Instagram Offers YouTubers Up to $500,000 for Long-Form Videos
Instagram pays YouTubers long-form videos deals worth between $50,000 and $500,000 to post on its new Features format, Business Insider has exclusively reported. Some creators have received offers of $50,000, others have received six-figure offers, and some deals reach $500,000, according to people familiar with the deals.
Meta has confirmed that it is funding Features content directly with some creators. A Meta spokesperson told Business Insider that the company has been public about funding Features content directly with some creators right now to support them, and that the details of those deals are confidential. The company said it was excited to see the content going live.
No exclusivity required
The deals do not require creators to leave YouTube. Instead, one person familiar with the offers said Instagram is asking creators to post any long-form video they publish on YouTube to Instagram on the same day. That condition is the heart of the strategy. Instagram does not need creators to abandon YouTube. It needs their long-form work to appear on Instagram at the same time, so viewers have a reason to watch it there.
Reza Izad, co-chief executive of Underscore Talent, which represents creators such as Kareem Rahma and Noah Beck, called the deals an exciting opportunity. He said new features usually get algorithmic preference, giving creators a better chance to be seen. For a creator weighing where to post, that preference is part of the offer, alongside the payment itself.
IGTV returns as Features
Instagram unveiled Features on Monday as part of an overhaul of its video formats. It is effectively a revival of IGTV, the long-form video product Instagram launched in 2018 and shut down in 2022. Features supports horizontal, widescreen videos of up to 90 minutes, about the length of a feature film, inside the Instagram app.
The revival matters because Instagram has tried long-form video before and closed it down. IGTV never found a stable place beside the feed, Reels and Stories. Features returns with a different pitch: widescreen video up to 90 minutes, backed this time by direct payments to selected creators, rather than by asking creators to move on faith alone.
The big question is pay
This is not the first time Instagram has paid creators to post. In 2021, it funded long-form shows on IGTV, and last year Meta paid creators thousands of dollars to post short videos amid TikTok’s potential ban in the United States. Direct payments have therefore been a recurring tool for Meta when it wants a format to take off quickly.
Most creators, however, will not get direct deals. That is the limit of the strategy, and it is where YouTube still holds a clear edge. YouTube’s Partner Program shares advertising revenue with eligible creators on an ongoing basis, while Instagram’s payments are selective deals for a limited group. Instagram head Adam Mosseri acknowledged the concern this week, saying the company understands that the economics matter a great deal, and that it is exploring multiple options to help long-form creators get paid.
The test for Features will therefore be simple. Paid creators can seed the format, and algorithmic preference can give their videos early reach. But long-form video on Instagram will only last if ordinary creators, without a $500,000 deal, can also earn from it. Until Meta publishes a revenue model for everyone else, Features remains a funded launch, not yet a settled business for creators.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Instagram paying YouTubers?
Between $50,000 and $500,000 to select creators, according to Business Insider’s report, with some deals at $50,000 and some reaching $500,000.
Do creators have to leave YouTube?
No. The deals do not require exclusivity. Creators are asked to post long-form videos they publish on YouTube to Instagram on the same day.
What is the Features format?
A new Instagram video format for horizontal, widescreen videos of up to 90 minutes, unveiled as part of an overhaul of its video formats. It is effectively a revival of IGTV.
What happened to IGTV?
Instagram launched IGTV in 2018 and shut it down in 2022.
Will most creators get these payments?
No. Most creators will not get direct deals, and Instagram head Adam Mosseri has said the company is exploring options to help long-form creators get paid.
