New Format Aims at Long-Form Creators
Instagram launched a pilot test of a new long-form video format called Features, enabling select creators in the United States to publish horizontal videos of up to 90 minutes, The Hollywood Reporter reported on October 26, 2026. The rollout targets podcasters, comedians, and other long-form content producers by offering a dedicated pathway for audiences to transition from short-form clips to full-length media. Tessa Lyons, vice president of product at Instagram, explained that viewers watching a three-minute Reel clip of a favorite podcast can seamlessly click through to watch or continue the entire video.
The platform has previously tested the product in Brazil and now plans to expand the trial to tens of thousands of creators across the U.S. Initial participants involved in the U.S. pilot include podcast host and Skims co-founder Emma Grede, beauty and fashion creator Monet McMichael, relationship interviewer Preston Rakovsky, and football creator Donald De La Haye. The long-form videos will appear as recommendations across the platform, including the Explore tab and other discovery spaces.
Strategic Push Into Living Room Screens
As part of the broader effort to capture a larger share of viewer viewing hours and compete directly against entrenched video platforms like YouTube, Instagram is expanding the viewing experience to television screens. Instagram for TV, which launched the previous year across Samsung, Fire TV, and Google TV devices, is currently expanding to Apple TV units within the United States. Lyons noted that the company anticipates significant deep consumption to occur on large horizontal screens over time as users engage with long-form media in home environments.
In tandem with the Features rollout, Instagram is also experimenting with a companion product designated as Series, designed to establish a dedicated home for episodic Reels on creator profiles. Following initial outreach to microdrama studios in Southeast Asia in June, the platform has begun expanding the test to individual creators experimenting with episodic formats. Additional testing includes bringing live video integration directly into the Reels tab for un-following audiences in Indonesia and Brazil, with plans for a U.S. rollout scheduled for the following year.
Monetization and Industry Competition
Entering the long-form video market places Instagram in direct competition with major streaming services and established video giants that offer lucrative ad revenue-sharing models. YouTube, for instance, routinely offers qualified creators 55 percent of advertising revenue alongside brand deal assistance. Addressing monetization structures, Lyons stated that Instagram is currently organizing various ad arrangements with early participants in the Features pilot, noting that existing sponsorships and branded content placements will carry over directly into the new long-form uploads.
Unlike certain exclusive content strategies deployed by competitors such as Netflix, Instagram’s new format does not enforce exclusivity agreements, allowing creators to host their long-form videos across multiple platforms simultaneously. For creators lacking established monetization infrastructure, Instagram aims to build business opportunities and help secure ad placements. The company intends to gradually expand the Features test to additional international markets in the coming months, with broader availability slated for late 2026 or early 2027.