Instagram is reportedly offering established YouTube creators as much as $500,000 to bring their long-form videos to its platform. The move signals Meta’s growing ambition to compete with YouTube, particularly in a market where creators increasingly depend on longer videos for audience engagement and revenue.
According to an October 29, 2026, report from Business Insider, selected creators have received offers ranging from $50,000 to $500,000 to publish content through Instagram’s new video format, Features.
The interesting part? Creators reportedly won’t need to leave YouTube or make their videos exclusive to Instagram.
Meta has confirmed that it is funding content from selected creators, although individual payment amounts and contractual terms remain confidential.
The reported offers arrive just days after Instagram introduced Features, which supports horizontal videos lasting up to 90 minutes.
Instagram Reportedly Offers YouTube Creators Six-Figure Payments
Instagram is using financial incentives to attract established YouTube personalities as it builds an audience for its new long-form video format.
Business Insider reported that some creators have received offers starting at $50,000, while others have been approached with agreements reaching $500,000. Several proposals reportedly fall within the six-figure range.
Meta confirmed that it is directly supporting selected creators who produce content for Features. However, the company has not publicly disclosed the payment structure or identified the creators involved.
It remains unclear whether the reported amounts represent payments for individual videos, monthly compensation or longer contractual agreements.
That distinction matters, particularly for creators comparing Instagram’s offers with their existing YouTube earnings.
For now, the deals appear to be individually negotiated arrangements rather than a monetization program available to the wider creator community.
Instagram Features Allows Creators to Upload Videos Up to 90 Minutes
Instagram introduced Features on October 26, 2026, as part of its effort to expand beyond the short-form videos that have dominated the platform in recent years.
The new format supports horizontal videos lasting up to 90 minutes, making room for podcasts, interviews, documentaries, comedy programs and other productions that typically perform well on YouTube.
Features is being tested with selected creators in Brazil and the United States, with Instagram planning to expand availability over the coming months.
The company has also introduced Clips as Reels, allowing creators to connect shorter video excerpts to their full-length productions.
A creator publishing a 60-minute interview, for example, could share several highlights through Reels. Viewers interested in the conversation could then access the complete video directly on Instagram.
The idea is to connect Instagram’s powerful short-form discovery system with longer entertainment experiences.
Instead of sending viewers to another platform, Instagram wants to keep them watching within its own ecosystem.
YouTube Creators Can Publish the Same Videos on Instagram
One of the most notable details of Instagram’s reported creator agreements is that they are nonexclusive.
People familiar with the arrangements told Business Insider that creators can continue publishing their videos on YouTube while making the same content available through Instagram Features.
One source indicated that Instagram wants participating creators to upload their long-form videos on both platforms on the same day.
That arrangement could be particularly attractive to established YouTubers who have spent years developing audiences and monetization strategies.
A creator with an established YouTube channel may already earn revenue through advertising, sponsorships, memberships and other commercial partnerships.
Moving exclusively to Instagram would mean taking a significant financial risk.
By allowing creators to distribute their content across both platforms, Meta removes one of the biggest barriers to participation.
Creators could potentially earn additional income from Instagram without abandoning their existing YouTube businesses.
Why Instagram Is Investing Heavily in Long-Form Video
Instagram has spent much of the past several years competing with TikTok through Reels, its short-form video product.
Longer videos represent a different opportunity.
YouTube has built a substantial business around podcasts, interviews, documentaries and creator-led entertainment. These formats often encourage viewers to spend extended periods watching a single production.
Instagram now wants to capture some of that attention.
By introducing Features and paying established creators to participate, Meta can quickly bring recognizable personalities and professionally produced videos to its platform.
The company is also expanding its television viewing experience, making horizontal content increasingly relevant to its broader video strategy.
Instagram Vice President of Product Tessa Lyons has emphasized the importance of giving audiences opportunities to explore more substantial content from creators they already follow.
The strategy is relatively straightforward. A viewer discovers a creator through Reels, becomes interested in their content and continues watching a longer production without switching apps.
Whether Instagram can turn that behaviour into a lasting viewing habit remains uncertain.
Adam Mosseri Says Instagram Needs Better Creator Monetization
Instagram’s reported payments come as creators question how the platform intends to support long-form video production financially.
During an October 26 appearance on the Colin and Samir Show, Instagram head Adam Mosseri discussed the economics of creator payments and the challenges of expanding existing incentive programs.
Mosseri acknowledged that Instagram’s performance-based creator payments have not generated sufficient returns to justify scaling them broadly.
He also indicated that the company would continue negotiating individual agreements with established creators to help develop its new long-form video ecosystem.
