Instagram tries the "big screen" experience again with Instagram for TV, an application designed for the living room and focused on Reels. Personalized profiles, simplified search and themed programs: music, sports, travel, trends... the platform aims for a new video consumption reflex.
After the IGTV episode, Instagram is putting television back at the center of the game with a test called Instagram for TV. For the time being, deployment is limited to UNITED STATES and appliances Amazon Fire TVBut the intention is clear: to capture attention where a growing proportion of the public is already watching short-form content... from the couch.
This format, built around Reels and recommendation, recomposes the very idea of a "program": a sequence of videos chosen according to centers of interest, rather than a fixed grid. It remains to be seen what this means for users, for creators, and for brands seeking reach on larger screens.
Instagram TV makes its debut: a "living room" strategy to compete with YouTube on TV
Instagram's return to television is not anecdotal: it's in line with a lasting transformation in usage. Watching videos "on TV" no longer necessarily means flipping between channels. In many households, this gesture now corresponds to opening an Instagram application. streaming video, and YouTube has largely imposed this reflex, to the point of announcing massive daily volumes of hours viewed on TV in the United States. Instagram targets exactly this habit: occupying long living-room time with a feed that's easy to launch, simple to understand, and immediately personalized.
The fact that Instagram for TV is first tested on Fire TV is indicative of a "test & learn" logic. This stage enables us to observe behaviors specific to the big screen: average session length, types of content that hold, times of day, and attention fatigue. On mobile, a video can be consumed between two subway stations. On TV, the expectation is different: the experience must be more comfortable, more readable, more "passive" while remaining interactive. This is precisely where recommendation takes center stage, and where understanding distribution becomes a competitive advantage, notably via the signals analyzed in The Instagram algorithm in 2025.
To make this strategy tangible, a scenario often comes up in usage analyses: a lifestyle designer, "Nina", publishes fashion and food Reels. On mobile, the audience discovers her through exploration and sharing. On TV, the audience can "consume" her like a thematic channel, because the application assembles her videos with other similar content. The creator is no longer just an account: he or she becomes a viewing destination. This shift is giving new interest to formats that can be watched effortlessly, and to short series (e.g. "3 ideas for dinner in 20 minutes", "looks of the week", "2 minutes of pop news").
The question of advertising revenues also looms large over this arrival. TV screens have historically attracted premium budgets, as attention is more capturable and the environment more immersive. If Instagram succeeds in establishing regular consumption on TV, the advertising ecosystem could evolve, with placements closer to lean-back video, and more narrative sponsored formats. To anticipate this shift, the performance and content benchmarks described in key Instagram trends and statistics become steering indicators, not mere curiosities. Insight to remember: Instagram TV doesn't copy YouTube, it tries to reprogram the "TV = social video" reflex.
Quick comparison: what the TV screen changes for the Instagram experience
The big screen requires a different kind of ergonomics: remote control navigation, reading distance and co-viewing. Instagram therefore needs to resolve practical details (search, profile access, resuming playback) to avoid abandonment. Certain approaches, such as using the smartphone as a remote control, can make the experience more fluid, while creating a bridge between living room and mobile.
This "salon" logic naturally paves the way for the next question: which programs Will Instagram put the spotlight on making people want to stay?
What's on Instagram TV: Personalized reels, music, sports, travel and trending moments
To speak of "programs" on Instagram TV is not to imagine a classic schedule. Rather, the promise is based on editorial universes which are triggered according to the affinities of each profile. Instagram for TV takes a familiar mechanic from video platforms: the user chooses a profile, then the app proposes a selection of Reels aligned with his or her interests. This approach has an obvious advantage: it reduces the effort of choosing. In the living room, this detail counts, as attention is not the same as on the move.
The first areas highlighted by Instagram are structuring: new music, sporting highlights, travel destinations and trendy moments. Each of these themes responds to a television need: easy-to-view content, often sequenced, and conducive to group commentary. A concrete example: during a major sporting event, a compilation of reactions, ultra-short analyses and behind-the-scenes footage can function as a social "après-match". The Reel format, by virtue of its brevity, lends itself to a dynamic playlist. But on TV, the challenge is to maintain coherence. Hence the need for creators to produce homogeneous series (stable visuals, recurring features), so that the algorithm can better identify the editorial territory. Detailed practices in these Instagram 2025 secrets help turn an account into an appointment.
