By the Mayab Media Team
Instagram just said you can post a 90-minute video. Almost nobody reading this should.
Here's why, and what you should do instead.
What actually changed
On October 26, Instagram head Adam Mosseri and VP of Product Tessa Lyons announced a new format called Features. According to 9to5Google, it's Instagram's first big push into long, horizontal video, and it's testing in the US first.
Dawn's report on the same announcement adds the key details:
- Select creators can post horizontal videos up to 90 minutes long.
- It's aimed at podcasters, comedians and other long-form creators.
- It's rolled out to some US creators so far.
- Reels can link to the full Feature. You post a short clip as a Reel, and viewers tap through to watch the whole thing.
Instagram also announced a few other things in the same video. Series, a multi-episode format, is going to some creators in the US, India and Mexico. Lives can now be recommended to non-followers in the Reels feed. And Instagram for TV is coming to Apple TV.
On money: 9to5Google, citing The Hollywood Reporter, says there's no YouTube-style ad revenue share announced. Creators keep their existing brand deals.
Why you shouldn't rush in
Long video isn't the hard part. Holding attention is.
Most businesses struggle to keep people watching a 30-second Reel. Jumping to a 40-minute horizontal video because the option exists is how you get 12 views and a lot of wasted editing hours.
The real change here is the link between Reels and long video. Instagram is building a funnel inside the app. Short clip catches attention. Long video builds trust. That's the same structure that's worked on YouTube for years, and now it's sitting next to the audience you already have on Instagram.
For a real estate agent, a long neighborhood tour could do more selling than twenty listing posts. For a clinic, a 15-minute Q&A with the doctor answers the questions people are too shy to ask on the phone. For a hotel or a tour operator, a full walkthrough of the experience is basically a sales call that runs while you sleep. Those videos make people book. But only if the Reels in front of them earn the click.
The "cut down, link up" plan
You may not have access to Features yet. That's fine. Get ready now so you're not starting from zero when it shows up.
- Pick one long-form idea that sells. Not a vlog. A video that answers the biggest question people have before buying from you. A walkthrough, a consultation-style Q&A, a "what to expect on your first visit."
- Record it horizontally, once. 10 to 20 minutes is plenty for a business. You don't need 90. Good audio matters more than a fancy camera.
- Cut 5 to 8 Reels from it. Each one should stand alone with a clear hook in the first two seconds. One question, one answer, one strong moment.
- Post the Reels now. Watch which clips hold attention and get shares and saves. That tells you what your audience actually cares about.
- Put the full video somewhere today. YouTube works fine. When Features reaches your account, re-post it there and link your best Reels to it.
- Measure actions, not views. DMs, link taps, calls, bookings. A long video with 300 views that produces five consultation requests beats a viral Reel that produces none.
- Check your app for access. Instagram said this is starting with select US creators. Keep an eye on the create menu.
Mistakes we expect to see
A few traps are easy to fall into here.
- Uploading old webinars as-is. A 60-minute recording with a slow intro will die in the first minute. Cut the warm-up. Start with the most useful thing you say.
- Shooting vertical and cropping later. Features are horizontal. If you film vertical out of habit, you'll lose half the frame.
- Forgetting the Reels. The long video won't get found on its own. The short clips are the doorway.
- No next step. Every long video should end with one clear action, like booking a call or sending a DM with a keyword.
Our take? We like this move for businesses, honestly more than for most creators. Instagram has always been great at getting attention and bad at deep trust. Long video fixes the second part. But the order matters. Earn attention with short clips first, then ask for 15 minutes.
Takeaway: Build one strong long video, slice it into Reels, and let the short clips earn the long watch.
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