How to Use IGTV to Take Your Business to the Next Level in 2023

As a social media guru with over 10 years of experience helping brands develop their Instagram marketing strategies, I‘ve seen firsthand the immense power of IGTV for reaching new audiences and boosting engagement.

Let me show you how you can harness this potential by optimizing your IGTV channel for business.

An In-Depth Look at IGTV: The Key to Unlocking Instagram‘s Video Revolution

Launched in 2018, IGTV is Instagram‘s video hub that allows longer videos up to 10 minutes, creating ample room for compelling storytelling.

But it offers far more than just increased length over Instagram posts. Here are 5 core benefits IGTV delivers for brands:

1. Exposure to New Audiences

IGTV gets prominently displayed across Instagram in the:

• Explore page
• Hashtag pages
• “Popular” section of user profiles

This means your videos can get discovered by entirely new demographics who don‘t yet follow your brand.

As social media consultant Neal Schaffer found, the traffic sources driving viewership to brand IGTV channels include:

Instagram Explore Page	41%
Profile Tiles	26%
Notifications	18%

The Explore and hashtag features expose you to 41% new viewers who aren‘t die-hard loyalists, unlike your followers seeing content in-feed.

2. Higher User Engagement

Recent data indicates IGTV delivers 20% higher comments per post and 30% higher views per follower vs regular Instagram posts.

Users find it more intuitive to engage with digestible video content on IGTV through tapping rather than typing comments on text or image posts.

3. Creative Brand Storytelling

IGTV truly shines for showcasing authentic sides of your business through:

• Behind the scenes footage
• Live streams
• Q&As
• Ongoing series
• Product launches

Rather than manufactured ads, viewers crave real, candid looks at your brand experience. IGTV facilitates this at scale.

4. Built-In Commerce Opportunities

Native digital storefronts allow tagging products from IGTV videos for one-click purchasing, eliminating friction in the buyer‘s journey.

IGTV also enables fluid insertion of shoppable ads within free video content, fusing entertainment with conversion.

5. Direct Access to Core Demographic

The majority (60%) of Instagram users are 34 and under, comprising the coveted Millennial and Gen Z groups who:

• Spend over 6 hours per week on site
• Have $200+ billion collective spending power in the US alone

Businesses who harness Instagram trends reap benefits with this engaged, lucrative demographic — and IGTV delivers their attention.

Clearly the unique format of IGTV offers immense strategic potential for elevating your brand presence if leveraged correctly.

Now let me reveal exactly how to set up and optimize your IGTV channel for success…

Step-by-Step: How to Set Up Your IGTV Channel From Scratch

Getting up and running on IGTV only takes about 5 minutes. Just follow these simple steps:

1. Access Camera Icon – Open Instagram and tap the camera icon in top left of Feed
2. Select IGTV Video – Choose "IGTV Video" from options
3. Upload Content – Select video from camera roll (min 1 minute length)
4. Customize Details – Add title, description, hashtags
5. Share Video – Tap "Share" and video goes live on IGTV channel!

Once your first video is uploaded, your channel is created. New viewers who come across your videos can then subscribe for updates.

Pro Tip: Have a branded IGTV channel cover photo so viewers recognize your content.

Now let‘s explore proven IGTV video strategies to engage your audience.

8 Creative Ways for Brands to Leverage IGTV Content

Posting random home videos won‘t cut it. To make an impact on IGTV, brands should focus on elevating production value and strategically developing videos that align to business objectives.

Here are the 8 most effective IGTV content styles I recommend based on metrics:

1. Behind-the-Scenes Footage

Show employees in action, office culture, shoot prep and events for authenticity. Fans eat up exclusive behind-the-scenes access.

2. Product Demos

Demo real-life use cases to establish your product/service as the best solution for target buyer needs.

3. Q&As + AMAs

Let fans ask questions to spotlight your mission, values and team while responding for bonus engagement.

4. IGTV Series

Serialized shows with multiple episodes keep fans returning for more. Theme around your brand, industry or community.

5. Live Event Streams

Broadcast conferences, workshops, talks and more to engage virtual audiences. Include real-time chat for commentary.

6. Influencer Partnerships

Collab with relevant nano/micro influencers to tap into their niche, engaged communities.

7. Shoppable Video Ads

Fuse product placement and direct ecommerce links for frictionless path to purchase.

8. Tutorials / How-Tos

Teach viewers an engaging skill / how to use your product through step-by-step videos.

Now that you have creative ideas flowing, let‘s ensure your execution follows proven best practices…

10 Expert Tips for IGTV Channel Success

Follow these insider recommendations from top social media pros when publishing IGTV content:

1. Hook Viewers Immediately

Capture attention in the first 5 seconds before minds wander. Open with striking visuals and sound.

2. Spotlight Your Personality

Let your brand values and unique voice shine through. People connect with the human side.

3. Ask Viewers to Take Action

Have a clear CTA tied to a link or next steps for conversion.

4. Include Interactive Elements

Prompt questions, run polls/quizzes and check-ins gamify content.

5. Quality Over Quantity

Well-produced videos with high info-value outperform quantity of mediocre content.

6. Reply to Commenters

Responding builds community and boosts engagement metrics.

7. Add Captions for Accessibility

Expand reach with captions for sound-off viewing. Drive understanding across language barriers.

8. Promote Elsewhere

Plug videos on other social channels and email lists. Embed on blog and site.

9. Analyze Performance

Check weekly metrics for top videos to replicate. See what content style and length works best.

10. Post Consistently

Keep momentum going with regular new videos so fans know when to check in.

Now that you‘re armed with insider tips, let‘s explore real-world examples of brands absolutely crushing it on IGTV already for inspiration.

3 Brands Killing it on IGTV (and What You Can Learn)

Plenty of brands have built impressive followings on IGTV with millions of engaged views. Let‘s check out 3 stellar examples, unpack why they resonate and apply takeaways:

1. Tarte Cosmetics

138K followers – 19M hearts

This makeup brand streams instructional get-ready-with-me videos and reviews using their own products. Viewers get advice from Tarte reps in an authentic, enjoyable format.

Takeaways:

• Position reps as likable personalities
• Infuse demos with education

2. Everlane

125K Followers – 330K Hearts

Through "Transparent Tuesday" videos, these ethical fashion retailers pull back the curtain on their supply chain, factory partners and sustainability practices. The commitment to radical transparency humanizes Everlane.

Takeaways:

• Give behind-the-scenes look at operations
• Spotlight social impact

3. Garyvee

237K Followers – 2.8M Hearts

Uber-popular entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk dishes direct, tough love business and mindset advice via motivational IGTV rants. The straight-talk positioning attracts ambitious go-getters keen to level up.

Takeaways:

• Establish authentic personal brand
• Share value-packed advice and insight

As you can see from these stellar examples, IGTV lends itself perfectly for businesses ready to dive in and develop unique branded content.

You have all the tools needed…now take the first step!

Let me wrap up with 5 quick tips to avoid common IGTV mistakes.

5 Key IGTV Mistakes to Sidestep

While getting set up on IGTV, steer clear of these quick pitfalls:

1. Neglecting sound – Invest in lavalier mics for crisp audio.

2. Boring shots – Use dynamic camera angles, lighting and B-roll.

3. Skimping on editing – Ensure pacing keeps viewers‘ attention.

4. No captions – Include text and specs for accessibility.

5. Just repurposing – Tailor videos natively for IGTV vs just reposting.

And that’s a wrap!

You now have a complete blueprint for unlocking the immense potential of IGTV to take your business‘ Instagram presence to new heights in 2023.

Let me know if you have any other questions — I‘m always happy to chat about latest social media strategies!