Beyond Reels and Shorts: Why social media platforms want longer videos

Instagram's test of 90-minute videos reflects a wider contest to keep audiences watching, attract creators and compete for entertainment time across phones and television screens

Social media platforms known for short-form videos are expanding into longer content, including podcasts, interviews and episodic shows. The move seems to focus on increasing viewing time and competing for a larger share of creator-led entertainment. On October 26, Instagram began testing Features, a format that allows selected creators to upload horizontal videos of up to 90 minutes. It is also testing a feature that links short Reels to full-length videos, allowing viewers to discover and watch longer content without leaving the platform. According to TechCrunch, the test began with selected creators in Brazil and is expanding to a small group in the US.

 

 

From short clips to full episodes

 

In an official video conversation, Instagram head Adam Mosseri and Vice-President of Product Tessa Lyons explained the platform’s push into long-form video. Mosseri said he had previously opposed the idea, partly because longer viewing could reduce interactions such as sharing Reels and messaging friends.

 

Lyons said Instagram supports different forms of creativity, including episodic series and livestreams. The company wants users to discover longer videos through Reels and continue watching them on mobile phones or televisions. Reels will remain central to short-form viewing, while the new Features format will allow users to explore creators’ content in greater depth.

 

The move could also help Instagram retain viewers who currently watch short clips on the platform but go elsewhere to view full podcasts, interviews or comedy shows.

 

Instagram has previously tried to expand into long-form video through IGTV, launched in 2018 to support videos longer than the one-minute limit on the main feed at the time. However, the standalone IGTV app was discontinued in 2022 as Meta simplified its video offerings and focused on Reels, bringing video formats closer together rather than maintaining a separate destination for longer content.

 

Divyanshu Damani, co-founder of TagMango, a creator monetization platform, said social media platforms are looking to keep users engaged for longer. While short videos help platforms attract users, longer videos can encourage them to spend more time watching content.

 

He added that Meta has faced scrutiny over concerns about social media addiction and endless scrolling. A greater focus on longer videos could help the company present a different approach to content consumption. Damani also pointed to YouTube's growing television viewership and its competition with Netflix, suggesting Instagram may be looking to expand its presence on TV screens.

 

How Instagram and YouTube pay creators

 

Instagram does not pay all creators automatically based on watch time, unlike YouTube’s advertising revenue-sharing model. Creators earn through brand partnerships, subscriptions, Gifts from followers and selected incentive programmes. Gifts let viewers support creators by purchasing virtual gifts using Stars, while subscriptions provide recurring income through exclusive content and experiences.

 

“It’s too early to share a long-term monetization model, but we’re exploring ways for creators to earn from brands, fans, and Instagram, including performance-based incentives,” a Meta spokesperson told TechCrunch. “Over time, we think there will be compounding benefits for creators to tell new stories, reach new audiences, and find new partners, which should lead to many monetization opportunities.”

 

Meta has also tested bonuses linked to Reels plays and photo views, but these programmes have been limited to eligible or invited creators. Therefore, a video receiving more views does not automatically mean its creator will receive a fixed payment. 

 

YouTube, by contrast, has a formal advertising revenue-sharing system for channels accepted into the YouTube Partner Programme (YPP). For eligible long-form videos, creators receive 55 per cent of net advertising revenue generated through ads on the watch page. 

 

For Shorts, creators receive 45 per cent of the revenue allocated to them from the advertising pool, based on their share of eligible views. To qualify for ad revenue, creators need 1,000 subscribers and either 4,000 valid public watch hours on long-form videos in the past 12 months or 10 million valid public Shorts views in 90 days. Earnings also depend on advertising rates, audience location and eligible views. YouTube offers additional revenue through memberships, Super Thanks and YouTube Premium.

 

Damani said monetisation depends not just on the number of followers a creator has, but also on how closely the audience engages with their content. He added that short videos are easier to produce and allow creators to post more frequently and work with multiple brands. Long-form videos, however, require more time and effort to produce. Despite this, they can offer greater earning potential when audiences are more invested in a creator's content, allowing creators to charge more for certain brand partnerships or sell products and courses. 

 

YouTube shows the opportunity

 

YouTube offers evidence of the audience for longer creator-led content, particularly on television. In a December 2025 blog post, YouTube said viewers watched more than 700 million hours of podcasts on living-room devices in October 2025, up from 400 million hours a year earlier. The company also reported more than one billion monthly active viewers of podcast content.

 

YouTube has been investing in this shift. In October 2025, the company said the number of channels earning at least $100,000 annually from television screens had increased by more than 45 per cent over the preceding year. They show why platforms are paying attention to podcasts and programmes that can hold attention longer than a short clip.

 

Instagram’s TV strategy is closely linked to its long-form test. Mosseri and Lyons said the company wants to support short and long videos on mobile and television, though they acknowledged that making the formats work smoothly will take time.

 

X is investing in video too

 

In January 2025, X introduced a dedicated Video Tab for users in the US, featuring a full-screen feed of recommended videos across sports, entertainment, news and live events. The company said video views on the platform had risen 40 per cent in 2024.

 

X is also using monetisation to attract creators. Its Media Studio programmes allow eligible publishers to earn advertising revenue through pre-roll ads and brand sponsorships. Its Creator Revenue Sharing programme, which was retired in September 2026, rewarded eligible creators based on engagement and impressions from verified users. X has since introduced Original Content Rewards, which pays eligible creators based on qualified impressions from X Premium subscribers on the Home Timeline.

 

Unlike YouTube's advertising revenue-sharing model for long-form videos, X's current rewards programme covers original content across formats and is not based on video watch time alone. This makes creator monetisation part of X's wider video strategy.  

 

The creator earnings question

 

Longer videos could create more opportunities for sponsorships, brand integrations and recurring shows. A creator might publish a full interview and cut it into several Reels, using each clip to reach a different audience. But length alone does not guarantee higher earnings. Revenue depends on audience size, engagement, advertising demand and platform payment policies.

 

“Instagram has been built around pictures, short-form videos and Stories, and people do not typically open the app to watch long-form content. Changing this behaviour will be an uphill task,” said Damani.

 

He explained that long-form video may not become a significant source of growth for social media platforms in India because users associate different platforms with specific viewing habits. Citing Instagram’s earlier attempt to expand into long-form video through IGTV, he said persuading users to change their existing content consumption habits would be a major challenge.

 

Instagram has not announced a long-term monetisation model for Features. TechCrunch reported that Meta was exploring ways for creators to earn from brands, fans and Instagram, including performance-based incentives. How the company will compete with YouTube’s established creator revenue-sharing system remains unclear.

 

There is also a product risk. Mosseri raised a concern in the official conversation that longer viewing sessions might mean fewer likes, messages and videos shared between friends. That matters because Instagram’s identity is built around social connection, not only passive viewing.

 

Features remain a test, and Instagram says it plans to gather feedback as it develops the experience. The broader direction is clear, platforms want to connect short-form discovery with longer entertainment across phones and television screens. Their success will depend on increasing viewing time without losing the social connections that keep users engaged.