Instagram chief Adam Mosseri recently announced the platform’s focus on short-form content like Reels. This means long-form videos won’t be a priority for the social media app. Mosseri explained that Instagram prioritizes connecting users with friends and allowing them to explore interests. They believe short-form content better facilitates these goals compared to longer videos.
He mentioned that a creator had asked him about Instagram’s plans for long-form videos, to which he responded negatively. Mosseri clarified that Instagram’s primary goals are to facilitate connections among friends and to engage users with short-form videos that explore their interests, noting that these objectives complement each other.
According to Mosseri, longer videos are “less symbiotic” with Instagram’s main goals. Watching a 10- or 20-minute video means users see less content from friends, interact less with their friends, and are less likely to share that video with others. Therefore, Instagram has decided not to prioritize long-form video because it could weaken its core mission of connecting people with their friends.
