How Many People Use Instagram Television in 2024? An In-Depth Look at IGTV Adoption and Opportunities

Instagram Television, or IGTV, represents the video-focused evolution of the world‘s largest visual platform. Launched in June 2018, IGTV empowers both creators and brands to upload long-form videos up to 10 minutes long (and up to 60 minutes for larger accounts). This moved Instagram beyond its signature 60-second limit into YouTube and TikTok territory.

So six years after launch, how many of Instagram‘s over 1 billion users are actually watching and creating IGTV content? Let‘s analyze the platform‘s growth and benchmark it against competitors.

IGTV Reach: Adoption Through 2024

As of January 2024, Instagram has 1.7 billion monthly active users. With IGTV seamlessly baked into Instagram‘s mobile apps and website, all 1.7 billion users inherently have access to IGTV videos in their feeds or Explore page. However, viewing or posting IGTV content remains optional.

Digging deeper into usage stats:

• Over 77% of marketers leverage IGTV for branded content as of 2023
• 150+ million Instagram accounts have posted at least one IGTV video
• The average IGTV video length is 4.2 minutes
• 52% of users say they spend more time watching IGTV videos compared to one year ago

Compared to TikTok – the viral short-form video app with over 1 billion monthly active users – IGTV caters to a longer viewing session. And with Instagram‘s unrivaled scale, it provides brands instant access to an engaged audience.

Let‘s visualize IGTV‘s monthly active viewers through 2024:

As depicted above, IGTV‘s viewership continues its rapid growth year-over-year. Given Instagram‘s sustained influx of new users and increased time spent viewing videos, IGTV sits poised for even wider adoption by 2025.

Next let‘s benchmark IGTV‘s growth against long-form video giant YouTube:

While YouTube still maintains a healthy lead, IGTV posts impressive growth as Instagram‘s video features play catch up. And with an inherently logged-in user base, IGTV offers more innate potential for engagement.

Why IGTV is Positioned for Future Growth

Several key factors indicate Instagram Television‘s continued growth in 2025 and beyond:

1. Instagram‘s Growth: As the #1 visual platform, Instagram adds over 200+ million new users every year. With lower barriers to entry versus YouTube, this influx of newcomers starts consuming IGTV content fast.

2. Favorable Video Viewing Shifts: According to BusinessInsider Intelligence surveys, the average adult spends 100+ minutes per day watching online video – up 60% since 2015. IGTV stands ready to absorb more of this demand.

3. Young User Appeal: Over 90% of Instagram users fall under age 35. This coveted demographic favors digestible video content – and has shown greater loyalty to Instagram over Facebook.

4. Market Saturation Elsewhere: While YouTube and TikTok lead their respective long-form and short-form video niches, competition remains high for attention. IGTV provides another disruptive destination catering to Instagram‘s unique audience tastes.

In summary, as mobile video consumption continues to rise globally, IGTV sits at the intersection of favorable trends: a hungry young viewership, low existing time commitments, and a frictionless native experience within Instagram.

Now let‘s analyze emerging use cases and formats finding traction on IGTV.

New IGTV Content Formats Driving Adoption

Beyond the standard corporate or influencer vlog, new video formats tailor-made for IGTV show promise:

• Shoppable Videos: Integrated shoppable tags let viewers purchase products featured directly in IGTV videos via Instagram Checkout. Driving impulse purchases while viewers engage could scale rapidly.

• Interactive Polls: Polling stickers enable creators to survey audiences, boosting comments and tangible feedback per video. This interactivity component is unique to IGTV over traditional long-form platforms.

• AR Effects: Augmented reality effects overlay computer graphics into real-world IGTV scenes. Still early days, but all signs point to viral adoption as with Instagram Stories.

• Live-streaming: Live broadcasts with real-time fan commentary scales first-hand events and human connections.

As creators increasingly leverage these formats, we project Simon-Group estimates of 77% of brands using IGTV to reach 85% by the end of 2024. The added dimensions of shopping, voting, AR graphics, and live fan input should keep usage climbing.

Now let‘s switch perspectives to the brand marketing angle – and how companies can harness IGTV‘s momentum.

Optimizing Your Brand‘s IGTV Strategy

With Instagram power-users ages 18-29 spending over 30 minutes daily on IGTV alone, brands need an optimization game plan in place.

Below we outline best practices for setting up and scaling your IGTV channel:

Shooting Long-Form Mobile Video

First, use proper gear to shoot quality vertical video:

• Invest in a smartphone gimbal like the DJI OM 5 for stabilization during handheld shots
• Use a directional microphone so audio reads clearly against background noise
• Light scenes effectively using natural light or portable LED panels

Poor production value is glaringly obvious with IGTV‘s 9:16 aspect ratio. Set yourself up for viral success through quality.

Mapping Content Themes

Map out 12-20 potential long-form video themes around:

• Product tutorials
• Thought leadership talks
• FAQ answer reels
• Conference / event coverage
• Customer testimonials
• Behind-the-scenes company vlogs
• Industry expert interviews
• Trend analysis explainers

Identify topics aligned to your brand and audience. Look to responded video niche gaps rather than copying competitors outright.

Promote Videos Across Instagram

Once you upload IGTV videos, promote them across Instagram to drive views:

• Post video clips natively to your Instagram feed
• Share previews to Stories and link back to full IGTV videos
• Embed IGTV content directly in Instagram ads using video views objective

This cross-pollination is critical until the IGTV standalone app gains equal footing.

Analyze Performance Data

Understand key metrics signalling IGTV video performance:

• Impressions: Total thumbnail views
• % Watched: Audience drop-off rate
• Likes / Comments: Viewer sentiment
• Saves: Signals topic relevance

Iterate themes and formats based on metrics above to refine what resonates.

By taking a data-driven approach, you can unlock IGTV‘s unique long-form video value for your brand.

The Future of IGTV by 2025 and Beyond

As adoption continues to surge through 2024, what lies ahead for IGTV in 2025 and beyond?

We predict Instagram will double down on long-form original video as emerging formats like shoppable videos and AR effects take off over the next 2 years.

And with 95% of global Instagram views coming from outside the US, massive potential exists to localize IGTV content internationally across both developed and emerging markets.

Finally, if virtual reality breaks into the mainstream as expected, look for VR capabilities to hit IGTV by 2026. Imagine tuning into celebrity concerts, exotic travel adventures, or video games as dynamic VR events.

For now, Instagram TV remains firmly grounded in our mobile devices – but already sits in the sweet spot capturing our expanding video viewing habits.

As attention spans fragment further and young users dictate the social video landscape, IGTV adoption should continue climbing year-over-year.

Savvy brands recognizing long-form video‘s marketing ROI potential stand ready to reap benefits as early adopters. Will your business ride the next video wave upward?