Back on Valentines Day, February 14, 2005, when YouTube launched in San Mateo, California, only a select group foresaw that the site would become such a cultural phenomenon. Closing in on its 15th Anniversary, YouTube has upturned 80 years of television and radio history in less than two decades. Newer generations no longer feel like passive viewers to television's dominance. Instead, they start creating at a very young age on their own YouTube channels.

Competition is growing stiffer now for more established broadcasts. Even the Oscars have seen a decline in viewership over the period, and younger generations are questioning Hollywood's relevance. In a world where anonymous teenagers might shoot a low or no budget film on their iPhones that gets over a million views around the world, how important are the older institutions that once ruled Hollywood?

Customers are canceling their cable subscriptions and are instead streaming YouTube or Netflix directly onto their televisions. Independent video producers are profiting handsomely from this shift via the YouTube monetization process. 

In 2018, YouTube updated the standards for monetization. In order to monetize on YouTube, creators must meet the following standards:

Eligibility requirements to join YouTube

  1. Follow all the YouTube Partner Program policies.
  2. Live in a country or region where the YouTube Partner Program is available.
  3. Have more than 4,000 public watch hours in the last 12 months.
  4. Have more than 1,000 subscribers.
  5. Have a linked AdSense account.

Facebook and Instagram are aggressive at fueling this uprising, providing free tools and education to its users on how to create for their spaces. Facebook for Creators provides inspiration and lessons for aspiring video makers.

The entrepreneurs who recognized YouTube's influence years ago are now receiving steady monthly profits from their channels. But there was a time when they faced uncertainty, unsure about YouTube's potential success. Still, they persisted; channels with regular monthly viewers receive significant profits from advertisers.

It's not difficult to foresee that Instagram's IGTV platform, launched only last year in 2018, might follow a similar pattern. Despite frustrations at the platform's vertical mode, that conflicts with pretty much all standard video development and TV platforms in existence, IGTV is still growing in popularity. 

Anyone can launch their IGTV channel and create any type of content that meets their standards. IGTV allows users to post videos up to an hour long, so creators have flexibility in their productions.

One attraction of IGTV is it's informality. Even celebrities are making low-budget hand-held videos that receive millions of views. Users seem open to informal videos. 

How do you launch your channel?

Launching your IGTV channel is pretty simple. In the feed mode, click on the TV icon in the upper right-hand corner. Upload a video and add a title and description. The IGTV icon will then become visible on your profile. You can delete videos as you choose, and upload unlimited content as well. Your channel will then appear visible to your followers. Using hashtags, your videos can also become discoverable by newer audiences.

Beauty and fashion seems to be leading on IGTV for now. Makeovers and makeup tutorials are very popular. Fashion channels also offer endless wardrobe tutorials. This is likely to expand, as professional TV producers find ways to use the channel. 

IGTV can be an effective platform to share longer videos with your audience. If you're looking to start an IGTV channel, reach out to us. We can provide technical and creative guidance on developing your channel.

Check out the tutorial below for more on IGTV.