Inspired by YouTube’s dominance in the connected TV (CTV) space, social media giants Instagram and TikTok are developing dedicated TV apps to tap into a growing market of older, higher-spending viewers.
TikTok is revamping its previously lackluster TV app, which was quietly removed from platforms like Roku and Amazon Fire in early 2025, while Meta is exploring a standalone Reels app and an iPad-optimized version of Instagram.
Both aim to capture a slice of the lucrative streaming TV ad market, where cost-per-thousand impressions (CPM) rates are higher and audiences skew more mature. However, transitioning from mobile-first, vertical short-form content to the big screen comes with significant challenges, from content adaptation to securing partnerships with CTV giants like Roku, Samsung, and Apple TV.
Here’s how TikTok and Instagram are navigating this shift and why the stakes are so high.
YouTube’s Success Sets the Stage
YouTube’s triumph on TVs has set a high bar. With over 100 million U.S. households streaming YouTube on CTV devices, it’s the top platform for ad-supported streaming, commanding $30–$50 CPMs compared to TikTok’s $3.20–$10 and Instagram’s $15–$25, per 2025 eMarketer data. A key driver is YouTube’s appeal to older demographics: viewership among those 65+ surged 106% from 2022 to 2024, making seniors the platform’s fastest-growing segment.
This shift, fueled by premium, horizontal long-form content and YouTube’s seamless integration with Roku, Amazon Fire, Samsung, LG, and Apple TV, has lured advertisers seeking engaged, higher-income audiences. TikTok and Instagram, traditionally mobile-first platforms, see an opportunity to replicate this model, diversifying their user base and boosting ad revenue.
TikTok’s TV App Reboot
TikTok’s original TV app, launched in 2021 on platforms like Amazon Fire TV and Samsung TVs, was a bare-bones extension of its mobile experience, offering vertical videos that felt out of place on widescreen TVs. By January 2025, it was removed from major CTV platforms, likely due to low engagement and compliance with a U.S. ban, though a 75-day reprieve allowed limited access.
Now, TikTok is developing a revamped app, optimized for TVs with a focus on high-quality horizontal videos and longer-form content, up to 30 minutes, to compete with YouTube’s premium offerings. This shift aligns with TikTok’s recent mobile updates, which support 1080p horizontal videos and midroll ads to boost monetization, as noted by creator Coco Mocoe.
The goal is clear: capture older viewers and advertisers. TikTok’s 1.5 billion monthly active users, who spend 23.3 hours monthly on the app, skew young (65% under 35), but its TV push targets the 50+ demographic, which spends more and engages longer with CTV content. By offering polished, TV-ready videos, TikTok aims to raise its CPMs closer to YouTube’s, leveraging its algorithmic prowess to serve personalized “For You” feeds on the big screen. However, vertical videos — TikTok’s bread and butter — look awkward on TVs, requiring costly reformatting or new production pipelines.
Instagram’s Reels Ambition
Meta is taking a dual approach, developing a TV app for Instagram focused on Reels and exploring a standalone Reels app, similar to TikTok’s model. A separate iPad app is also in the works, addressing long-standing user complaints about Instagram’s tablet experience. The Reels TV app would bring Instagram’s 2 billion monthly active users — spending 33 minutes daily, with Reels driving 30% higher reach than other post types — to living rooms.
Like TikTok, Meta aims to capitalize on YouTube’s CTV ad market, where horizontal, high-quality content commands premium rates. A standalone Reels app could streamline this, focusing on short-form videos optimized for TVs, potentially integrating with Meta’s Horizon OS for immersive viewing.
Instagram’s challenge mirrors TikTok’s: its vertical, mobile-first Reels don’t translate seamlessly to TVs. While Samsung’s Sero TV, launched in 2020, rotates to display vertical content, most CTV interfaces favor 16:9 formats, forcing Instagram to prioritize horizontal video production. Meta’s experience with failed ventures like IGTV and Facebook Watch, which struggled to compete with YouTube’s long-form appeal, underscores the need for a polished approach. Still, Reels’ success—driving 40% of Instagram’s ad revenue—makes it a strong contender for TV expansion.
