Instagram Tests 90-Minute Videos to Challenge YouTube

Instagram announced it is testing a new long-form video format called "Features," allowing creators to upload videos up to 90 minutes long — a notable shift for a platform that has long championed short-form content. The test launched first in Brazil and is now expanding to the US in a limited rollout.

Instagram head Adam Mosseri, speaking on the Colin and Samir Show — a programme about the creator economy — acknowledged that Instagram's monetisation currently works primarily through brand deals rather than direct per-view payments. "We have still a small performance-based program, but … we spend more money than we make back by a long shot," Mosseri said. A Meta spokesperson told TechCrunch the company is "exploring ways for creators to earn from brands, fans, and Instagram, including performance-based incentives," without committing to a specific model for Features.

That uncertainty matters because YouTube's Partner Programme pays creators 55% of ad revenue, and YouTube reported paying more than $100 billion to creators, artists, and media companies over a four-year period. Instagram and TikTok have struggled to replicate that model with short-form content, which offers less room for ads.

Instagram is also testing a companion tool called "Clips as Reels," letting creators pull short excerpts from longer videos and share them as Reels that link back to the full Feature. The platform previously attempted long-form video with IGTV, which was later shut down. Mosseri credited Instagram VP of Product Tessa Lyons with convincing him to try again, with the goal of keeping fans on Instagram rather than losing them to YouTube.