Photo-sharing app Instagram in a new update will allow users to add landscape videos in addition to vertical. Instagram believes that opening IGTV to more than just vertical videos will enable creativity and engagement to rise, just like when it opened Instagram to more than just square photos in 2015.
Earlier this year, Instagram officials met with creators and viewers to learn about what they like and what needs to be improved. In fact, that feedback has driven many of IGTV’s biggest changes so far including the most important change Instagram made this year – allowing creators to publish previews of IGTV videos to their Instagram feed. This acted as another way for viewers to discover IGTV videos. Since its launch in February, Instagram has seen viewers spending more time with IGTV and a surge of new original content from creators of all sizes.
Adding the support for landscape videos, the company believes it’s the right change for viewers and creators. For viewers, this translates IGTV to a place to view even more content from the creators they love and follow and to do it directly from their phone. This means more freedom for creators to express themselves how they want. While vertical videos drive more engagement for creators who want to be up-close and personal with their audience; but landscape also has its strengths, especially when it comes to formats like dance and sports which are high motion and often feature a handful of people in frame.
‘This is just the beginning. We’ll continue to evolve to not only help you grow your communities, but build your businesses across IGTV and Instagram,’ Instagram said in a blog post.
