IGTV is the new platform for video streaming, launched in 2018 it has impressed many vloggers and influencers alike. This is due to the ease of use, quality of video upload, editorial access, and viewing quality. Generally, there have not been many complaints about the new addition to Instagram, however, there are some disadvantages to this new platform, the main one being that the app allows only vertical videos. 

Since the layout of IGTV is similar to that of Snapchat all of the videos are displayed in a vertical frame with no option to turn it (even if you flip your phone to the side the video will still play vertically) and it takes up the whole screen.
Upload A Landscape Video To IGTV
However, there is some hope for those of you who either video landscapes or just prefer this angle…we have found a way around it. Here below we list the steps on how to upload your landscape video to IGTV without affecting the quality or having to cut any of the content.

 Read Also: Can I Monetize My Content On IGTV?

The first thing is First:
Create your video, when creating your video be sure to keep in mind your target audience and who is watching your channel to keep relevance and interest.

Then to Editing:

Step 1:
You will need to download a separate video editing app – the app recommended is ‘Splice’ created by GoPro (this is not only a good investment for your IGTV videos but for editing videos in general)

Step 2:
Open the Splice app and select ‘start new project’

Step 3:
Once you have gone through the privacy settings and you allow the app to have access to your camera roll you’ll be able to select the video you want to use and then press ‘Add’

Step 4:
If your video already has the music included or in the background then you can just select skip on the next screen, however at this point you can choose which music you would like to be added to your video by selecting the and then select next.

Step 5:
When you go through to the next page you will be shown some editorial options for your video.

- You will need to go to format and change it to ‘landscape’

- Then you can select the background color of your video, this is color which will show around the edges (either side) of your video (we advise you to use black)

- At the end of the video, there is an automatic outro designed by the app, you can remove this if you wish to.

- There will be other settings presented however these mostly relate to photos so unless you are creating a photo video you do not need to worry about the those.

- Once you have finished editing your video you can select ‘done’

Step 6:
After you have pressed done, you’ll be taken to a final viewing screen where you can watch your edited video at full length, how it will be displayed and played on IGTV, you can re-edit anything you have missed or you can select the button in the top right-hand corner which will allow you to export your video to your camera roll. They do have an option to export straight to Instagram however this is only for your stories or newsfeed this is not for IGTV currently, although it is believed that this will be updated soon.

Step 7:
Once your video is saved, you can go to IGTV and upload your landscape video.

There is a second way to upload a landscape story to IGTV however, it will only upload a 15 second video.

 Read Also: Difference Between IGTV & Instagram Live

Second Uploading Technique:

Step 1:
Open the Instagram app on your phone

Step 2:
Go to create a new story, select the landscape video you want to upload

Step 3:
The video will automatically zoom itself in and display on the full portrait screen, cutting off most of the video, so you will then have to pinch the sides of the screen by places two fingers on either side of the screen and moving them inwards towards the center so that the landscape video zooms out and displays fully across the screen.

Step 4: 
You can then save your story to your camera roll by pressing the save button on the bottom left-hand corner of the screen and upload it directly to IGTV.

Of course, you could always just upload your landscape video normally to IGTV however, your followers or viewers will then have to flip their phone to watch be able to watch the video properly which can not only be annoying for the follower or user but also may not be practical. This could result in a loss of viewers for you and your video. 

Once your video has been uploaded to IGTV to maximize your audience even further you should be sure to use relevant hashtags and captions. You can also see what hashtags are trending at the moment of uploading and try to include them in your caption somehow so when people search for videos related to them hashtags your video is one that comes up on their video feed.

 Read Also: Will IGTV Kill YouTube?

IGTV is a great way to build and promote a business, to create a vlog, have an information channel, or showcase your editorial skills but not being able to upload in landscape orientation can be restricting for some. We do hope that it is something that will be changed soon so that users can upload their videos directly to IGTV without having to make these run around steps however when considering the display of IGTV and how it has been designed we are not sure if it is likely. Either way, we are not disputing that this platform is an even greater addition to the already well known and well-loved Instagram app.