Instagram Takes On Netflix with Long-Form Content and Live TV

The living room as the new digital battleground

Instagram is no longer content with feeds and Stories. According to TechCrunch on June 22, 2026, the platform is pursuing a clear ambition: bringing its content to the TV in your living room. Its declared targets are Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. It's a move that redraws the boundaries of social media advertising.

The living room has been the most contested territory in the digital ecosystem for years. Streaming platforms have trained users to expect long sessions, layered storytelling and high production value. Instagram enters this space with a structural advantage: a base of creators that is already active and a mature advertising system.

The signal for marketers is clear. This is not an experimental feature. It's a statement of strategic positioning that will have real effects on budgets and creative formats in the coming quarters.

What actually changes in Instagram's TV app

The three pillars of the new positioning are easy to pinpoint. First, long-form content: videos longer than Instagram's traditional formats, designed for relaxed, uninterrupted viewing. Second, episodic formats, meaning structured series with narrative continuity from one episode to the next. Finally, live broadcasts optimized for the big screen.

Combined, these three elements change the nature of the medium. Instagram stops being a platform for quick consumption and becomes a complex editorial environment. As a result, the way content is produced has to evolve.

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

The immediate impact on advertising strategies

For anyone managing digital marketing campaigns, the most significant change concerns ad formats. Pre-rolls and mid-rolls on long-form content have very different attention metrics from feed banners. According to McKinsey research on the future of marketing, connected TV delivers significantly higher ad completion rates than standard mobile.

That doesn't mean you can simply move your existing assets to a new channel. TV formats require specific creative adaptations. An ad that works on Instagram Stories won't necessarily work on a 55-inch screen in lean-back mode.

Digital marketing teams will therefore need to plan dedicated productions. That means higher creative budgets, but also richer storytelling opportunities. Companies that invest in quality content for this format today will gain a measurable competitive edge.

Brand partnerships and the creator economy: the emerging model

Episodic content opens up a specific scenario for brand partnerships. Much like branded Netflix productions or sponsored podcasts, creators on Instagram TV will be able to develop series with narrative brand integration. It's an advertising model that is qualitatively different from the sponsored post.

For Italian SMEs in particular, this is a chance to access premium formats at lower costs than traditional television. A fashion, food or furniture brand can partner with an episodic series from a creator who matters in its industry. The result is prolonged exposure and a consistent editorial context.

At SHM Studio, we closely follow the evolution of the Italian creator economy. LinkedIn campaign and Google Ads campaign strategies remain essential, but the landscape is widening. Adding Instagram TV to your 2026-2027 media plan is a choice worth weighing carefully.

Comparing it to Netflix: where Instagram is stronger

It would be a mistake to read this move as a symmetrical challenge to Netflix. The two platforms have different business models and user bases. Still, there are areas where Instagram starts with an edge.

First, 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.

Second, the social component remains a differentiator. Watching an episode on Instagram TV and commenting on it in real time with your followers is an experience Netflix doesn't offer natively. This synchronous engagement is especially relevant for live events and interactive formats.

On the other hand, Netflix keeps the advantage in average production quality and catalog depth. As highlighted by Harvard Business Review in its analysis of the streaming wars, perceived content quality remains the main driver of retention on premium platforms.

What to do now: operational priorities for marketing managers

The official launch of Instagram's TV app doesn't have a firm date for the Italian market yet. Still, marketing managers who want to be ready can act on three fronts today.

• Audit your existing video library. Check which of your brand's videos can be adapted to long-form or episodic formats. There is often underused material that can be reorganized into thematic series.
• Map the relevant creators. Identify creators in your industry who are already experimenting with long formats on Instagram. Start exploratory conversations before partnership prices rise with demand.
• Review your H2 2026 media plan. Set aside part of your experimental budget for Instagram TV tests as soon as the format becomes available. The data collected in the first few weeks will have high strategic value.

To explore how to build a content strategy that fits these scenarios, the strategic copywriting and AI applied to marketing team at SHM Studio is available for an initial consultation. The contact form is the place to start.

The long view: where this trajectory leads in 2027-2028

Instagram's move is not isolated. It's part of a broader trend that sees social platforms converging on media company models. TikTok has already gone part of the way with long videos. YouTube has been a hybrid of social and streaming for years. Instagram TV is simply the next piece of a structural design.

According to Gartner's analysis of the future of digital marketing, by 2028 the share of advertising budget going to connected TV and long-form social video will exceed that of linear television in many European markets. Italy is following this curve with a 12-18 month lag behind Anglo-Saxon markets.

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

If you want to take a deeper look at your company's overall digital positioning, the sections on web services, SEO and the SHM Studio blog offer an up-to-date, practical overview. The change underway calls for an integrated vision, not isolated tactical moves.