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Instagram is testing a long-form upload called Features, and podcasters are one of its main targets. Here is what is confirmed, what is still missing, and how to decide whether your show should test it.
For years, Instagram has been where podcast clips go to find new people, while the full episodes live somewhere else. That split is starting to blur. Instagram is now testing a way to post the whole episode.
The test is small, early and comes with no direct payment for creators. But it was built with podcasters in mind, so it is worth understanding before a client asks whether their show should be there.
Instagram is testing a new upload type called Features: horizontal videos of up to 90 minutes. It began rolling out to select creators in the US on October 26, after a test with creators in Brazil. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Instagram wants Features to appeal to podcasters, comedians and other long-form creators, and plans to expand to tens of thousands of US creators over the coming months.
Alongside it is Clips as Reels, which lets creators link up to eight Reels back to one longer video. Instagram's VP of Product, Tessa Lyons, described it in podcast terms:
"You see a clip of a podcast that you love, you can just click and continue watching or watch the full video." Tessa Lyons, VP of Product, Instagram
Instagram is also updating its TV app, already available on Samsung, Fire TV and Google TV, to make room for the new format. It is a real change of direction for the platform. "For a long time, I have been against doing long-form video on Instagram," Instagram head Adam Mosseri said, as reported by TechCrunch.
For now, creators will not earn extra money from uploading Features. A Meta spokesperson told TechCrunch that it is "too early to share a long-term monetization model," and that the company is exploring ways for creators to earn from brands, fans and Instagram itself. The Hollywood Reporter says creators can bring their existing ad deals into their videos.
Compare that with YouTube, where members of the YouTube Partner Program receive 55% of net ad revenue from their long-form videos. If your podcast earns from platform ad revenue, Instagram is not a replacement for that income. If you run a branded podcast, where the goal is reach and relationships rather than ad revenue, the decision looks different.
Read more: why Instagram doesn't want you to choose your feed, and what that means for clip reach.
Our view: not as your main home, and not yet. But Features is worth a deliberate test if you get access, especially if Instagram is already where your audience finds you.
1. Keep YouTube as your home base
YouTube is where podcast audiences already watch full episodes, and it is the platform that both pays and recommends long-form podcast video today. Nothing in this test changes that. For now, YouTube is still your podcast's front door, and Instagram is a side entrance worth watching.
2. Use Clips as Reels to connect the dots
For most podcasts, clips are the reason to be on Instagram in the first place. Linking those clips to a full episode on the same app could turn a quick scroll into a longer watch, without asking anyone to leave Instagram. If you get access, test this first. It builds on what you already do, so keep cutting clips that suit how the Instagram algorithm works.
3. Shoot with the big screen in mind
Features is horizontal, and Instagram clearly wants it on TVs. A 16:9 episode framed for a living-room screen already works on YouTube and Apple Podcasts. Produce one strong master file and it can travel to Instagram too, with no extra shoot.
4. Decide what success looks like before you post
With no revenue share, the reasons to test are reach, follower growth and a stronger story for sponsors. Pick one goal, commit to a set number of episodes, and compare the results with the same episodes on YouTube. If the numbers do not justify the extra upload, step back and keep clipping.
Three things would change our advice: a revenue share or other payment for long-form creators, access beyond the current test group, and a TV app that fully supports Features. Until then, treat long-form on Instagram as an experiment, not a strategy.
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