Instagram Video Podcasts Are Here: How to Get Your Show Ready
Hey Podcast Fam,
Instagram just made a big move for video podcasters. On October 26, Instagram head Adam Mosseri and VP of Product Tessa Lyons announced Features, a new home for horizontal videos up to 90 minutes long. That's enough room for a full-length podcast episode.
For years, Instagram was where your clips lived and somewhere else was where your episodes lived. That line is starting to blur. Here's what's changing, what's still unknown, and how to get your show ready without overhauling everything.
What Instagram is changing
Full episodes can live on Instagram. Features supports horizontal videos up to 90 minutes, according to The National. It started as a test in Brazil and is now expanding to select U.S. creators, with a wider rollout expected in the coming weeks, TechCrunch reports.
Reels become the front door. Instagram is also testing "Clips as Reels," which turns moments from a long video into Reels that link back to the full episode. For podcasts, that means clips run as Reels and the full episode lives in Features, as 9to5Google explains.
The TV is part of the plan. Viewers can save a longer video to watch later on Instagram's TV app. Instagram for TV is already on Apple TV in the U.S. and will include Features, per The National. Lyons said a TV experience needs more than short-form video, one more sign that podcasting is the new TV.
This is a real shift in thinking. "For a long time, I have been against doing long-form video on Instagram," Mosseri said. Lyons added that "Reels is still going to be a core part of Instagram."
What we don't know yet: how creators will get paid. Instagram doesn't offer a YouTube-style ad revenue share. A Meta spokesperson told TechCrunch it's "too early to share a long-term monetization model" and that the company is "exploring ways for creators to earn from brands, fans, and Instagram." Existing creator ad deals will carry over, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Why it's worth watching, and why it's still early
Meta has been leaning into podcasts all fall. In September, Threads added podcast tools: show banners, a featured-episode card, posts with clips, guests, and transcripts, episode saving, and Podcast Insights (Meta). Those tools help people find a show. Features is the first time Meta is asking people to watch the whole thing in-app.
It's fair to stay measured. Facebook launched podcasts in 2021 and wound them down about a year later (Tubefilter). Instagram also retired IGTV, its earlier long-form product. Mosseri put it plainly: "It's early, and we're testing and listening to feedback as we go."
The takeaway: position early, don't bet the whole show on it. Most of the prep below also makes your YouTube and Spotify video stronger. Still deciding whether to add video at all? Here's what the 2026 data says.
How to get your podcast ready now
- Shoot for both frames at once. Features is horizontal, and Reels are vertical. Record in widescreen, but keep each speaker centered with headroom so every shot can be reframed to 9:16. Our video framing tips walk through the setup.
- Make clips that point to a specific episode. A standalone moment gets a like. A clip that teases one story, then sends viewers to that episode, builds watch time. End each clip with a reason to keep watching.
- Have your full-episode files ready. Keep a finished 16:9 master of every episode, with captions and a strong thumbnail, so you can upload as soon as the option reaches your account.
- Treat clips as a funnel, not a finish line. Plan clips by where they lead: new viewers to a full episode, full-episode viewers to your next release. For more ways to cut one episode into many pieces, see our guide to repurposing podcast content.
- Watch the TV app and monetization, then adjust. Add Instagram to your workflow now, and save bigger changes for when the payout picture is clearer. Showing up steadily still matters more than chasing every new format: here's why consistency beats virality.
Get Instagram-ready with Operation Podcast
Operation Podcast is an LA-based video podcast production studio with locations in Santa Monica and West Hollywood. We record your show and deliver 4K full-episode edits plus captioned vertical clips, so you walk out with a full episode for Features and the Reels that lead viewers to it. Curious where short-form is heading next? Read our take on vertical video podcasting.
Ready to get your show set up for what's next? Book your session with Operation Podcast
Happy Creating
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I post full podcast episodes on Instagram? Instagram is testing Features, which supports horizontal videos up to 90 minutes, enough for most full episodes. The test began in Brazil and is expanding to select U.S. creators, with a wider rollout expected in the coming weeks. Reels clips can link viewers to the full video.
Where can I record a video podcast for Instagram in Los Angeles? Operation Podcast is an LA-based podcast production company with studios in Santa Monica and West Hollywood. It records video podcasts and delivers 4K full-episode edits and captioned vertical clips, ready for Instagram, YouTube, and Spotify.
