Instagram TV has been around for roughly three years now and has found a nice cozy home for many creators on the platform. Launched in June of 2018, IGTV allowed users the chance to upload longer video content of up to 15 minutes long, and even for some users, up to 60 minutes.
If you’re ready to become a master at creating the perfect content for IGTV, you’re in the right spot. We will help you optimize your content by first understanding the best Instagram dimensions for IGTV and expanding on those ideas with some video tips and tricks.
Video content isn’t going anywhere soon, and with 70% of marketers looking to increase ad spend on video marketing, it may only become more popular. Video content tends to get more engagement than static content and can be more eye-catching for many users.
Instagram has rolled out a variety of different video features over the years, starting in-feed video posts and expanding to Instagram stories, lives, IGTV, and now reels. Video is the focus of Instagram and as a visual platform, you should make good use of it.
Your videos have to be shot in the right way, look incredible, as well as fit the proper dimensions for the content format that you want to post it as.
IGTV dimensions have been around for a while now for you to get used to, but if you’re just now starting to expand your strategy into IGTV or want to optimize your video quality, we’re going to give you all the information you need.
Creating high-quality vertical videos for IGTV in the right dimensions may have a small learning curve, but once you get the hang of it, you’ve got a lot of opportunities ahead for content strategy.
Instagram Dimensions for IGTV
Before we discuss the ways you can optimize your vertical videos for IGTV, let’s touch on the basics of IGTV dimensions.
Below you’ll find the Instagram dimensions and specs you’ll need for IGTV.
- Dimensions: typical Instagram video dimensions are 1080 x 1350 pixels.
- Length: videos for IGTV must be at least 1 minute long and can go up to 15 minutes. Verified users and others selected can create videos of up to 60 minutes in length.
- Aspect ratio: the maximum aspect ratio is 9:16 and the minimum aspect ratio is 4.5.
- File size: videos under 10 minutes cannot exceed 650MB in size. The maximum file size for videos up to 60 minutes is 3.6GB.
- Format: the file type should be MP4.
While some of these specs are pretty straightforward, you may have a bit of a struggle with aspect ratio.
If you shoot your videos on your mobile device, you’ll typically get recordings that are already in the 9:16 aspect ratio automatically. If you shoot with a camera or other device, you will likely need to edit your videos post-production in order to get the right IGVT dimensions.
How to Get the Right Instagram Dimensions for IGTV
Now that we’ve got the basic numbers, how do you ensure you get the right IGTV video dimensions?
The first step is to ensure that you shoot your videos in the correct way. This will help you get the right aspect ratio.
You have a couple choices in terms of how to do this, which include:
- Shooting a vertical video on your smartphone. Most smartphones automatically shoot in the correct ratio, which makes it very easy and seamless to capture the perfect IGTV content via your iPhone or Android device.
- Shoot naturally, then edit. If you don’t want to deal with aspect ratio while shooting, you can record your videos as you normally would and then use video editing software to correct the aspect ratio. It’s typically not that difficult to edit your video, even if it seems daunting; if you don’t mind taking the extra time post-production to make the formatting edits, it can be a great way to stay focused on shooting the content.
- Rotate your camera. When you’re dead set on having high-quality recordings from a professional camera, you can rotate the DSLR by 90 degrees and hope that you get what you need. Most professional cameras shoot and record in a 3:2 ratio, meaning that no matter how you take the shot, you’ll likely have to edit it later.
How to Edit Your IGTV Instagram Dimensions
If you are worried about capturing a low-quality or inferior video for IGTV, you’ll need to use an editing tool for Instagram video so that you can tailor your content and get it looking exceptional. Most people prefer to do this via a desktop or laptop computer because it’s easier and quicker to work with.
One of the most preferred editing tools out there is a software called Final Cut Pro. you’ll be able to upload your video into the software and adjust all of the different elements and specs based on what you need. You can change virtually anything, from the aspect ratio to the clip’s resolution and more.
Final Cut Pro isn’t a free software, however, and if you don’t have the dough for an investment just yet, there are some other options out there.
If you have a Mac device, you can use iMovie to adjust your videos. This software is completely free; it’s not as advanced as Final Cut Pro, but you can certainly do some video editing and adjust your video for IGTV dimensions.
