Full Breakdown
Instagram Tests “Features” Long-Form Video Amid Creator Monetization Debate
By Drooid · · How we work
In this breakdown
01
Core Event: Launch of “Features” Long-Form Video Test
- Instagram announced a new format called Features, allowing creators to upload horizontal videos up to 90 minutes long.
- The test began on October 26, with a limited group of creators in the United States and Brazil.
- Features links short Reels clips to the full video, letting viewers stay inside the app and watch the longer content on televisions.
02
Background & Context
- Instagram previously offered IGTV (2018-2022) for vertical long-form videos; it was merged into Instagram Video in 2021.
- Meta’s earlier creator-payment programs, including a performance-based payout, were retired in 2024 after the company found them “ROI negative.”
- YouTube’s Partner Program continues to pay eligible creators a share of ad revenue (55 % of net advertising revenue), a model Instagram has not replicated at scale.
Visual evidence
Images from the story
03
Data & Statistics
- Sources report individual deals ranging from about $50,000 to $500,000 for creators who agree to post the same long-form content on Instagram the same day it appears on YouTube.
- Features videos can run up to 90 minutes, compared with the 20-minute maximum for Reels.
- The test is limited to a “small group” of creators; exact participant numbers are undisclosed.
04
Official Statements & Responses
- Mosseri outlined three primary payment pathways: platform payouts, fan contributions, and brand deals, noting that most creators currently earn from brands.
05
Verbatim Quotes
- “Y’all know how this works and you know how ad calls work and you know that long form creators need ad rev to survive but you’re ask[ing] them all to upload long form content for free just to live on your platform,” — Sidney Raskind
- “There are three ways you can get paid at a high level: you can get paid by the platform directly, you can get paid by a fan, and you can get paid by a brand. Right now how it works on Instagram primarily is that you get paid by brands, some people get paid by fans,” — Adam Mosseri
06
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Business-focused outlets (Business Insider, BigGo) report six-figure guaranteed deals for select creators, while creator-focused commentary stresses the absence of a platform-wide ad-revenue share.
- Mosseri’s statements suggest no immediate ad-share model, yet the Meta spokesperson’s comment about “directly funding” creators indicates monetary incentives exist for a limited cohort.
- No public details disclose eligibility criteria, the exact number of participating creators, or how payments are structured beyond the confidential deals.
- The long-term monetization model remains “too early to share,” leaving uncertainty for the broader creator community.
07
Why It Matters
- Successful adoption could shift a portion of YouTube’s long-form audience to Instagram, expanding Meta’s ad inventory and TV-screen presence.
- The experiment tests whether creators will adopt a horizontal, TV-friendly format without a clear, platform-wide revenue share, influencing future creator-platform economics.