Instagram is currently the most downloaded and popular app in this day and age. IGTV, which is a new platform created by Instagram for streaming and uploading video content allowing you to shoot longer and edited videos and then upload them. But what is the difference between IGTV and Instagram Live? We list here the features of both platforms for you to see plainly.
Difference Between IGTV & Instagram Live

Instagram Live:

Instagram live is when you record a video and your followers or audience can watch at the same time you are recording. The minimum length of a live video is 15 seconds long whilst the maximum for a standard account is 15 minutes long. If your account is verified you can record videos up to 60 minutes long.

Your video will stay available for viewing on your profile for 24 hours unless you save it to your highlights reel which is available on your Instagram feed however there seems to be a glitch with Instagram and it does not always save to your highlight reel. You are able to view the story multiple times whilst it is available on their story, this has recently been updated since it did use to only be able to view the live stream once.

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Your viewers or followers have the ability to interact with you whilst you are live streaming, any comments they make will be shown to you at the time they write it and their likes will also appear to you at the time they make it, even whilst you are streaming. 

This means you can actively answer any questions or comments that they leave. Instagram live shows you and your viewers how many people are actively watching your live feed at the time of recording – this does disappear after you finish your live stream and it is just available to see on your profile.

An advantage with Instagram Live is that your followers will be notified as you go live, allowing for a wider audience. As well as your followers can request to go live with you meaning you can collab with your friends and followers this is great if you are creating a (15 minute) debate or you have friends and family who live in another part of the world and you want to make a video with them.

The videos for Instagram Live can not be edited at all and they are streamed as your camera shows. You are unable to add filters or special effects, neither can you add any text or sticker overlays. Instagram Live videos can also not be searched for, unless the user searches for your profile directly, they will be unable to see your live video.

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IGTV:

IGTV is when you upload a pre-recorded video onto your channel for your followers and viewers to see. The minimum length of one minute and a maximum length of 15 minutes if your profile is unverified, if your profile is already verified then you are able to make a video with a length of 60 minutes.

The videos you upload stay available on your channel indefinitely, well at least until you remove them. Meaning viewers can watch your IGTV as much and whenever they like. You can also save your IGTVs to your highlight reel on your main profile feed meaning if a follower was unaware that you have a channel but was checking your profile out they can see what content you have available – if they then click on the highlight reel video they will be taken to your IGTV channel to view the rest of the video as well as the other videos you have available.

Your followers or viewers are able to like and comment on your videos and these comments and likes are available for the public to see, meaning that each comment can be individually answered by yourself of other people. You are able to see how many people have viewed your IGTV video however it does not show you who exactly has viewed your video. The number of views and likes are available for other people to see.

If people follow your channel they can be informed when a new video is uploaded, however, if they are not notified it will anyway show on their ‘explore’ feed where a selection of videos from their followed channels or channels of interests show. 

The great advantage to IGTV is that you can caption the videos with relevant or trending hashtags and people are able to search for your video with these hashtags, or if they search a hashtag which is connected to your video, your video will show on their discovery feed. You are able to collab with other users however this has to be pre-recorded meaning that it has to be pre-arranged, so being prepared for the collaboration is key.

Videos on IGTV can be edited before being uploaded, if you want to add any filters, transitions, video effects, audio effects or add text/sticker overlays. Meaning that your videos can have much more depth and context. It also means that you could add subtitles to your videos, this is a great addition if you have a multi-national following, either you can translate your speech or write in your native language allowing for better understanding.

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Conclusion:

The two platforms are very similar in some ways and in other ways very different. Depending on what you are using the platform for will determine which one is better for you to use, or maybe it would benefit you to use both. Instagram Live is great for capturing your audience’s attention and IGTV is the platform for descriptive and captive videos. 

However, both are brilliant marketing tools whether it be for a brand, event, product, or services. Instagram has become popular not only as a social media platform but also as a platform for business opportunities and expanding options.