Challenges and Competition
Both platforms face steep hurdles. First, vertical short-form content, optimized for mobile scrolling, feels unnatural on TVs, where viewers expect immersive, lean-back experiences. TikTok’s AutoPlay feature and Instagram’s carousel-style feeds aim to bridge this gap, but adapting content requires significant investment in production quality and editing, as YouTube’s polished 4K videos set the standard.
Second, engagement is trickier — TV remotes lack the tactile ease of smartphone swipes, potentially alienating users accustomed to rapid interaction. A 2025 Beebom report questions how TikTok and Instagram will make scrolling intuitive on devices like Roku or Apple TV.
Distribution is another bottleneck. To succeed, TikTok and Instagram must secure partnerships with CTV giants — Roku (30% U.S. market share), Amazon Fire, Samsung’s Tizen, LG’s webOS, and Apple TV. YouTube’s pre-installed apps and Google’s ad relationships give it a head start, while TikTok’s earlier TV app struggled with limited reach due to weak partnerships. Without favorable revenue-sharing deals or app store placements, both platforms risk low adoption. Amazon’s Feature Rotator, a prime ad slot on Fire TV, demands high-quality assets and strict guidelines, adding complexity for TikTok and Instagram to compete.
Competition is fierce. YouTube’s 90%+ growth in long-form TV viewership and Netflix’s “Fast Laughs” feature, a TikTok-inspired short-form feed, crowd the CTV space. TikTok’s potential ban in the U.S., despite a temporary reprieve, adds uncertainty, while Meta must overcome its history of failed video ventures. Both face pressure to deliver content that resonates with older audiences, who prioritize quality over viral trends.
Why It Matters
The push for TV apps reflects a broader shift in the creator economy, where platforms seek higher CPMs and new demographics. YouTube’s success with seniors, who spend 20% more time streaming than younger viewers, proves the potential of CTV advertising, projected to hit $40 billion in U.S. ad spend by 2026. TikTok and Instagram’s pivot to horizontal, high-quality content aims to attract this lucrative audience, but success hinges on execution—polished apps, seamless UX, and strong CTV partnerships. For creators, TV apps could open new revenue streams, with TikTok’s Pulse and Instagramνώ
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Instagram and TikTok’s TV App Ambitions: Chasing YouTube’s Success with New Challenges
Instagram and TikTok are gearing up to conquer living rooms with dedicated TV apps, inspired by YouTube’s massive success in the connected TV (CTV) market. TikTok is working on a revamped version of its previously discontinued TV app, while Meta is exploring a standalone Instagram Reels app alongside an iPad-optimized version.
Both platforms aim to capture a share of the lucrative CTV advertising market, where higher CPMs and an older, wealthier audience await. However, transitioning from vertical, short-form mobile content to high-quality, TV-ready experiences presents significant hurdles, including content adaptation, user engagement, and securing critical partnerships with CTV giants like Roku, Amazon Fire, Samsung, LG, and Apple TV. Here’s a deep dive into their plans, challenges, and the high stakes of this bold move.
YouTube’s Blueprint: A Lucrative Opportunity
YouTube’s dominance in the CTV space is undeniable, with over 100 million U.S. households streaming content on TVs, driving CPMs of $30–$50 compared to TikTok’s $3.20–$10 and Instagram’s $15–$25, according to 2025 eMarketer data. The platform’s appeal to older viewers, particularly those 65+, has skyrocketed, with viewership in this demographic growing 106% from 2022 to 2024, per Nielsen.
This group, known for longer viewing sessions and higher disposable income, represents a goldmine for advertisers. YouTube’s success stems from its seamless integration with CTV platforms like Roku, Amazon Fire, and Apple TV, offering premium, horizontal long-form content tailored for the big screen. TikTok and Instagram are now racing to emulate this model, aiming to diversify their user base and boost ad revenue.
TikTok’s TV App Overhaul
TikTok’s initial foray into TV apps, launched in 2021, was a flop. The app, available on Amazon Fire TV, Samsung, and LG TVs, mirrored its mobile interface, delivering vertical videos that felt out of place on widescreen TVs. By January 2025, it was removed from major CTV platforms, partly due to low engagement and a U.S. ban (temporarily paused for 75 days).
