Will Instagram kill the YouTube star?

As IGTV kicks up a storm, we ask Mumbai's most popular YouTubers on whether they plan to make the switch

When Instagram launched IGTV (Instagram TV) on June 21 the world went into a tizzy wondering if this would spell the beginning of the end for YouTube, the most popular go-to so far, for video content. The concern could well be valid, as Instagram is known to have gobbled its competition in the past. Facebook, Snapchat and even WhatsApp, to a certain extent, are feeling the might of the Insta square. So, will it be YouTube's turn next? IGTV, through a stand-alone app, allows Instagram users to put up hour-long videos, that appear in a seamless loop, much like the Insta stories thread. Considering the ease of access through the app that has roughly 400 million users around the world and growing, would IGTV therefore translate into more eyeballs? We spoke to four of Mumbai's most sought-after video-content creators, and even though they are just about getting their feet wet in the new medium [much like the rest of the world], they are welcoming the tool to explore their video finesse further.

Not a start from scratch
The best thing about IGTV, says model, YouTuber and vlogger Scherezade Shroff Talwar, is that it doesn't require one to earn followers from scratch. "My followers can automatically see my IGTV videos, as it's the same platform," says the 31-year-old who has a follower count of 179K on Instagram and her YouTube channel has clocked 239K subscribers. "So, on IGTV, you're just creating new content for an existing audience. And, because I already have a strong presence on YouTube, IGTV is a new fun space for me to create different content," she says. The day it was launched, Sherry, as she's popularly called, uploaded an old skydiving video, repurposed from YouTube and a fresh time-lapse video of herself getting a haircut and got a good response for both. IGTV allows for likes, shares and comments. Ritu Agarwal, reality TV star who shot to fame with her stint on The Voice India, had already kept a video shot and ready just in time for IGTV's launch — though the date hadn't been announced, there were already rumours floating. "It was a mashup of Tareefan which got around 5,000 views over a week. I feel Instagram has a potentially wider audience. Everyone has an Instagram account, but how many have YouTube accounts?" points out Ritu, who has over one million subscribers on YouTube and 23.9 K followers on Instagram.

Food blogger Kalyan Karmakar who runs The Finely Chopped, says because the formats of YouTube and IGTV differ, an independent creator like himself will face challenges

Think vertical
Ranveer Allahbadia wanted to try out IGTV on day one itself, but the vertical format of the video posed a hindrance. "So I did a quick bit on what I'd be wearing at my sister's wedding where I shot myself on the phone and then uploaded it on IGTV," he says. Allahbadia's BeerBiceps channel on YouTube has over 1.3 million subscribers and it's known for its high-production quality videos on fitness, grooming and motivation. "Those are all shot horizontal, cinema style and therefore cannot be repurposed for IGTV. So I had to think differently," says the 25-year-old. Food blogger Kalyan Karmakar of The Finely Chopped fame tried out IGTV with a video on how to eat kori roti. "Sticking to the format, whatever I want to feature has to be in the middle of the screen," he says, adding it makes it challenging for an independent creator like himself, who will now need to create content for both formats — YouTube and IGTV. "I'd rather have something universal." He, however, has been able to make a "better headway on Instagram" in terms of garnering eyeballs. "I can also now do a full video as compared to the one-minute Insta teasers to full-length videos on YouTube."

Fun versus function
"If I want to see a video on 'how to assemble a chair', I will look on YouTube, not Instagram," says Talwar. "YouTube is more search-driven, it's more like a go-to space for solutions. IGTV is a different space, where one needs to engage the audience in another way. Insta is more fun than functional. So, as creators, we will need to step out of our comfort zone and fashion out another video language. And, that's exciting for us, else all platforms will end up looking the same," she adds. Allahbadia sees IGTV as an extension of the Insta story. "I see a lot of two-three minute videos flourishing here. Insta is urban audience, that doesn't have time. I will be re-shooting and re-editing videos to crunch them. I think on-the-spot content videos will shine on IGTV, but it's too early to predict trends now. While the picture quality on IGTV is a far cry from YouTube's HD, the creators are not worried. "I am sure there will be more updates along the way for improved picture quality," Allahbadia says.

So, what will it be?
Both, seems the popular answer. "There's no need for one to knock off the other, when both can exist and shine in their own space. And that's good news for creators and viewers. It's about using the medium to craft content," Talwar says. Agarwal, however, feels IGTV has a long way to go before becoming a threat to YouTube. "YouTube has a loyalty factor, you subscribe and you want to see the person, on Insta, it lands on your feed. So, YouTube is more reliable in that sense. But at the same time, Instagram is growing by the second," she says. Allahbadia agrees. "I don't see IGTV as competition for YouTube. The video language on both platforms is different, people will turn to different mediums for different requirements."

Ritu Agrawal, reality TV star
YouTube Subscribers: 1 million
Insta followers: 23.9 K

Ritu Agarwal had kept a video shot and ready just in time for IGTV’s launch. It was a mash up of Tareefan

Scherezade Shroff Talwar, YouTuber
YouTube subscribers: 239K
Insta Followers: 179K

Shroff uploaded a skydiving video, and a time-lapse video of a haircut on IGTV

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