Instagram has decided to get rid of the IGTV button that was in the upper corner of the app.
The move is considered a smart move since no one was using the button in the first place. HA!
“As we’ve continued to work on making it easier for people to create and discover IGTV content, we’ve learned that most people are finding IGTV content through previews in Feed, the IGTV channel in Explore, creators’ profiles and the standalone app. Very few are clicking into the IGTV icon in the top right corner of the home screen in the Instagram app” a Facebook company spokesperson tells TechCrunch. “We always aim to keep Instagram as simple as possible, so we’re removing this icon based on these learnings and feedback from our community.”
IGTV became a thing in the summer of 2018 but after the hype went away not much else came from the app. You can still watch videos on Instagram, which may now be feeling the competition from app TikTok, which has recently crossed the 1 billion downloads mark. But influencers are having a hard time making money from the Instagram platform.
One thing still missing is an open way for Instagram creators to earn money directly from their IGTV videos. Users can’t get an ad revenue share like with YouTube or Facebook Watch. They also can’t receive tips or sell exclusive content subscriptions like on Facebook, Twitch, or Patreon.
Will the removal of the IGTV button is the beginning of more changes to come?
Susan Saunders 1/21/20
