Instagram’s standalone IGTV app has been redesigned, giving more focus to the creators, which maybe should be enough to lure more IG users into jumping on board.
The homepage has been the primary focus, with the new version now featuring a creator “up top.” This section will feature the creators you follow on Instagram or creators the algorithm thinks you might be interested in.
Apart from that, the app is also tailored to help users’ find exciting videos easily displayed in a new Discover tab. The tab will be used to showcase both new and relevant content tailored to capture the users’ interest.
Another new update the company is introducing the ability to play 15 sec of an IGTV video instead of the current freeze-frame which mandates one to go to the IGTV section first before they can be able to watch a video.
The new iteration links to one aim: making IGTV videos more discoverable. It seems to be a significant problem that the company sees as an obstacle to the growth of IGTV.
Compared to other Facebook-owned products, IGTV has been far the worst performing in the general market. In essence, the app has slightly over 1000 reviews on the App Store and nearly 25000 on Google Play, while the official Instagram app has over 97million reviews just on Google’s Play store.
Facebook has been keen on the growth of IGTV, previously inserting a slew of links to the section inside the Instagram app.
IGTV content can be found from the creators’ profiles to the Explore page, to video previews in the Feed, and, well, the standalone IGTV app. But that is after the company nixed the IGTV icon in the top right corner of the home screen, citing rare usage.
Instagram has been reported testing ads on IGTV in February to help creators make some buck from the content they post on the platform. IGTV ads have been spotted in the wild, but Instagram has not announced any developments publicly since.
