The IGTV Show

Episode Summary: A deep dive into IGTV (Instagram TV) shortly after its June 2018 launch — what it was, how it worked, and why Mike planned to use it for Mike Murphy Co. Note: IGTV was discontinued by Instagram in 2022; this episode is preserved as a historical snapshot, not current guidance.What You'll LearnWhat IGTV was and how it worked when it launched in 2018The vertical-video specs and rules IGTV required at the timeWhy Mike planned to use IGTV as a storytelling platform for his brandA snapshot of platform strategy thinking in 2018, useful as a case study in adapting to new formatsFollow along at the time: @mikeunplugged on Instagram.What Was IGTV?IGTV launched in late June 2018 from Instagram (owned by Facebook), at a time when Instagram had over 1 billion users and Facebook over 2 billion. It was a standalone app, separate from Instagram, but also accessible from within the main Instagram app.Many described it as "TV for mobile devices" — every content creator was their own channel, open to anyone. Content played automatically when you opened the app, like turning on a TV, with browse options for For You, Explore, Following, and Popular. You could search for creators, but not topics.How IGTV WorkedIGTV was built entirely around vertical video — a 9:16 aspect ratio (the opposite of YouTube's horizontal 16:9), most commonly shot at 1080×1920, matching what an iPhone shoots and the same size as Instagram Stories. Videos had to be between 15 seconds and 10 minutes long for most accounts; accounts with over 10,000 followers or verified status could upload up to an hour, but only via a web browser, not the phone app.Tip at the time: keep text and graphics away from the edges of the frame, since certain phones would crop them.Viewers could comment (visible in both IGTV and Instagram), like, and share videos, and IGTV integrated with Instagram Stories through swipe-up links directly to IGTV content.Why Consider It for Business or BrandWith Instagram and Facebook's combined reach in the billions, IGTV represented a significant early opportunity for creators and brands — the first platform of its kind built specifically for vertical, phone-native video, which is how people were increasingly consuming content. The reasoning: tell your brand's story in long-form video, market products and services, entertain or educate your audience, network with other brands, and control your own narrative.Keeping up with every new platform is exhausting — one week it's Facebook Live, the next it's Instagram Stories, then IGTV. The real secret isn't chasing every platform; it's getting genuinely good at making content (writing, video, podcasting), since those are the core transferable skills. Go where your opportunity actually is, not just because everyone else is there.How Mike Planned to Use IGTVThe plan: post tutorials and quick tips made for vertical viewing, mix in fun animated promo content for the podcas…Read the complete show notes and resources on mikemurphy.ai.Support the showSubscribe To Weekly Newsletter:AI UnpluggedConnect With Me🌐 Website📧 Newsletter🎥 YouTube🐦 X💼 LinkedInComments, Questions & Feedback: [email protected]