Instagram's 90-Minute Videos: Reach Without a Revenue Plan

What happened

Instagram has announced that users can post videos up to 90 minutes long. The move is widely read as a play for long-form YouTube creators. According to a Digiday report, the platform is offering a small group of selected creators between $50,000 and $500,000 to publish long-form content through a new "Features" format. For everyone else, there is no ad revenue share or other monetization path. Instagram says it is "too early to share a long-form monetization model."

A company representative told Digiday that Instagram is exploring ways for creators to earn from brands, fans and Instagram itself, including performance-based incentives. Nothing concrete has been announced.

Why creators are skeptical

The objection is simple: exposure does not pay the bills. Digital strategist Gabriella Zutrau criticized what she sees as discoverability being offered as a form of payment. Jo Wong of POP.STORE noted that Instagram has historically had a weaker creator monetization program than its rivals. Shine Talent Group's Samantha Walters pointed to YouTube's payment infrastructure as the reason creators put so much effort into it.

Shine Talent Group surveyed 50 of its creators. 93 percent said Instagram would need to change its revenue policies to get them to post long-form content. All of them already post on the platform. That gap between presence and willingness to invest is the core issue.

Still, not everyone is negative. Nick Jacklin of Shorthand Studios believes monetization could follow if early creators show that Features drives awareness. He also warned that running ads on long-form content without fair, transparent payment would damage creator trust.

Where the opportunity might be

Instagram's strength is discovery. Reels reportedly get 36% more reach than carousels and 125% more than single-photo posts, according to Cropink, although engagement lags. The revamped Instagram TV app is also seen as more scroll-friendly than YouTube.

Shorthand's Zack Evans thinks interview-style shows and scripted comedy could suit the format. The bigger idea is a funnel: use short clips to catch attention, then keep viewers on-platform for longer episodes. Evans admits that moving people between competing platforms is hard.

Agencies are also seeing negotiating leverage. Open Influence's Alexandra Mathieu says Instagram spending money on creator acquisition gives managers more leverage with YouTube, including on exclusivity, distribution, production support and creative control.

What this means for brands and marketers

For brands, longer Instagram video could mean more places to put sponsored content, interviews and series. But with creators hesitant, the supply of quality native long-form may be thin at first. Many will simply repost existing content.

SoaR's Mustafa Aijaz, whose company works with gamers and streamers, says his team will post there as another distribution channel but is not making content for Instagram yet.

Practical actions

• Test with existing content. Wong suggests uploading older catalog videos to Features and watching reach and any change in brand deal interest before making original content.
• Match format to genre. Comedy, interviews and episodic shows look like better fits than content that depends on live chat or ad revenue.
• Track business outcomes. Measure follower growth, inbound brand inquiries and rate negotiations, not just views.
• Negotiate beyond fees. If you work with an agency or are offered a paid slot, ask about distribution, creative control and production support.
• Do not abandon proven earners. Keep YouTube or other monetized channels as your base while Instagram's model is unclear.

The bottom line

Instagram has the audience and discovery tools, but it has not yet given creators a reason to treat it as a primary home for long-form work. Until it publishes a real revenue model, the sensible approach is low-cost testing rather than a full strategic pivot.