Instagram's new 90 minute format turns a Reel into the first step of a longer viewing experience. That gives brands a new way to turn a moment of interest into a deeper relationship.
Instagram wants to own the whole watch
Instagram is turning the Reel from a destination into an entry point. For brands, that opens a path from first impression to real consideration in one place, and the brands that benefit most will give each piece of content a clear job.
On October 26, Instagram began testing Features, horizontal videos up to 90 minutes long, with select U.S. creators after an earlier test in Brazil. Creators can link up to eight Reels to a longer video, Series is rolling out more widely to group episodic Reels on a profile, and all of it is headed to Instagram's TV app.
For years, brands and creators used Instagram clips to send audiences to YouTube or a podcast feed for the full piece. Adam Mosseri, who says he long resisted long form on the platform, now wants short and long video to be "symbiotic." For brands, that means the whole journey can now live in one place.
Reels already travel. Now they have somewhere to go.
Tessa Lyons, Instagram's VP of product, says people reshare Reels in DMs 4.5 billion times a day.
Until now, that moment had a short shelf life. Someone watched, maybe reacted, and moved on, or left the platform to find the full version. Features puts a next step one tap away, so the interest a share creates has somewhere to build.
That changes the value of a Reel . It's no longer just reach. It's the start of a relationship that can continue where it began.
Design the path, not just the post
Features works best when the Reel and the longer piece are planned together from the start. The Reel's job is discovery: earn the share, the save and the tap. The Feature's job is depth: give the people who tapped a reason to stay.
Measure each against its own job. Shares and saves show whether the Reel traveled. Watch time, qualified traffic and conversion show whether the Feature built consideration.
Creators get there first
For now, Features is limited to select creators. That makes partnerships the fastest way for a brand to show up in the format, with creators who already know how to hold an audience past the first few seconds. Instagram is still testing, and the details will change. The brands building those relationships now will be ready to build for belief, not just retention, as the format grows.
From creator partnerships to episodic series, Social House builds content worth staying for. If you're ready to build for what's next, let's talk: hello@socialhouseinc.com