Now, TikTok is developing a new app optimized for TVs, emphasizing high-quality horizontal videos and longer-form content up to 30 minutes, designed to compete with YouTube’s premium offerings. This aligns with TikTok’s recent mobile updates, supporting 1080p horizontal videos and midroll ads to enhance monetization, as highlighted by creator Coco Mocoe. The goal is to attract older viewers and higher CPMs, but adapting vertical content for TVs and ensuring seamless navigation via remotes remain significant challenges.
Instagram’s Reels-Centric TV Push
Meta is taking a two-pronged approach: developing a TV app for Instagram focused on Reels and considering a standalone Reels app, potentially separate from its main platform. An iPad app is also in development, addressing long-standing user demands. With Reels driving 40% of Instagram’s ad revenue and 2 billion monthly active users spending 33 minutes daily on the app, Meta sees a chance to bring its short-form video prowess to TVs.
A standalone Reels app could streamline this transition, offering high-quality, TV-optimized videos to compete with YouTube’s Shorts and TikTok’s longer-form content. However, Instagram’s mobile-first, vertical Reels face the same issue as TikTok: they don’t naturally fit the 16:9 TV format, requiring significant investment in horizontal content production. Meta’s past failures with IGTV and Facebook Watch highlight the risks of misjudging the CTV market.
The Challenges of Going Big Screen
Adapting mobile-first content for TVs is a major obstacle. Vertical, short-form videos, optimized for rapid scrolling on phones, clash with the lean-back, immersive TV experience. TikTok’s new app plans to incorporate horizontal, high-quality videos, while Instagram aims to enhance Reels for widescreen viewing, but both require costly production upgrades to match YouTube’s 4K standard.
User engagement is another hurdle — TV remotes lack the intuitive swipe of smartphones, potentially disrupting the seamless scrolling experience. A 2025 Beebom report questions how TikTok and Instagram will make navigation intuitive on devices like Roku or Apple TV, where YouTube’s polished interface excels.
Distribution poses an equally daunting challenge. Success depends on partnerships with CTV platforms like Roku (30% U.S. market share), Amazon Fire, Samsung’s Tizen, LG’s webOS, and Apple TV. YouTube’s pre-installed apps and Google’s deep ad relationships give it a significant advantage. TikTok’s earlier TV app struggled with limited reach due to weak partnerships, and Instagram’s lack of a TV presence puts it at a disadvantage. Amazon’s Feature Rotator, a prime ad slot on Fire TV, demands strict creative guidelines, adding complexity for both platforms. Without favorable revenue-sharing deals or prominent app store placements, adoption could falter.
The Competitive Landscape
The CTV market is fiercely competitive. YouTube’s 90%+ growth in long-form TV viewership and Netflix’s TikTok-inspired “Fast Laughs” feature crowd the space, catering to viewers who prefer premium, narrative-driven content. TikTok faces additional uncertainty from a potential U.S. ban, despite a temporary reprieve, while Meta must overcome its history of failed video ventures.
Both platforms need to appeal to older audiences, who value quality over viral trends, and compete with established players like Netflix and Hulu, which offer polished, ad-supported tiers. The rise of short-form content on OTT platforms, like Discovery Plus Shorts, further intensifies the race to capture attention.
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Why It’s a Big Deal
TikTok and Instagram’s TV ambitions reflect a broader shift in the creator economy, where platforms chase higher CPMs and new demographics. The CTV ad market, projected to reach $40 billion in U.S. spend by 2026, offers a lucrative opportunity, especially with older viewers who spend 20% more time streaming than younger ones.
For creators, TV apps could unlock new revenue streams, with TikTok’s Pulse and Instagram’s Reels ads offering higher payouts than mobile. However, success hinges on delivering TV-ready content, intuitive UX, and robust CTV partnerships. If TikTok and Instagram can overcome these challenges, they could redefine social media’s role in the living room — but the road to rivaling YouTube is steep.
