The social media platform is set to compete with YouTube and Snapchat Discovery through a dedicated hub for video content.
Instagram has continued to tease the launch of its new venture into long-form video, with TechCrunch reporting that an official announcement regarding the project will be made at a “special event” on 20 June.
The new video hub will provide a dedicated space for music videos, scripted content and more in high definition 4K resolution with vertical screen orientation.
The ability to upload long-form video content will be open to both average Instagram account holders and established online content creators, inviting comparisons to YouTube’s community-oriented structure.
Instagram’s long-form video hub is believed to allow for pre-made video content being uploaded in high definition 4K resolution with vertical screen orientation, free from the 60-second time limit on video uploads which is currently in place.
The company is also rumoured to be exploring pre-roll advertisements and “swipe up” link-outs as potential forms of revenue for the project.
Instagram has also reportedly met with online content creators to build partnerships before the launch of the hub, aiming to attract established audiences to the new features of the platform.
If successful, Instagram is set to rival similar platforms including YouTube and Snapchat Discovery through its algorithm-supported personalisation of content.
With YouTube under increasing pressure to improve its relationship with content creators – particularly LGBTQ+ creators – following the Restricted Mode and ‘Adpocalypse’ controversies, the emergence of a new long-form video platform may entice established creators to bring their video content directly to Instagram’s 500 million daily users.
Instagram is also expected to celebrate hitting its 1 billion user milestone at the special event on 20 June, with projection figures suggesting that the platform is on track to achieve the target this month.
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