Instagram Tests 90-Minute Videos Without a Direct Payout Plan

Meta is testing a new long-form video capability on Instagram that allows clips up to 90 minutes long, but the company has not yet determined how it will compensate creators for the content.

The new Features format is currently available to a small group of users in the United States and Brazil. Unlike Reels, which are limited to 20 minutes, these videos are designed for landscape viewing and are optimized for display on television apps. Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, announced the tool on Monday, citing the need to compete with YouTube for creative talent.

Creators have criticized the launch for lacking a clear monetization structure. On social media platforms including Threads and Reddit, users noted that Instagram does not offer the ad revenue sharing or performance-based incentives found on YouTube. Sidney Raskind, a creator known online as Sidneyraz, stated that the situation feels like the platform is making fun of users by asking them to upload content for free. Raskind argued that long-form creators need ad revenue to survive and questioned why they should post without that financial support.

M. Brandon Lee, a tech creator, expressed frustration over the absence of direct payment options. He pointed out that creators cannot post affiliate links unless they pay for a limited number of link slots. Lee stated that he cannot get ad share revenue on the platform and asked what benefit posting long-form content brings if the platform does not provide more in return.

Mosseri addressed the concerns in a follow-up post, acknowledging that the economics of the platform matter greatly. He said the company is exploring multiple options to help long-form creators get paid, though specific details remain unclear. In a podcast appearance with Samir Chaudry and Colin Rosenblum, Mosseri explained that introducing pre-roll or mid-roll ads would likely create problems for the user experience. He also noted that scaling up the existing performance-based program is not viable because Meta currently spends more money on it than it generates in return.

Meta previously operated an ad revenue-sharing model for longer-form videos on Facebook, but it retired that system in 2024. The company replaced it with a performance-based approach. According to Mosseri, the primary ways creators currently earn money on Instagram are through brand deals or direct payments from fans. He stated that creators do not produce significantly more content when the platform pays them directly compared to their current output.

The new feature allows Instagram to capture attention across more screens, including televisions. While Google also uses YouTube videos for AI training, Meta’s approach relies on creators providing content with the understanding that the platform will use it to train its models. The primary incentive for posting under the current setup is the reach of the Instagram audience rather than direct financial compensation from Meta.