Instagram announced on Monday that it’s testing a new type of video upload that will allow creators to share “Features,” videos up to 90 minutes long. After years in which every social platform (even LinkedIn!) aggressively pursued short-form video, this is a notable shift in strategy for Instagram.
Short-form, vertical video content has defined the internet of the 2020s, but the creators behind these clips don’t actually make much money directly from platforms like Instagram — the Meta-owned platform has some monetization tools like subscriptions, but it doesn’t typically pay creators on a per-view basis.