Social media platform “Instagram” is working on introducing new options for users that allow them to create Reels videos with a duration of up to ten minutes.
The platform has confirmed that it is testing these new options internally and has not yet made them available for users outside the company, according to the tech website TechCrunch.
With this move, Instagram follows in the footsteps of its competitor TikTok, which extended the maximum video duration to ten minutes earlier this year, this puts Instagram in competition with YouTube as well.
Extending the video duration gives content creators on Instagram more time and flexibility for recording things like cooking demonstrations, beauty tutorials, educational content, comedic scenes, and more, without the need to split their content into multiple parts that might be challenging for viewers to follow in the correct sequence.
While both Instagram and TikTok aim to grab a share of the long-form video market, YouTube is focusing on its “Shorts” feature, which is dedicated to short video clips.
Instagram previously allowed users to upload short Reels videos to be shared through other applications, a feature that TikTok has had for years.
In a related context, Instagram is testing a new feature that enables content creators to share comments from their followers on their “Stories”.
It’s worth noting that extending the length of Reels videos could potentially impact the current nature of the platform, reels were designed to be short, creative, and engaging videos.
However, extending the duration could alter the content landscape and affect the viewer’s experience.
Therefore, Instagram might face challenges in finding the right balance between meeting user needs and maintaining the platform’s identity.