In music, Instagram can capitalize on instantaneity: concert excerpts, album releases, choreography, or 30-second "micro-critiques". On TV, these capsules become a lightweight alternative to the music channel. For travel, immersive shots work best in large format: a market visit in Seoul, a road trip in Sicily, a hike in Iceland. Tourism and hotel brands are gaining a playground here, provided they produce creations designed for "remote viewing" (legible subtitles, more breathable rhythm, longer shots).
Trending moments" are the fuel of virality. However, the saturation effect can quickly set in if the selection lacks finesse. This is where the test comes into its own: Instagram adjusts the recommendation before a wider launch, potentially in Europe. For users, personalization by profile also avoids family friction: everyone finds their own feed. For designers, the objective becomes twofold: to appeal on mobile and in the living room. The methods presented in these tips for shining on Instagram in 2025 serve as a basis for adapting editing, hooks and rhythm.
Search, parental controls and the "PG-13" experience: what TV dictates
Instagram for TV integrates a search function, which seems obvious, but changes usage: on TV, the search has to be quick, otherwise the user gives up. The idea of using a smartphone as a remote control therefore becomes strategic, as it eliminates the laborious typing via the remote control. In terms of security, Instagram states that it aims for content that is globally suitable for 13+ (PG-13)with specific measures for under-18s. On a shared screen, this dimension becomes central: the living room exposes content to other eyes, and the platform has to limit slippage to maintain trust.
The promise of programs is only as good as the experience itself. Which brings us to the third issue: how creators and brands can take advantage of this new "TV showcase" without losing Instagram's DNA.
Instagram TV's impact on creators and brands: winning formats, visibility and influence opportunities
Instagram TV is redrawing the competition for attention. For creators, TV can become an amplifier: a Reel that plays well on the big screen gains in perceived quality, even if it remains short. But this lever requires adjustments. Editing that's too fast, designed for scrolling, tires more quickly on TV. Conversely, a clearer narrative, stabilized shots and readable subtitling transform mobile content into a mini-program. The operational rule is simple: think legibility at three meters.
A case study helps visualize the shift. A beauty designer publishes a "5-minute" routine on Reels. On mobile, the value lies in speed. On TV, the same video wins if it adds structure: step 1/3, step 2/3, step 3/3, with simple cards and more careful lighting. It's not a heavy TV production, it's a better calibrated Instagram production. In this logic, mastering the mechanics of Stories and navigation remains useful, as it forms the foundation of an account's content architecture; the cues available via mastering Instagram Stories in 2025 and navigating Instagram Stories help to maintain consistency between formats, even if TV focuses mainly on Reels.
For brands, the stakes are even higher: television offers a context in which to memorization This is especially true when the content is viewed in a relaxed setting. Sectors aspiring to "brand desirability" find a natural home here: beauty, premium food, sport, automotive, tourism, but also luxury. The references and visual codes found in Italian luxury brands on Instagram become direct inspirations: strong colors, storytelling, iconic gestures, and a consistent aesthetic signature.
However, designer-brand collaborations will have to reinvent themselves. On TV, viewers are less tolerant of abrupt integrations. An effective sponsored sequence will be more like a chronicle: "test", "comparison", "behind the scenes", "before/after", or "a day with". To secure performance, the selection of profiles is just as important as the brief. Audience panoramas, such as French influencers on InstagramThis is how we identify creators capable of telling a story, not just generating a spike in views.
Finally, this arrival on television reinforces an often underestimated point: the user experience must remain clean. An account overloaded with parasitic signals (notes, elements deemed intrusive) can be detrimental to viewing comfort, especially on a shared screen. These are very concrete topics, addressed in this guide to getting rid of annoying Instagram notesThis is a new dimension when it comes to transforming Instagram into a "salon" experience. The final insight: Instagram TV doesn't just reward virality, it values the ability to produce a watchable appointment.
To accelerate this transition and turn Instagram TV into a business lever, ValueYourNetwork provides a proven framework. Work with ValueYourNetwork, expert in influence marketing since 2016is to benefit from a selection and activation method that has already proved its worth. hundreds of successful campaigns on social media. The team connects effectively influencers and brands by aligning objectives, formats and indicators, even when new screens such as television are reshuffling the deck. To structure a coherent, high-performance strategy, all you need to do is contact us.