Instagram is paying some YouTube creators to bring long-form video to Features, its new horizontal format for videos up to 90 minutes. Business Insider, via Tubefilter, reports offers from a $50,000 floor up to $500,000, as Meta tries to seed the format before deciding how it will make money from it.
What is being offered
According to the report, Instagram approached select YouTubers with a $50,000 minimum and some six-figure offers, reaching up to $500,000. Creators reportedly have to post their videos as Features on the same day they go up on YouTube, but Instagram does not appear to ask for exclusivity.
A Meta spokesperson confirmed it is funding Features content directly with some creators and said the deal terms are confidential.
No ad model yet
Meta has said it is "too early to share a long-term monetization model" for Features. It is exploring ways for creators to earn from brands, fans and Instagram, including performance-based incentives. Adam Mosseri posted on October 28 that Instagram is looking at several options and that a proper TV app will take time.
Features is being tested in the US after Brazil, alongside 'Clips as Reels', which turns short extracts into Reels that link back to the full video.
Why media buyers should watch it
Long-form, lean-back viewing is where in-stream and sponsorship formats usually follow. If Features gains traction, expect new placements and more creator integration deals, which would fit Meta's push into partnership ads.
For now there is nothing to buy. The practical step is to note which creators in your niche are moving to Features, since they are the likely partners once branded or partnership options open up.
Reza Izad of Underscore Talent told Business Insider the deals are an exciting opportunity for creators, and suggested Features could get algorithmic preference. If that holds, early long-form creators may also see bigger organic reach on Instagram, which makes them stronger whitelisting and partnership candidates.
How to prepare
Ask the creators you already work with whether they have been approached about Features, and add a clause to new contracts covering long-form and TV placements on Meta. When Meta does announce an ad or sponsorship model, test it with a small budget first: new placements often start with cheap inventory but thin measurement, so check results against your Pixel and Conversions API data rather than in-platform numbers alone.
What it means for you
- Features has no ad placement yet; Meta has not set a monetization model
- Paid creator deals suggest Meta wants scale on the format quickly
- Clips as Reels links short clips back to long videos, worth testing organically
- Shortlist creators moving to Features for future partnership ads
Sources
- Instagram is offering YouTubers up to $500,000 to post with its new horizontal format (Tubefilter)
- Watch out, YouTube: Instagram goes from short-form to 90-minute videos (TechCrunch)
