How to use IGTV for business
As a brand, you always need to be proactive in building awareness for your product or service. If you’re a company that is present on social media and have an Instagram account, you’ve probably already wondered what the best way is to use IGTV for business.
But what is IGTV?
IGTV is still a relatively new feature that Instagram launched in June 2018. That makes almost five years from the launch of a video feature on Instagram. As Instagram explained in its official statement: these days, people are watching less TV and more digital video. By 2021, mobile video will account for 78% of total mobile data traffic. And we’ve learned that younger audiences are spending more time with amateur content creators and less time with professionals.
Unfortunately, on 1 March 2022 Instagram’s parent company, Meta, announced the shutdown of IGTV, due to their focus on Instagram Reels.
What are the main features of IGTV?
It is mobile-first which means it was built for how you actually use your phone. Vertical and full screen. It is simple and intuitive as it starts playing the video as soon as you open the app. You don’t need to search and browse to get started, and it is easy to multitask.
Lastly, it is curated. IGTV focus is creators you love and already follow on Instagram.
As a brand, you can use IGTV for business improvement and get closer to your audience. Also, it is a great way for people to discover your brand. If you’re in a need for some more ideas for creating great content read our blog post How to achieve greatness with your social media content.
Why should you use it for business?
The answer is simple. If your brand audience is on Instagram a fair share of it probably watches IGTV. And that’s a reason enough for you to promote your brand there too. As it states in the IGTV release statement: We believe this is the future of video. People continue to spend more time with entertainment on their mobile devices, and we’re making it easier for them to get closer to the creators and original content they love. So, how to use it? Here are some tips.
#1 Reuse already produced content
We suggest you reuse your popular video content from other social media platforms and give it a new life on IGTV. You can use Facebook live videos or YouTube content and repurpose them for IGTV by adapting them for vertical format. Also, you can share parts of your blog posts in the form of short tips or listicles.
#2 Share authentic content
People love to see raw and unedited content on social media. It is a breath of fresh air among all the perfectly edited pictures and videos that are being posted every day. This another way of using IGTV for business purposes. As a brand, you can use that to your advantage by sharing the behind-the-scenes type of videos that show product development, production, and distribution.
The great thing about IGTV is that these videos don’t require extra editing or a big production. They are simple and straightforward. So, whether you’re in food, fashion or some third industry, find something interesting that people may not be aware of your brand and share it. It doesn’t need to be something grand or extraordinary special. Film the process of making your most popular chocolate bar or creating the newest collection or brainstorming for the name of a new product. Of course, always be careful that you don’t let out a company secret or spoil the new product release in your IGTV video. You can only show a small part of the process. Just enough to spark an interest in viewers.
You can also use IGTV for fun and short interviews, introducing your employees or relevant people from your industry. Organize takeovers, office or company tours, etc. Options of using IGTV for business are really endless. And those interested in your brand will be eager to see this kind of content.
#3 Create helpful tutorial videos
As a brand selling a certain kind of product, you probably get lots of repeating “how to?” questions on your social media accounts. You can give out great information and answer all of those questions with a simple IGTV video. Take your most asked about the product and create a short 10-minute video showcasing all of its possibilities. This kind of educational video is always good content to have on your social media accounts.
Great thing is that they do not have an expiration date. When people purchase your product, they can always come to your account and find a helpful tutorial on how to use all the product features in the best possible way. It’s like having interactive instructions online all the time.
In the end, don’t feel pressured to use IGTV for business purposes just because it’s a hot new thing in the digital world. Before you start to post content, do your research and try to point out some benefits of adding this kind of content to your digital marketing strategy. Lastly, go where your audience is. If your target consumers use IGTV don’t be shy to test it out.
If you’re interested to read more about creating good awareness for your brand read our blog post Brand awareness – What is it really and why is it important?
