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The Short-Form Video Era Ends: TikTok and Instagram Algorithms Now Prioritize Long-Form Content and Watch Time

Meta is testing a new 'Features' format that allows creators to upload 90-minute horizontal videos. The structural shift targets connected television watch time and marks a departure from the platform's recent focus on short-form Reels.

Factlen Newsroom· Updated

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Illustration: Instagram's new 90-minute video format is designed specifically to capture watch time on living-room television screens.From: Instagram Expands Video Upload Limit to 90 Minutes in Direct Challenge to YouTube

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Key numbers

5x
Follower growth rate for long-form creators vs. short-form
1+ minute
Minimum length required for TikTok monetization
50%
Share of TikTok user time spent on videos over one minute

From: The Short-Form Video Era Ends: TikTok and Instagram Algorithms Now Prioritize Long-Form Content and Watch Time

Charts, maps and images

The 'Features' test expands Instagram's upload limit to 90 minutes, directly challenging YouTube's long-form dominance.From: Instagram Expands Video Upload Limit to 90 Minutes in Direct Challenge to YouTube ·
The new algorithmic hierarchy prioritizes viewer satisfaction and session duration over raw engagement spikes.From: The Short-Form Video Era Ends: TikTok and Instagram Algorithms Now Prioritize Long-Form Content and Watch Time ·
Over the past six years, platforms have steadily increased their video length limits to encourage deeper engagement.From: The Short-Form Video Era Ends: TikTok and Instagram Algorithms Now Prioritize Long-Form Content and Watch Time ·
Illustration: The expanded time limit allows creators to host full-length video podcasts natively on the platform.From: Instagram Expands Video Upload Limit to 90 Minutes in Direct Challenge to YouTube ·
Illustration: Unlike the vertical-only IGTV experiment of 2018, the new format explicitly supports horizontal widescreen playback.From: Instagram Expands Video Upload Limit to 90 Minutes in Direct Challenge to YouTube ·
Users are increasingly treating platforms like TikTok and Instagram as search engines and destinations for mini-documentaries.From: The Short-Form Video Era Ends: TikTok and Instagram Algorithms Now Prioritize Long-Form Content and Watch Time ·

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