Instagram Offers Up to $500,000 to Lure Long-Form Video Creators
Meta incentivizes creators to cross-post long-form content to compete directly with YouTube.
1Direct Financial Incentives
Instagram is reportedly offering select creators payments reaching up to $500,000 to upload long-form videos. These deals, which vary from $50,000 to six-figure sums, aim to populate the new Features format. Meta confirmed they are funding content directly to support creators, though specific contract details remain confidential and are not publicly disclosed.
2Non-Exclusive Content Strategy
The agreements do not require creators to make their videos exclusive to Instagram. Instead, the platform is asking creators to upload the same long-form videos they already publish on YouTube on the same day. This strategy allows creators to distribute their existing work across multiple platforms while receiving additional compensation for their efforts.
3Features Format Specifications
The new Features format supports uploads of up to 90 minutes, emphasizing horizontal video layouts suitable for phones, computers, and TVs. Currently, Instagram is conducting small-scale tests of this format in the United States and Brazil. This move aims to keep viewers within the Instagram ecosystem rather than leaving for other platforms.
4Expanding to Television Screens
Instagram is actively developing a TV version of its video content to utilize larger screens. Testing began on Amazon Fire TVs in late 2025, expanded to Samsung TVs in mid-2026, and reached Apple TV in October. Features provides the necessary long-form, horizontal content to make these television applications a viable viewing experience.
5Bridging Reels and Long-Form
Adam Mosseri and Tessa Lyons have explained that Features will complement existing Reels content. Creators can use short clips to drive discovery, while viewers can watch the full-length versions without leaving the app. This integration seeks to leverage the existing popularity of Reels to build an audience for longer, more immersive video content.
6Chasing YouTube Market Dominance
Instagram faces a significant challenge against YouTube, which maintains a much larger audience. Pew Research Center data from October 19 shows 84 percent of U.S. adults use YouTube, compared to 51 percent for Instagram. Among the 18 to 29 age demographic, YouTube reaches 95 percent of users, highlighting the scale of Instagram's competitive gap.
7Monetization Landscape Comparison
YouTube currently offers a structured Partner Program where creators earn 55 percent of net ad revenue. However, YouTube is raising eligibility thresholds starting February 1, 2027, requiring 8,000 watch hours or 20 million Shorts views. Instagram’s current approach relies on direct deals rather than a broad, automated revenue-sharing program for all creators.
8Future of Creator Economics
While Instagram is currently funding select creators, Adam Mosseri noted on X that the company is exploring multiple options to help long-form creators earn money. The ultimate test remains whether users accustomed to short-form Reels will transition to watching full-length episodes, determining the long-term viability of the Features format for the platform.
Original article: Mashable — Instagram Offers Up to $500,000 to Lure Long-Form Video Creators