Instagram pivots to longform video with 90-minute format

Instagram VP of Product Tessa Lyons and Head of Instagram Adam Mosseri announced the new feature, dubbed Features, as a way for creators to cultivate deeper connections with their audiences. While Reels currently cap out at 20 minutes, the new format shifts the focus toward landscape-oriented content designed for desktop and TV viewing. The strategy relies on a cross-platform loop: users discover a brief clip on mobile and are prompted to finish the full-length video later on their television app.

Despite the technical expansion, the platform faces significant skepticism regarding its creator economy. Unlike the established YouTube Partner Program, which provides a direct revenue share from ad placement, Instagram creators primarily rely on third-party brand deals. Following the announcement, creators like Divija Bhasin questioned the incentive for posting long-form content on Instagram without a comparable monetization structure. In response, an Instagram spokesperson stated the company is exploring performance-based incentives, though no concrete plans have been unveiled beyond the potential for expanded brand partnerships.

Currently in early testing in the U.S. and Brazil, the tool remains in a nascent state. Essential viewer controls such as video chapters and captions are notably absent, and the platform has yet to match the infrastructure that has defined YouTube for years. Whether the promise of audience growth can outweigh the lack of direct payment remains the primary hurdle for the platform's long-term ambitions.