The Ultimate Guide to Increase Instagram Engagement by using IGTV

Updated on July 12, 2021

Are you looking for a way to double or triple your monthly customer engagement on Instagram? If so, then you’ll want to start focusing on video, which is quickly emerging as the most crucial medium in online marketing. The video makes up one-third of all online activity, so you need to find a way to use it to your business’s advantage. Luckily, there’s an exciting new platform called IGTV video Instagram that lets you do just that. 

On June 20th, 2018, Instagram launched IGTV, allowing users to enjoy long-form videos on Instagram. While Instagram IGTV initially supported only vertical format videos, it rolled out the horizontal video compatibility feature to keep up with the evolving needs of content creators. As a result, vertical IGTV videos with an aspect ratio of 9:16 or horizontal videos with an aspect ratio of 16:9 can be uploaded since the new update was introduced in 2019. 

What sets it apart from other platforms is that it’s designed specifically for mobile and utilizes a vertical format for all of its videos. That means users can watch horizontal orientation videos in the vertical format too. To watch in full-screen horizontal mode, users can tap at the bottom right corner button. IGTV is a new and exciting platform to help you get your video content out there. But how do you use it to get the most out of it?

We’ve put together this guide to show you everything you need to know about producing awesome, engaging videos for Instagram IGTV. You’ll learn the importance of creating IGTV video Instagram, how to identify your audience, develop content ideas, and film engaging videos to hook your customers.

Five reasons to create IGTV videos

If you already have a business account on Instagram, you probably know how the platform offers many opportunities to engage with customers. The introduction of IGTV has helped businesses expand their marketing and deliver a more immersive experience to the target audience. Before we look at how to capitalize on IGTV,  here is a run-through of the five primary reasons to use Instagram IGTV for your business. 

1. Video marketing is the future.
Videos have contributed to a drastic increase in viewership and engagement of late. IGTV video Instagram presents an excellent opportunity for businesses to leverage the increasing popularity of video content to their advantage. Around 60% of the companies have already employed video marketing. In addition, many mobile users enjoy video content, and creating mobile optimized IGTV videos is a surefire way to stay ahead of the competition. 

2. Enhances visibility 
With more than 1 billion people currently using Instagram and the IGTV video views skyrocketing, it is integral for businesses to start investing time and efforts into creating exciting videos for maximum organic reach. The number of online video viewers has surpassed 239m in the year 2020. It is arguably one of the best ways to boost the visibility of your business. IGTV supports long-form content, which means companies can hook the attention with a product demo or any valuable content that can invite likes and shares or stimulate conversations around the brand.

3. Expands opportunities for conversions
The maximum length of IGTV video can be 15 minutes while uploading from mobile and 60 minutes when uploading from the web. This means there is more room for creativity, and businesses can drive deeper IGTV engagement with the audience. In addition, IGTV allows the inclusion of clickable links in the description section, which is an effective way to direct prospects to relevant landing pages. As a result, you can generate a substantial volume of traffic from IGTV videos and accelerate lead generation and conversions. 

4. It is relatively new.
Though businesses have started jumping on the bandwagon by tapping into IGTV, it is still new and hasn’t been utilized to its full potential by companies. However, you can win an edge over your competitors by creating compelling content tailored to match the tastes and preferences of Instagram users. The subsequent sections in this article elaborate on how to post IGTV videos that drive results that will help you gain a loyal following before the market becomes too saturated. 

5. Fosters community building 
Creating more video content can help businesses move beyond mere followers and build a seriously interested community and invest in the company’s products and services. There is a difference between having a huge follower base with no real engagement and a loyal customer base that looks forward to interacting with your brand. IGTV can open the doors to build a tight-knit community by creating value-rich content that resonates with your audience’s interests. 

HOW TO HARNESS THE POWER OF IGTV VIDEOS FOR REAL ENGAGEMENT?

Now that you know why IGTV video Instagram is a golden opportunity for businesses to amplify their reach and conversions, it is time to look at some essential tips to create compelling content. Mediocre content will get you nowhere, be it IGTV or any other platform. Here are some crucial points to keep in mind to drive tangible results from IGTV engagement.

Define Your Business Goals on Instagram IGTV

Before you create any videos for Instagram IGTV, you’ll need to define what your goals are on the platform. There are a variety of different outcomes you could be aiming for, but there are two main goals that you should be given equal weight on your channel:

The first is brand awareness.

