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What the Instagram Live 4-Hour Limit Means for Bloggers

What the Instagram Live 4-Hour Limit Means for Bloggers

Instagram just announced that users can now live stream for up to four hours! The Instagram Live 4-hour limit is a significant upgrade compared to the previous one-hour live stream maximum. Bloggers and influencers are known to create live streams to truly engage with their followers. These live streams vary from mukbangs, tours, recorded experiments, and even pranks. The live streams are great for audiences to learn about the influencers that they follow without the edits. What does the extension of Instagram live to a 4-hour limit mean for bloggers?

The problem with the 1-hour limit

Previously, users will get automatically disconnected once the maximum stream limit is reached. These users may go live again but would have to wait for previous audiences to join in the session once more. This interruption is understandable but is surely a hassle. Instagram is known to have the shortest stream limit out of most of the popular social media platforms. Facebook also has a 4-hour limit but extends to eight hours when using a desktop computer. YouTube has a 12-hour time limit but can only accommodate up to 1,000 viewers at a time. Twitch allows users to go live for more than 24 hours.

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons

Who can use this Instagram Live 4-hour limit?

The Instagram 4-hour limit is great for a variety of uses. It is great for any online class or performance. For instance, teachers and fitness instructors will greatly benefit from the 4-hour limit so they could extend their lessons. They don’t necessarily have to maximize the four hours but the original 1-hour limit is just too short. Furthermore, this is great for artists and musicians that are giving live performances for their audience. This way, they will be able to reach more people in more places all over the world.

So if you are in any of these niches, the Instagram 4-hour limit is a great upgrade for you and your brand.

There is no special accounts or payments to avail of the 4-hour limit. Any user who wishes to go live on Instagram can automatically extend their live streams to the maximum without any additional payments or applications. Furthermore, the users may be able to save this live stream for a maximum of 30 days using IGTV.

Attention Spans VS. Instagram Live 4-hour limit

For bloggers and influencers who wish to use this 4-hour limit, they must be able to properly engage the audience to a maximum. Some studies suggest that the maximum attention span of audiences in watching any performance, lesson, or video depends on the platform they are using. To watch videos like on Twitch and YouTube, the attention span of audiences are longer at 45 seconds to 10 minutes. For social apps like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram the attention span of audiences is much shorter at less than one minute.

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So it may be practical for Instagram users to maximize the stream limit but it may not be as practical for the audiences. So to work around this, it is best to maximize the first minute when creating videos. Give all your highlights and, maybe, an outline of the entire stream so the audiences will be able to pinpoint which parts of the stream they are truly going to watch.

How to keep audiences engaged

For passionate followers, any length of a live stream can be enjoyable for them. Other times, like attending a class, takes a different kind of motivation. Regardless, it is always a good thing to keep audiences entertained and engaged through lengthy live streams.

It may be truly difficult but there are a variety of ways to do this:

  • Go for a story-telling approach to creating the stream – If the climax of the story is at the end of the stream, they usually stay behind to watch all the details.
  • Attention-grabbing visuals are always a plus – Sometimes, it all takes a great thumbnail.
  • Choose curious and interesting topics – Interesting topics are always a given.
  • Always give the audiences a reason to stay – Don’t bore your audiences with details they don’t want to hear. Show them that you are relatable and interesting.

Also read: ‘Positive Manifesting’ Memes and Why People are so Hyped by it

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