By Cheryl Goldsmith
Instagram has this week launched a live test of 60-second video Stories as part of its ongoing strategy to maximise user engagement.
The photo and video sharing social networking service says if the test proves successful this functionality will be rolled out across the platform.
This will mean that longer videos will no longer need to be split into chunks of 15 seconds and delivered to users through multiple Stories frames. It would also then potentially enable Instagram users to post full Reels to Stories.
Instagram have commented on the test, saying: “The ability to create longer Stories posts comes highly requested by our community. We’re excited to be testing 60-second Stories so that people can create and view Stories with fewer interruptions.”
Facebook Inc, owners of Instagram, is intent on winning younger users and and a more engaging Reel format or simpler interface within which to deliver this content would enable it to draw in some new users who are more familiar with the instant engagement approach of a platform like TikTok.
The test marks a significant step for Instagram , making it likely that longer Stories will soon be an option available to all users.
Also new on Instagram this week was the added capability to delete individual posts from within a previously uploaded carousel; one of the most popular post formats for both brands and individuals.
Having uploaded a carousel of images it is now possible to remove specific posts from the series. This editing option gives users greater ability to manage their posts, efficiently removing just the selected image rather than deleting and re-uploading a carousel set if there is an issue with a single frame or video.
For more information about how SCS Marketing & PR can manage your social media programmes, please contact the team on 01252 621293, or you can email us at info@scsmarketingandpr.co.uk