One of the main goals of using Instagram IGTV is merely spreading the word about your business through Instagram videos. This social media marketing technique is more of a soft-sell approach where you’re not directly selling anything but only raising awareness about your brand, company, or product.

You can do this by producing informative content about your industry, talking about your company’s mission, and any other entertaining videos introducing people to your brand. Brand awareness is all about engaging customers. Although this tactic won’t lead to sales immediately, it will hopefully lead to conversations or create a buzz about your product or service that could result in sales down the line. If your business is located in LA, it would be good to team up with the best social media marketing agency in Los Angeles to create videos that perfectly align with your goals at each stage of the marketing.

The second is generating leads.

The lead Generation aspect of IGTV is trying to use your Instagram videos to generate sales. It could be done by directly promoting your product or service or trying to direct people into your sales funnel. Lead generation always follows brand awareness. By building awareness of your brand and engaging with your customers, you will gradually earn their trust. That way, when you promote your products or services, they’ll be much more receptive to your pitch. So, before engaging in lead generation tactics, be sure to lay the proper groundwork first.

Like any other social media channel, people will quickly get tired of the content full-services you’re always trying to sell or promote your products. Because of this, try to use 80% of your videos to inform or educate your audience and only 20% for promotion. Then, when you produce videos to generate leads, your audience will be much more receptive to them.

Remember, the key to a successful social media channel is to keep your audience entertained. So, your number one priority should be to make fun, exciting content that your audience will love no matter what your goals are. This can be easily achieved if you have a full-service digital marketing company in Los Angeles by your side.

Know Your Instagram Audience

Once you’ve established your goals, you need to identify your audience. This will help you create content that will connect with your target demographic. For example, what kinds of people are currently following you on Instagram? What types of people use your products and services? What are the demographics of your customers? You need to ask yourself these questions and determine who your ideal customer is.

IGTV video Instagram is particularly attractive to the younger market, young adults between 18 to 29 years old, who prefer Instagram over Facebook, among other apps like Snapchat and Twitter.

For Instagram business profiles, you can find information on the demographics of your followers in the Insights section (y by clicking the bar chart icon at the top of your Instagram profile). Once you’ve established who your ideal customer is, you can create your Instagram IGTV videos with that customer in mind and produce content that you know will resonate with your audience.

Produce Content Regularly and Frequently

If you want to make an impact on Instagram IGTV, you need to produce videos regularly. Think about all your favorite content creators on Instagram or YouTube. One thing they all have in common is that they all post content regularly. This means at least a couple of times a week, but many content creators post videos daily to maximize their exposure.

This may seem daunting at first, but it’s reasonably achievable if you plan. The best way to produce regular Instagram videos is to plan out and film your content in advance. This will let you create a content calendar, which can be a massive benefit to IGTV creators. You can schedule posts each week in advance, which will help you plan what and when each content will post on your channel. It also lets you develop a more long-term strategy for your videos.

If you have videos on other channels or on Instagram that are already successful with your audience, try something similar on IGTV. There’s a lot to learn from brands that have discovered ways to engage their target audience with great precision. 

Create professional videos that instantly grab the attention of the target audience.  There are many types of videos you can broadcast on IGTV that will encourage interaction from your followers. It’s a platform that enables your creative team to express in a more visually heavy way than usual. Take the opportunity to find creative ways to promote your products, share behind-the-scenes views of your company, or offer information and entertainment in a visually elevated format.

Brainstorm Instagram Video Ideas

To produce a large number of Instagram videos in advance, you’ll need to sit down and brainstorm several different ideas. If you work with a team, get together and start throwing around ideas. If you’re a solo entrepreneur, come up with as many ideas as possible and follow other entrepreneurs for inspiration.

Remember, your videos need to adhere to your goals, follow the 80/20 rule, and resonate with your ideal customer.

Here are some Instagram video ideas:

Educational Content: Do you work in a complicated industry? Instagram IGTV videos can be a great way to educate your audience on your products and the technology they use. Sharing your knowledge also helps your brand to establish itself as an authority in your industry.

Personal Stories: How did your business get to where it is today? What was your entrepreneurial journey? If your audience invests in your brand, they’ll want to know these things. So pull exciting stories from your life and tie them into your business and the message you want to share.

