platforms which has begun to appear.

Microdramas are already a growing industry. The cost of this section is estimated to reach $14 billion at the end of the year. On mobile, Instagram is in the best position to enter the microdrama game because the app has built-in, user-friendly features. Most microdrama programs require you to sign up and pay for each episode or subscribe to monthly or yearly plans to access the content. If Instagram can convince creators to start making these kinds of videos themselves, the company could turn into a new Microdrama space.

Instagram may be leading the way with verticals at the moment, but I understand that long, horizontal videos need to be central to the TV program in order to succeed. Talking with The Hollywood ReporterInstagram’s VP of marketing Tessa Lyons said the company sees short content as a “very accessible way” for creators “to tell long-form and long-term stories.” Lyons explained that one of the reasons behind Instagram’s relaunch of TV shows was seeing creators use Instagram to promote their projects that live on other platforms.

But while many Instagram creators have embraced long-form, high-quality videos, the TV app will have a hard time matching YouTube. Like Instagram, YouTube has they copied some of their competitorsbut YouTube has always been the go-to for a variety of content that can be viewed on the big screen. You can start by watching a YouTuber’s video or video, but it’s easy to finish and post a playlist of music videos or a long studio film. The size of YouTube’s library is why it continues to thrive the most watched in the USand while there’s a lot to see on Instagram, the two platforms aren’t exactly the same in terms of what they offer viewers.

There’s a commitment that comes with watching something on TV that Instagram never worried about. You don’t have to close all the way to appreciate the small screen on your phone. But a TV movie should be something that will inspire you for a few minutes.

This pivot to TV could work if Instagram gets developers to start rolling out polished content instead of filling the space with tons of mobile content. But without an increasing number of compelling projects designed for TV viewing, this could be another example of Instagram losing the plot and chasing away its competitors.