Nowadays, many people use smartphones, laptops, and tablets to watch videos on different platforms. YouTube and IGTV are the two largest video platforms. Which one is better? This article will explain the difference between them from multiple aspects. Keep scrolling to learn more about them.
Things You Need to Know
Meta, Instagram’s parent company, has shut down IGTV in 2022 to focus on Instagram Reels. IGTV has been integrated into the Instagram app now. Therefore, the main interface and concept of Instagram are very similar to IGTV. Accordingly, the comparisons between IGTV and YouTube are still informative. This article will give the most objective review of the difference between IGTV and YouTube first, and then compare YouTube to the Instagram app. You can watch the part you want to see directly based on the title.
IGTV vs YouTube: Interface
No matter what kind of application, the interface is the most concerned by the users because it directly affects the users’ experience. A simple and clear interface is more appealing to users.
IGTV is a platform designed for mobile users initially. It can also be accessed through a web browser but most users prefer to access it through their smartphones. IGTV’s interface is very simple, with the video taking up almost the entire screen and very little text section. It is more friendly for people who like to watch random videos.
YouTube was first designed for computer users, so the interface of YouTube is more detailed. Mobile users will see a lot of text in the interface when they open the YouTube app.
IGTV vs YouTube: Video Length
Different audiences may have different views on the length of videos. Some people like very short videos to get useful information in a short time, while others like long videos with comprehensive explanations.
IGTV’s videos are shorter in length. It only allows uploading video content from 15 seconds to 10 minutes. Only users with authenticated accounts can upload videos up to an hour long. However, YouTube allows up to 11 hours of video uploads. If you prefer to make short videos you can go for IGTV, but if you prefer to make rich content videos, YouTube will be the best platform for you.
Read more: How Long a YouTube Video Can Be? Can You Make It Longer?
IGTV vs YouTube: Share Videos
YouTube is very comprehensive when it comes to video sharing. YouTube allows content creators to share content across different platforms. Just click on the share button below the video and you can share the content across different social media platforms. Copying links to videos also allows you to embed them in blog posts and articles. However, IGTV does not allow sharing of content across different platforms. If sharing video content across multiple platforms is important to you. YouTube would be the better option.
IGTV vs YouTube: Traffic
Since a large number of users use Google Chrome to search for terms and YouTube is owned by Google, the search results prioritize YouTube videos. Therefore, IGTV is at a disadvantage when people use Google Chrome to search for topics. If you want your videos to be seen by more people, YouTube is better than IGTV.
Instagram vs YouTube, Which One Should I Choose?
Now that IGTV has been integrated into Instagram, it is necessary to compare the two apps. Instagram includes not only IGTV videos but also Instagram Reels. The differences between Instagram and YouTube are listed below.
Instagram vs YouTube: Main Content
Instagram is a visual platform where photographers and bloggers upload their work. If you want to improve your photography skills or see beautiful pictures, Instagram is the best choice. Some creators also post pictures in YouTube videos to show their products or landscape photography but there is very little video content like this. Therefore, Instagram is more recommended if you like posting photos.
Instagram vs YouTube: Video Ratio
In terms of video formats, most Instagram videos are in a 9:16 ratio, while the most popular YouTube videos are in a 16:9 ratio. Instagram offers a variety of options for posting both short and long videos in a vertical format. However, YouTube prefers videos in a horizontal format.
Although YouTube has its own short-form video platform, YouTube Shorts, YouTube still focuses on long-form videos. Therefore, the audience for videos in a vertical format is still primarily Instagram.
Read more: The Best Instagram Video Format and Specification
Instagram vs YouTube: Medium for Topics
When comparing the mediums of Instagram and YouTube, most people consider Instagram to be the leading lifestyle social media platform, while YouTube is the channel for how-to videos and tutorials.
Both Instagram and YouTube focus on fashion, beauty, food, and travel. However, Instagram also caters to pets, family, and health content, while YouTube focuses more on gaming, movies, and B2B tech brands, among others. You can choose from these two different video platforms depending on your interests.
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Conclusion
What platform should I choose, IGTV or YouTube? This article first compares IGTV and YouTube and then gives three differences between Instagram and YouTube to give you a better understanding of IGTV, Instagram, and YouTube. We sincerely hope that you read this article and choose the platform that suits your needs.
About The Author
Position: Columnist
Mia loves music and art, and likes to listen to music alone in her spare time. Now, Mia is the English editor of MiniTool. She is good at writing YouTube tips, video conversion, and video recording. She is committed to bringing more multimedia knowledge to readers.