What is IGTV
As I mentioned earlier, IGTV is an Instagram app (also available as an integrated section within the same social network and also usable from a computer, through the Facebook Creator Studio tool) which was officially presented on 20 June 2018 on the occasion of a special event in which the photographic social network celebrated the achievement of one billion users. The name of this app is a kind of "fusion" between IG (short for Instagram) e TV (short for television), which suggests the purpose for which it was born: to allow Instagram users to create rather long video content (up to a maximum of 60 minutes) that can entertain other users of the community, just like a TV would. "traditional".
One of the peculiarities of IGTV concerns the fact that the videos you want to upload must necessarily be vertical: in this way the contents will occupy the whole screen and users will not be forced to rotate their smartphone to appreciate the vision. As with the other contents on the photographic social network, the videos can be commented, appreciated with a “Like” and sent to other users via direct messages. The videos on IGTV, in addition to being vertical, must also meet the following characteristics.
- Have one duration compress between 15 seconds and 10 minutes for “standard” or 60 minutes for accounts that boast a large number of followers and verified accounts (in both cases the file upload must be done from a computer).
- At the moment the format accepted is MP4 with aspect ratio minimum of PM4:5 and a maximum of PM9:16.
- Le maximum dimensions of files for i videos less than 10 minutes are equal to 650 MB, while for i video up to 60 minutes they are equal to 5,4 GB.
Of course, as with any content posted on Instagram, it is necessary to respect the community guidelines in relation to the publication of videos: in the event of violations, the photographic social network can remove inappropriate content also based on reports from the users themselves. .
How IGTV works
After understanding briefly what it is IGTV, the time has finally come to see how it works this Instagram application dedicated to sharing video content. In the next few lines I will show you in detail how to get the IGTV app (and activate the homonymous section in the Instagram app), how to create a channel, upload videos and also how to view content created by other users.
Get IGTV
Before explaining the actual operation of IGTV, it is necessary that you explain how to get the homonymous section of the social network and download its official app.
As far as the 'activation of the IGTV section on the Instagram app, you simply have to wait for the social network to update the app installed on your Android or iOS device on the server side (although it is advisable to check for any updates of the latter, perhaps helping you with the information I have published in another tutorial). Once the IGTV section is activated, you can access it simply by pressing on its icon located at the top right, in the Home Instagram app.
If you want to install theIGTV app, instead, press here if you have a device Android or click here if you have a iPhone: once you are on the IGTV download page, tap the button Install (on Android) or on the buttons Get> Install (on iOS) to start downloading the app. After installing the official IGTV app on your device, start it and log in to your Instagram account: if you are already logged in to the social network on your device, all you have to do is press the button Continue as [username].
As I mentioned a few lines above, it is possible to take advantage of IGTV (but only to upload videos) also from Web: all you have to do is log into your Instagram account and click on the tab IGTV present at the bottom, immediately below your profile bio.
Viewing the contents
With regard to the viewing of contents on IGTV there is not much to say: the videos are proposed to you automatically based on the users you follow on Instagram; this means that when you open IGTV, you will not have to search for the videos and press the “Play” button to play them (necessary actions on other video sharing platforms, such as YouTube), as everything happens automatically.
To get more into the merits, at the opening of IGTV (whether this happens through the appropriate section in the Instagram app or through the app of the service of the same name) you can simply be content with watching the videos proposed and played automatically or select one of the tabs located at the bottom to browse the various contents available: For you, to view the videos recommended by Instagram; People you follow, to view the content uploaded by the users you follow on the photographic social network; Popular, to watch the most popular content of the moment or Continue to keep, to resume watching a video that you have not finished watching.
After pressing on one of the cards in question, tap on miniature of the video you want to watch to start playback and swipe from top to bottom to hide the list of proposed videos. To switch from one video to another, all you have to do is swipe left or right or, if you prefer, wait for a video to finish and automatically switch to the next one.
If you want, you can also show your appreciation for the content viewed by putting "I like" with the symbol of little heart, leaving a comment with the symbol of comic or send the video via a direct message using the symbol of theairplane.
If you want to search for a particular channel or specific content, perform a search by pressing the search field Close your IGTV, then type the keywords to search for the desired content and then select the search result that seems more relevant to you.
Creating a channel
In addition to watching the content on IGTV, do you want to share the ones you created yourself? In that case it is necessary that you create your channel, so that you can publish videos in turn. Here's how to proceed both from the Instagram and IGTV apps and from the web version of the social network.
- From the Instagram app - presses the icon of cottage located at the bottom left, tap on theIGTV icon located at the top right, press on the symbol ofgear located on the right, tap on the item Create a channel, fai tap sul pulsating NEXT twice in a row and then on the button Create a channel.
- From the IGTV app - tap on the symbolgear located on the right, press the button Create a channel, pigia sul pulsating NEXT twice in a row and then on the button Create a channel.
- From Instagram Web - connect to the Instagram login page, log in to your account, press on yours profilo's photo (top left) to go to your profile, click on the item Channel, select the voice Create a channel and follow the procedure displayed on the screen.
After you create your channel, a balloon should appear next to your profile photo, which should read View your channel, as proof that the operation was successful.
Upload videos
Once you have created your IGTV channel, you can finally upload videos to share with users of the photographic social network. Here's how to proceed from the Instagram and IGTV apps, as well as from the web version of the social network.
- From the Instagram app - presses the icon of cottage located at the bottom left, tap on theIGTV icon located at the top right, press on yours profilo's photo to go to your channel, press the button capacitor positive (+) lead located on the right, select the video you want to upload to your channel, tap on the item NEXT, enter the title and Description by filling in the appropriate text fields, edit the video cover by pressing on the appropriate item placed immediately under the cover selected by default and presses the button Public to publish the movie.
- From the IGTV app - tap on yours profilo's photo to go to the channel you created just now, press the button capacitor positive (+) lead located on the right, select the video you want to upload to your channel, click on the item NEXT, type in the appropriate text fields the title and Description of the video, edit the video cover using the item immediately under the cover selected by default and, finally, tap the button Public to post the video.
- From Instagram Web - connect to the Instagram login page, log in to your account, press on yours profilo's photo (top left) to go to your profile, click on the tab IGTV, presses the blue button Charge, click on the symbol capacitor positive (+) lead and select the video you want to upload. Finally, add a title it's a Description to the video and, as soon as you are ready to publish it, press the blue button Public.
I remind you that the videos you decide to publish on IGTV must be in vertical format: if you try to publish a video oriented horizontally, IGTV will cut off the “excess parts” so that it can be viewed in full screen. For more information on the characteristics that the videos to upload to IGTV must have, consult the chapter in which I illustrated them in detail.
In case you want to delete a video uploaded to your channel, click on his preview, tap on the symbol (...), select the voice Delete and confirm the operation by pressing the item again Delete. Più semplice di così ?!
As for the visibility of the content you post on your channel, know that this depends on the privacy settings attached to the account that is linked to your IGTV channel: if you have a private account, for example, only approved followers will be able to view the videos. ; if you have a public account, however, anyone will be able to see the content on your channel.
Other useful information
You wish to have other useful information about IGTV? Have you not fully understood how some of its features work or, in any case, do you want to deepen their knowledge? If so, I suggest you take a look at the IGTV dedicated support page that is featured in the Instagram help center: there you can find answers to specific questions that will undoubtedly allow you to make the most of this platform.
IGTV: what it is and how it works