An Inside Look into Your Business: Do you have a great company culture or a fun and exciting team? Give your Instagram audience a look inside your business. Show them how your business works and introduce them to members of the team. This will help your audience form a personal connection with your business.

Product Demos: IGTV video Instagram is a great way to feature your products. Not only will you be able to inform your audience about the various features, but you’ll also be able to show them off to the world and allow people to see all the benefits for themselves.

Something Weird or Wacky: If you’re looking to catch people’s attention, try to think of something off the wall and so ridiculous people have to watch. This is often a good tactic for businesses looking to go viral. Just ensure that any idea you come up with still fits your business and doesn’t harm your brand.

Create Videos Around a Trend: Is something trending on social media that fits with your brand? Then, consider producing content around these trends to increase exposure and create more buzz and engagement with your audience.

Episodic Videos: According to Instagram execs, serial videos are emerging as one of the most popular forms of content on IGTV. So, try to develop concepts that could be split into multiple episodes to create a series.

These are just a few suggestions. The possibilities are virtually endless, so don’t be afraid to try new things and experiment with different ideas to see what gets the best reaction from your audience.

Use the Right Gear

Filming video used to be expensive, but today it’s surprisingly affordable. Instagram IGTV is designed for the video filmed on a smartphone, so there’s no need to buy any fancy equipment. Instead, any smartphone capable of filming HD video will do.

To further enhance the quality of your Instagram video, you might want to consider a few additional accessories. These include an external mic, a tripod, and camera lenses. All of these accessories are relatively cheap to buy and will help make your videos appear more professional.

Filming Your Instagram IGTV Videos

When it comes to filming your Instagram videos, the most important thing to consider is lighting. If your video is dark and grainy, it will instantly look unprofessional. So, you’ll want to find a spot that’s properly lit. Natural light is best, but you can also buy additional lighting to ensure your subjects are properly lit. Also, since IGTV is a mobile-first platform, be sure to consider angles, colors, and effects that stand out on mobile devices.

Before you start filming, shoot some brief test footage and play it back. This will help you make sure the audio levels are acceptable and let you spot anything that might be out of place in the shot.

Finally, always do more than one take if possible. Often, the second take will be better than the first. You can also combine footage from multiple variations in post-production to produce the best possible Instagram video.

Post-Production

Once you film your Instagram IGTV video, some basic editing will be required before it’s ready to be posted. It includes adding an intro and outro, performing color correction, and trimming and combining different clips.

Keep in mind, not all video editing software can edit vertical video. So, make sure to choose a program with that capability if your videos are shot in a vertical orientation. There are several editing programs available for both desktop and mobile devices. All of these are more than capable of creating fantastic videos, so it will depend on which software you’re most comfortable with.

Use Hashtags for your posts.

One final tip is the use of hashtags to get followers. Using the right engagement hashtags with your post will help increase the number of people who discover your videos, which will inevitably lead to more engagement.

Look for hashtags that both apply to your video subject and used by people similar to your audience. You’ll also want to be careful about using too many, as this can look tacky, and the Instagram algorithm will penalize your post and account. Instead, include five to seven relevant hashtags with each video for the best results.

Measure and Monitor Your Analytics

After you have published a video to IGTV, Instagram provides valuable analytics about your video that enables you to analyze the effectiveness of your content. To check your analytics, open the IGTV app, and click on one of your posted videos. Once you have opened your video, click the “…” icon at the bottom, then select “View Insights.”

In-app insights for IGTV include the number of views, likes, and comments for your videos and audience retention and at which points of the video most viewers stopped watching. The audience retention graph is handy in letting you know at what point in your video your audience loses interest. When you see a sudden drop in views, it would be good to review your recent video uploads and see what needs to change for future videos. Instagram hashtag analytics also give insights into what kind of people are engaging with your videos.

Conclusion

Instagram IGTV is an exciting new video platform that you and your business should take advantage of to connect with your audience. Creating and posting videos has never been easier, so now is the time to start filming.

Remember, to create excellent video content; you need to follow the steps listed above: Define your goals, identify your audience, brainstorm ideas, and produce your content regularly. By following these steps, you should have no trouble making unique and engaging videos to connect with your audience and give you a whole new platform to reach your customers.