The comments help explain why Instagram is reportedly offering substantial payments to selected YouTube personalities.
Rather than immediately launching a platform-wide revenue-sharing program, Meta appears to be funding individual creators while testing whether Features can attract sustained audience interest.
On October 28, Mosseri also acknowledged concerns about monetization and said Instagram was exploring additional ways to help long-form creators earn money.
However, the company has not announced a comprehensive payment system for everyone using Features.
YouTube’s Revenue-Sharing Program Remains a Major Advantage
Instagram may be offering substantial contracts to selected creators, but YouTube still has a significant advantage when it comes to established monetization opportunities.
Through the YouTube Partner Program, eligible creators can earn a share of advertising revenue generated by their videos.
For long-form content, YouTube generally provides creators with 55% of eligible watch-page advertising revenue.
The company has also reported paying more than $100 billion to creators, artists and media companies over a four-year period.
Instagram does not currently offer an equivalent advertising revenue-sharing system for Features.
Instead, the platform is exploring potential monetization opportunities involving brands, fans and performance-based incentives.
For creators receiving individual agreements worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, the immediate financial benefits may be substantial.
Smaller creators face a different situation.
Without a clearly defined monetization program, they may struggle to determine whether producing long-form content specifically for Instagram is financially worthwhile.
The difference could become increasingly important as Features expands beyond its initial group of selected creators.
Instagram’s Features Format Brings Back Memories of IGTV
Instagram has attempted to compete with YouTube’s long-form video business before.
In 2018, the company launched IGTV, a dedicated video experience designed to encourage longer uploads and attract professional creators.
Instagram also experimented with paying selected personalities to produce episodic content.
Despite those efforts, IGTV struggled to establish itself as a major destination for long-form entertainment.
The company eventually discontinued the standalone IGTV experience in 2022 and shifted more attention toward Reels.
Features represents another attempt to enter a market where YouTube remains firmly established.
This time, Instagram has a more developed short-form recommendation system, an expanding television experience and a larger ecosystem of creators who already use Reels to promote their work.
Those advantages could help Instagram introduce longer productions to audiences who might not otherwise seek them out.
Still, the platform will need to demonstrate that viewers are interested in watching full-length content rather than simply consuming short clips.
What Instagram’s $500,000 Offers Mean for Content Creators
The reported creator deals highlight how aggressively major social media platforms are competing for established digital talent.
Creators with loyal audiences are no longer valuable simply because they generate views. They also bring recognizable brands, production experience and communities that platforms want to attract.
For established YouTubers, Instagram’s offers could create an opportunity to earn additional income from videos they already produce.
The nonexclusive nature of the reported agreements makes that opportunity particularly interesting.
However, creators should not assume that the reported payments are available to everyone.
Meta has not announced an open application process for the deals, nor has it disclosed the requirements used to select participating creators.
There is also no confirmation that creators receiving payments will automatically receive preferential algorithmic distribution.
For smaller creators, the more important development may be the introduction of another platform capable of hosting long-form content.
If Instagram eventually establishes reliable monetization options, Features could become a useful additional distribution channel for podcasts, interviews and other creator-led productions.
Until then, the financial opportunity remains considerably clearer for creators receiving individual contracts.
Instagram’s Long-Form Video Push Could Intensify Competition With YouTube
Instagram’s reported willingness to pay creators up to $500,000 shows how seriously Meta is approaching its latest expansion into long-form entertainment.
The company wants established YouTube personalities to bring their content to Features, giving Instagram a stronger collection of videos while the format is still being introduced.
For creators, the prospect of receiving additional compensation without leaving YouTube is attractive.
But Instagram faces a challenge that money alone cannot solve.
YouTube already offers established monetization systems, familiar viewing habits and an audience accustomed to watching longer videos.
Instagram must convince both creators and viewers that Features deserves a place alongside those existing options.
The reported deals may help the platform attract attention during its early rollout. Whether that attention develops into a sustainable creator economy will depend on what Meta introduces next.
For now, Instagram’s offers to YouTube creators underline a growing reality in digital entertainment: established creators have become valuable enough that major platforms are willing to pay substantial amounts simply to secure their content.
Sources
- Net Influencer – Instagram Offers YouTube Creators Up to $500,000 to Post Long-Form Videos, Per Report
- Business Insider – Instagram Is Trying to Woo YouTube Creators With Six-Figure Checks
- Social Media Today – Instagram Rolls Out Limited Features Test in the US
- TechCrunch – Watch Out, YouTube — Instagram Goes From Short-Form to 90-Minute Videos
- The Verge – Instagram Doesn’t Have a Plan to Pay Long-Form Video Creators
