Instagram challenges Netflix with long-form and live TV formats

The living room as the new digital battlefield

Instagram is no longer content with just feeds and Stories. According to a report by TechCrunch June 22, 2026, the platform is building a precise ambition: to bring its content to the home television. The stated target is Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. This is a move that redefines the boundaries of social media advertising.

Indeed, the living room has been the most contested territory in the digital ecosystem for years. Streaming platforms have accustomed users to long sessions, complex narratives, and high-production-value content. Instagram enters this space with a structural advantage: an already active creator base and a mature advertising system.

Therefore, the signal to marketers is clear. This is not an experimental feature. It is a strategic positioning statement that will have concrete effects on budgets and creative formats in the coming quarters.

What changes concretely in the Instagram TV app

The three pillars of the new positioning can be precisely identified. First of all, the long-form contentvideo longer than traditional Instagram formats, designed for relaxed, uninterrupted viewing. Secondly, the episodic format, in other words, structured series with narrative continuity between episodes. Finally, the Live broadcasts Optimized for large screens.

These three elements, combined, change the nature of the medium. Instagram stops being a platform for rapid consumption and becomes a complex editorial environment. Consequently, content production logics must evolve.

Furthermore, integration with the Meta ecosystem ensures continuity across devices. A user can start watching an episode on their smartphone and continue on their TV. This cross-device journey is exactly what brands are looking for to build prolonged exposure to their advertising message.

The immediate impact on advertising strategies

For those who manage digital marketing campaigns, the most significant change concerns ad formats. Pre-roll and mid-roll ads on long-form content have very different attention metrics compared to banners in feeds. According to research by McKinsey on the future of marketing, connected TV generates significantly higher ad completion rates than standard mobile.

However, this doesn't mean it's enough to simply transfer existing materials to a new channel. TV formats require specific creative adaptations. An effective Instagram Stories ad won't necessarily work on a 55-inch lean-back screen.

Therefore, the teams of digital marketing They will have to plan dedicated productions. This implies higher creative budgets, but also richer storytelling opportunities. Companies that invest in quality content for this format today will have a measurable competitive advantage.

Brand partnerships and the creator economy: the emerging model

Episodic content sets the stage for brand partnership. Similarly to what happens with branded Netflix productions or sponsored podcasts, creators on Instagram TV will be able to develop series with narrative integration of brands. This is a qualitatively different advertising model from a sponsored post.

In particular, for Italian SMEs, this represents an opportunity to access premium formats at lower costs than traditional television. A fashion, food, or home décor brand can associate itself with an episodic series from a relevant creator in its sector. The result is prolonged exposure and a coherent editorial context.

We of SHM Studio we are closely following the evolution of the Italian creator economy. The strategies of LinkedIn campaign e Google Ads campaigns remain fundamental, but the landscape is widening. Therefore, integrating Instagram TV into the 2026-2027 media plan is a choice worth considering carefully.

Instagram's Strengths Compared to Netflix

It would be a mistake to read this move as a symmetric challenge to Netflix. The two platforms have different business models and user bases. However, there are areas where Instagram has an advantage.

First of all, the cost of content acquisition. Netflix invests billions in original productions. Instagram can count on millions of active creators, willing to produce content in exchange for monetization and visibility. The model is more distributed and less capital-intensive.

Also, the social component There is still a difference. Watching an episode on Instagram TV and commenting on it in real time with your followers is an experience that Netflix does not offer natively. This element of synchronous engagement is particularly relevant for live events and interactive formats.

On the contrary, Netflix maintains its lead in terms of average production quality and the breadth of its catalog. As highlighted by Harvard Business Review on the streaming wars, the perceived quality of the content remains the main driver of retention on premium platforms.

What to do now: operational priorities for marketing managers

The official launch of the Instagram TV app does not yet have a definitive date for the Italian market. However, marketing managers who want to be ready can act on three fronts starting today.

• Existing video catalog audit. Verify which brand video content is adaptable to long-form or episodic formats. There is often underutilized material that can be reorganized into thematic series.
• Mapping of relevant creators. Identify creators in your industry who are already experimenting with long-form formats on Instagram. Initiate exploratory conversations before partnership prices increase with demand.
• media plan review Q3 2026. Reserve a portion of the experimental budget for tests on Instagram TV as soon as the format becomes available. Data collected in the first few weeks will have high strategic value.

To further explore how to structure a content strategy consistent with these scenarios, the team Strategic copywriting and of AI applied to marketing at SHM Studio is available for an initial consultation. The Contact form it's the starting point.

The long view: where does this trajectory lead in 2027-2028

Instagram's move is not isolated. It fits into a broader trend where social media platforms are converging towards media company models. TikTok has already gone part of the way with long-form videos. YouTube has been a hybrid of social and streaming for years. Therefore, Instagram TV is the next piece in a structural design.

According to the analysis of Gartner on the future of digital marketing, By 2028, the share of advertising budget allocated to connected TV and long-form social video will surpass that of linear television in many European markets. Italy follows this trend with a delay of 12-18 months compared to English-speaking markets.

Consequently, 2026 and 2027 are the years when the most attentive Italian marketers will build skills and relationships that will pay off in 2028. Waiting for the market to mature means paying higher prices for less advantageous positions.

For those who want to deepen their company's overall digital positioning, the sections dedicated to web services, at the SEO and to the SHM Studio Blog They offer an updated operational framework. The ongoing change requires an integrated vision, not isolated tactical interventions.