Instagram is Staying with Shortform Videos, Leaving Longform to Other Platforms Says CEO

Streaming has been an integral part of people's everyday lives, but Instagram stays with its brand and its latest offers of short-form videos on its social media, centering on its vertical format, Reels. This latest revelation came from Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri, who reiterated the social media platform's focus on these kinds of content in contrast to its rivals.

Longform video has risen in popularity over the past months, with TikTok and X among those putting a massive focus on showcasing it for their user base.

Instagram is Staying with Shortform Videos, Says CEO

Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri posted a Reel on Instagram explaining why the platform is sticking with short-form video content instead of long-form. This was because a content creator recently asked him about the platform's plans to bring long-form videos for social media and influencers to take advantage of, saying that the answer is "no."

Mosseri's video went on to explain further the reason behind Instagram's reluctance to take on long-form videos, which is due to the platform's two main jobs: helping friends connect and exploring interests.

The Instagram CEO went on to further explain that these two IG tenets are possible through short-form and would allow users to have a 'symbiotic' experience via these two jobs.

Leaving Longform Videos for Rivals Like TikTok, X

Long-form videos make the Instagram experience "less symbiotic," said the CEO, as users are more focused on the media instead of interacting with friends and exploring more content online.

Instagram's CEO said that it would stick with short-form videos, leaving a gap for other rival platforms, including TikTok and X, to fill.

Instagram and the Shortform Reels Experience

When TikTok popularized the vertical video streaming experience worldwide, many platforms looked to deliver the same experience, and among those was Meta. Reels was introduced as Facebook and Instagram's contender against TikTok, one that also gained popularity among users. It has since been a short-form video experience for all, now offering global downloads.

This is different from the latest offers from its rival platforms, including TikTok. The Chinese-owned social media recently tested 60-minute long-form videos for users to watch, including its horizontal full-screen view. On the other hand, Elon Musk's X has also dived into long-form content with its massive focus on turning the platform into a video-first social media.

Meta has played a great role in the strengths of Instagram with its short-form videos and Reels, centering on offering other features to focus on for users apart from its video content. The main focus of Instagram is to still deliver a social media experience for users where there are more interactions rather than watching content; it's the reason for sticking to short form, says Mosseri.