In order to open your video and adjust it in iMovie, install or open the program and create a new project by uploading your vertical video. You’ll need to then rotate the video by 90 degrees to avoid a black border being added to your clip.
Once you’re done making the proper adjustments, click the Export button found in the right corner of the screen, and you’ll then rotate the video to the vertical position once again.
Editing Video Dimensions on Your Smartphone
Some folks do prefer to use their smartphone to edit and adjust videos, and with so many apps and tools out there, it’s totally viable. There are different options in the way of Instagram video editors, including Magisto, Videoleap, VRF (iOS), or Perfect Video (Android). iMovie also has a mobile app.
You can use different video editing tools to adjust the aspect ratio and make other edits, but most of the free services are limited. They may be a good option for now, but if you’re serious about video content creation, it’s well worth the investment in a software that will expand your possibilities.
For example, the resolution can be adjusted on Videoleap, as well as the frames per second, but they don’t have an option for editing aspect ratio. Otherwise, it’s a great way to create engaging videos for IGTV and even Instagram reels.
How to Increase Instagram Video Quality: Tips
IGTV dimensions are very important, but there are other things that can impact the quality of your video. Instagram video seems very simple on the outside, but there are some nuances that you may need to keep in mind when working with it.
You’ll want to confirm that your video is at an optimal level before you post it to your account. A couple ways you can audit your content before posting include:
- Using high-quality devices to record your content. You can use a mobile phone without problem, as many of the phones nowadays have incredibly sophisticated cameras that can record the perfect shot without any trouble at all.
- Transferring your video files via AirDrop (iOS) or Google Drive in order to maintain the integrity of the file and avoid compression of the file for lower quality.
- Completely editing your video before uploading so that the filters, visuals, and other elements are perfect.
Having a strong internet connection is also important if you want the video quality to appear as it should.
Optimizing Content for IGTV Beyond Instagram Dimensions
IGTV offers a unique opportunity to include links in the description of your IGTV content which helps to funnel people out and back to your website. The most convenient way to do this is to have all of your links in one place through a link directory such as linkin.bio or linktr.ee.
Instagram offers all of their content features to give more opportunities to brands and businesses for content formats and marketing efforts, so you should take advantage of that and develop your content strategy more in detail.
After you edit your video and ensure the tech aspects are correct, there are some other things you should do, like ensure that the IGTV video cover is attractive and looks good in news feeds on and on the explore page.
This can’t be changed once you post it, so don’t forget to do this before posting and double check that all of the IGTV dimensions are correct for the cover photo that you decide to upload. You can use pictures for the thumbnail that are 1:1.55 ratio with a size of 420 x 654 pixels.
JPEG format is the only accepted file type, and you’ll need one that’s less than 4MB.
You can do the following things as well to optimize your IGTV content:
- Stick to a posting schedule: it’s important to have a consistent posting schedule and upload content when your target audience is online. This is true for all types of content on Instagram— stories, photos, videos, and all others. Ensure that you have a content calendar for Instagram and a posting schedule so you know what content is going to be posted when.
- Promote your video: if people don’t know about your content they won’t be able to check it out. Direct people to your IGTV videos by sharing them into your stories and mentioning it frequently so that people know how and where to check it out. If you are doing a series, have a consistent release date and amp up the release in the days prior to uploading your video.
- Add special effects: filters, music, text, graphics, and more can enrich the quality of your video and make your content more creative and eye-catching. Play around with some different things, look at popular content creation, and see how you can take your IGTV videos to the next level.
Final Thoughts: Instagram Dimensions for IGTV
Some popular types of content for IGTV include:
- Behind the scenes
- Interviews
- Tutorials
- Product showcases
These are by no means the only type, but many brands and businesses have put these content types to good use through IGTV. If you have a good understanding of how to shoot your IGTV video and set the correct Instagram dimensions for IGTV, your videos will look stunning and capture the attention of your audience.
If you feel a bit overwhelmed by the prospect of creating expanded content through IGTV, you can enlist the help of Growthoid to help you get some reach, boost your followers and engagement, and have more time to dedicate to your content strategy.
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