INSTAGRAM TESTS MONETISATION OPTIONS ON IGTV

Instagram TV (or IGTV as it is better known), whilst hailed as the next big thing for the platform, has received a bit of a lukewarm reception. Since its launch, we have seen the platform remove the on-feed button following reports that users weren’t using the option. In an effort to counteract this, and increase the usage of IGTV, Instagram is reported to be testing options for a new monetisation programme marketed towards IGTV creators. The hope is that the opportunity to monetise content on this platform will encourage more video creators to make use of the feature, bringing their followers and ultimately more users to watch on content on IGTV.

It’s currently unclear what the requirements will be for those influencers and creators who want to make use of this new update, and what proportion of the overall revenue influencers will receive from ads, but the prospect of it is causing excitement nonetheless. Platforms such as YouTube and Facebook currently split the ad revenue 55/45 in favour of the creator, so if Instagram wants to have a competitive edge in persuading creators to the platform, increasing the revenue split slightly higher could be a successful strategy. Ultimately, this option could be huge for video creators who up until now haven’t had as many options to earn revenue on Instagram, as money-making on the platform is limited, focusing mainly on influencer partnerships, with video creators favouring platforms where more monetisation options are available. It will be interesting to see if these options will revive IGTV which seems to have fallen a little flat for many users, particularly as user behaviour moves from evergreen on-feed content to engaging with Stories and shorter-form videos. Will Instagram be able to shift user behaviour with this new update? We’ll have to wait and see…