Meta Platforms is testing 90-minute video uploads on Instagram to directly compete with YouTube’s long-form content dominance. This initiative seeks to boost user engagement and keep audiences within the Instagram ecosystem. However, the company has yet to define a clear revenue-sharing model for creators, which remains a key hurdle compared to established rivals.
Meta Platforms has begun testing 90-minute video upload capabilities for select users in the United States and Brazil. This move signals a significant strategic pivot for Instagram, which has spent years focusing primarily on short-form content through its Reels feature. By allowing creators to upload longer videos, the company is aiming to capture the audience and creator time currently spent on Alphabet-owned YouTube.
The strategic goal behind this expansion is to improve user engagement and increase the amount of time people spend on the application. By integrating long-form videos with the existing Reels ecosystem, Meta hopes to keep users within its platform for longer sessions. This is a common strategy in the digital media sector, where keeping users on one app is essential to selling more advertising space and building data profiles.
However, the shift faces a notable challenge in the form of creator monetization. YouTube has built its business on a robust partner program that shares advertising revenue with creators. In contrast, Instagram’s creator monetization remains fragmented, relying mostly on brand partnerships and fan subscriptions rather than a scalable, platform-wide ad-revenue system. For Meta to successfully attract serious long-form creators away from competitors, it will likely need to offer a competitive payment model. The company has acknowledged that a direct revenue-sharing program, similar to the one used by YouTube, is not yet ready for implementation.
Investors may note that this is not Meta's first attempt at long-form video. The company previously launched a dedicated feature called IGTV, which ultimately failed to gain enough traction and was eventually shut down. This history suggests that the success of this new 90-minute video initiative is not guaranteed. There is also the potential risk that adding long-form video could clutter the user experience on Instagram, which users historically visit for photos and short clips. If users find the app experience becomes too messy or difficult to navigate, it could negatively affect daily active users.
Looking ahead, the primary monitorable for investors and stakeholders will be how creators react to the new format and whether Meta introduces a sustainable way for these creators to earn money. While the move is designed to boost user retention, the long-term impact on Meta’s advertising revenue will depend on the platform's ability to balance content length, user experience, and a competitive payment system that can rival established video giants.