So! The amazing and all-new (well not all that new, because “the internet” releases “all-new” things every single day) IGTV is here!
I’d be happy to create a complete guide on IGTV, but it’s going to be going through a few changes until the dust really settles. What’s not really going to change, however, is how you decide to use IGTV in your own business. Although I’ve taken a break from social media to focus on a few projects that I’m working on for release to my tribe pretty soon, I’ve seen some people using IGTV with no strategy at all!
So, there’s the first IGTV mistake!
1. What’s your IGTV Strategy?
Have you sat and asked yourself how you’re going to use the new program to grow, build or nurture your audience? That’s what you need to tackle first! Like any other platform, you must sit and think about how you can use this differently so that you’re able to carve out a place for your own people to come together!
I’ve seen people uploading a 20-second video to IGTV and as a lover of creative content that is driven by proper goals and connected strategy, I ask myself, “but friend! If you’re able to upload 20 seconds to an Instagram story, then why in heavens name are you uploading the same content to your Instagram Channel?
The result? Burn out!! Yes! Your audience is going to pick one lane or the other! If I know that you’re uploading the same content on IG stories and on IGTV then why am I going to watch both things twice, especially when the internet (or Instagram is filled with pretty things that I can watch elsewhere?)
So, take some time to figure out something specific that is different from your regular Instagram feed, your stories, or even what you share live on IG and share that on your channel! Where it be a specific show that is an extension of one of the topics that you already share on your platforms.
Adding a proper strategy behind what you are doing is going to help you to stand out from the current noise!
Learn more about strategy for your video content HERE.
2. Think about creating an upload schedule! (Oh you haven’t? Well there’s your other IGTV mistake!)
What if your content was really very specific, informational and you gave a schedule for uploading to IGTV. You know I love to think of dispersing your video content like a TV show, then that means that you are able to use other means of Point # 3!!
3. Your IGTV Titles!
So like I said, I observed a bit before I took a break from the noise! You know that I teach Video Strategy and Creation and Titling is a huge part of that! The titles that I was seeing didn’t encourage me to click on the videos being posted!
Let’s say your page is known for something specific (which is the importance of niching down on your content, you can read about how niching really helped me when I first started creating video HERE) and you take my advice from the previous paragraphs and create something specifically for IGTV and you have a schedule that you’ve been advertising in your stories and on your feed and maybe even in your live stream, and you have a title that is really interesting, then guess what’s going to happen when Instagram notifies your audience that you’ve posted that video?
So let’s think about two titles, for a video about an eating disorder.
1. My Story
2. How I Overcame My Struggle With Eating Disorders
Which would you click on? I’m not saying that you should clickbait but definitely think about something that shares exactly what is in your video, rather than just titling anything.
4. IGTV is not YouTube!
Nope! It’s not! So your video strategies would be totally different here! Although I am sure that Instagram will develop things as time passes, YouTube is still a search engine (IGTV is not) and YouTube is still the second largest search engine and is also still owned by the largest search engine.
On IGTV, you’re able to look up users, but you’re not yet able to look up specific content, using long-tailed keywords. Super important in feature of the internet.
So!!! Don’t pack up your hopes for a YouTube channel just yet! And of course, read all of my other posts on how you can get started with youtube today!
5. Notify your email list!
So, you don’t have an email list just yet? Be sure to grab one HERE for free! If you already have a business that is more developed, then definitely check out Convert Kit HERE.
So, you should definitely be letting your tribe know when you have a video available so that they head over to check it out!
A great percentage of your list is checking emails on their mobile phones, so be sure to let them know that you’ve just posted a video via IGTV. I also hope that you’ve been doing this for YouTube as well!
6. Too Longgggg
We already spoke about having videos that are essentially too short for the platform, but we haven’t spoken about videos that are too long. So the thing is that IGTV is not yet an event! Meaning that people aren’t just sitting around binging IGTV content (just yet of course). So When you’re creating videos, you don’t want to create videos that are too long because Instagram has so much else going on (and you’re on your phone) so, it’s really easy to get distracted as well!
You want to create content that’s easy for your viewer to get to the end or the solution! Remember Instagram is pretty instant!
7. Where else can they find you??
Remember everyone is fighting for attention on Instagram. Be sure that it’s not your base or main place! So always add a call to action so that you’re able to pull your audience off of IG to your blog, or to YouTube where they are able to find longer form content of yours!
Think of IGTV as promotional as well! So have your email lists, lead magnets, etc ready too!
Not sure how to start with IGTV?
Well if you’ve already been creating videos, then be sure to look into repurposing! Like seriously, if you have a strong video strategy already, and you’ve been creating videos, you’re able to use those videos (most content types), on IGTV!! Yup!
Of course, there are a few things that you’d have to do!
1. Edit your videos to fit the vertical changes,
2. Upload to IGTV, Change your Title to something Attention Grabbing
3. Let your audience know that you did!
The good thing is that sometimes we have people who haven’t followed us on youtube, so they’re able to get that awesome content on IG as well.
Keep these things in mind when creating content for your IGTV channel!
I’m sure Instagram will be developing this platform even more soon! I can’t wait to see what they have in store!
Chat soon, friend!
Xo, X
[…] I wanted to share how I use Inshot App to resize the video so that it can be vertical for your IGTV videos or even for a promotional video for Instagram stories […]