SOCIAL
Byte, the Second-Coming of Vine, is Now Available on iOS and Android
After first announcing that he was working on a successor to Vine back in 2017, Dom Hoffman, the co-founder of the former short-form video leader, has now officially launched Byte, which is essentially the second coming of Vine, with updated features and focus.
As explained by Byte:
“We’re bringing back 6-second looping videos and the community that loved them. You know the drill: Upload from your camera roll or use the byte camera to capture stuff. Stay under the time limit and get lost in the loop. Explore what’s loved by the community, handpicked by our human editors, or just served up at random. There are lots of ways to discover surprising new personalities, voices, and moments.”
Functionally, Byte is very much like Vine, which, by extension, means that it’s also similar to TikTok, though as noted by TechCrunch, Byte, at launch, lacks any of the additional remix, AR and effects tools available on the rising video app. TikTok also allows for longer uploads, which could give it an edge – although Vine’s 6-second time limit definitely worked in its favor first time around. Perhaps it’ll catch on again, and make Byte the next big hit.
But then again, the reason for Vine’s eventual demise wasn’t a lack of popularity, at least not initially. Even if Byte does catch on, the app will need to evolve from its predecessor in one key area: providing monetization opportunities for its top creators, thereby motivating them to keep posting to the app.
For all the criticism leveled at Twitter for Vine’s demise (Twitter purchased Vine in 2012, then shut it down in 2016), Vine was actually shut down due to declining usage. At peak, Vine was serving some 200 million monthly active users, but as the app continued to rise, its top creators started to question whether they should be investing time into the platform, given that they could make a lot more money for the same content elsewhere.
That lead to some of the more popular Vine stars shifting focus. King Bach and Logan Paul moved to YouTube, while others, like Amanda Cerny, started posting to Instagram, platforms that have now made each of them respectively millionaires for their efforts.
And as the big names shifted focus, Vine view counts plummeted. Then in 2016, according to reports, 20 of Vine’s top 50 creators met with the company to deliver an ultimatum of sorts.
As reported by Mic:
“If Vine would pay all of them $1.2 million each, roll out several product changes and open up a more direct line of communication, everyone in the room would agree to produce 12 pieces of monthly original content for the app, or three vines per week.”
Vine declined, and they all adandoned it, taking their millions of followers with them to greener pastures. And that was pretty much it for the app.
Twitter repeatedly sought to mend bridges with its creative community, and offered a range of new tools in an effort to keep them around, but usage of the app continued to slide. By the time Twitter added pre-roll ads to Vines in June 2016, then extended the time limit to 140 seconds for selected creators, it was all over. Most of the app’s dev team had moved on, the major stars were making big dollars elsewhere. In the end, it made little sense for Twitter to keep supporting the app.
Twitter was then framed as the bad guy by Vine co-founder Rus Yusupov, who tweeted this shortly after Twitter announced the closure of the app.
But the fact was that Vine had been superceded, by Instagram and Snapchat in the content stakes, and by Facebook and YouTube in regards to monetization. That’s not to say that Twitter is beyond criticism for the platform’s demise, but to single out Twitter for ‘failing’ the app largely ignores the key factor – monetizing short-form video content is hard, and no platform has got it right yet.
Of course, nobody knows this better than Hoffman, who, from the get-go, has said that Byte will invest in its creators, and ensure that they get paid, even if it has to dip into its own funding to make it happen.
That’s an admirable commitment, but it does seem like a significant risk – particularly when you also consider that TikTok, for all its hype, still hasn’t worked out how it will facilitate monetization for its top stars.
That’s the key egg they need to crack – short-form video is engaging, and has repeatedly proven popular. But long-form video enables greater revenue generation. Snapchat struggled for a long time to work out its monetization options for creators, while Instagram added IGTV as a means to potentially supplement its main feed, and compete with YouTube. But when creators get to a certain popularity level, and they look across and see others doing similar work to theirs on other platforms, for a lot more money, things get complicated real quick.
That’s one of several ongoing concerns for TikTok (which, it’s worth noting, is also experimenting with longer videos to better facilitate monetization), and until Byte’s creator compensation program is fleshed out, it’ll remain a lingering concern for that app also.
Still, Byte looks engaging, and seems set to get at least some early hype. Whether that will be enough to drag users away from TikTok, it’s its first big challenge to overcome, then we’ll see how the next phase pans out.
You can download Byte now on both iOS and Android.
SOCIAL
Snapchat Explores New Messaging Retention Feature: A Game-Changer or Risky Move?
In a recent announcement, Snapchat revealed a groundbreaking update that challenges its traditional design ethos. The platform is experimenting with an option that allows users to defy the 24-hour auto-delete rule, a feature synonymous with Snapchat’s ephemeral messaging model.
The proposed change aims to introduce a “Never delete” option in messaging retention settings, aligning Snapchat more closely with conventional messaging apps. While this move may blur Snapchat’s distinctive selling point, Snap appears convinced of its necessity.
According to Snap, the decision stems from user feedback and a commitment to innovation based on user needs. The company aims to provide greater flexibility and control over conversations, catering to the preferences of its community.
Currently undergoing trials in select markets, the new feature empowers users to adjust retention settings on a conversation-by-conversation basis. Flexibility remains paramount, with participants able to modify settings within chats and receive in-chat notifications to ensure transparency.
Snapchat underscores that the default auto-delete feature will persist, reinforcing its design philosophy centered on ephemerality. However, with the app gaining traction as a primary messaging platform, the option offers users a means to preserve longer chat histories.
The update marks a pivotal moment for Snapchat, renowned for its disappearing message premise, especially popular among younger demographics. Retaining this focus has been pivotal to Snapchat’s identity, but the shift suggests a broader strategy aimed at diversifying its user base.
This strategy may appeal particularly to older demographics, potentially extending Snapchat’s relevance as users age. By emulating features of conventional messaging platforms, Snapchat seeks to enhance its appeal and broaden its reach.
Yet, the introduction of message retention poses questions about Snapchat’s uniqueness. While addressing user demands, the risk of diluting Snapchat’s distinctiveness looms large.
As Snapchat ventures into uncharted territory, the outcome of this experiment remains uncertain. Will message retention propel Snapchat to new heights, or will it compromise the platform’s uniqueness?
Only time will tell.
SOCIAL
Catering to specific audience boosts your business, says accountant turned coach
While it is tempting to try to appeal to a broad audience, the founder of alcohol-free coaching service Just the Tonic, Sandra Parker, believes the best thing you can do for your business is focus on your niche. Here’s how she did just that.
When running a business, reaching out to as many clients as possible can be tempting. But it also risks making your marketing “too generic,” warns Sandra Parker, the founder of Just The Tonic Coaching.
“From the very start of my business, I knew exactly who I could help and who I couldn’t,” Parker told My Biggest Lessons.
Parker struggled with alcohol dependence as a young professional. Today, her business targets high-achieving individuals who face challenges similar to those she had early in her career.
“I understand their frustrations, I understand their fears, and I understand their coping mechanisms and the stories they’re telling themselves,” Parker said. “Because of that, I’m able to market very effectively, to speak in a language that they understand, and am able to reach them.”Â
“I believe that it’s really important that you know exactly who your customer or your client is, and you target them, and you resist the temptation to make your marketing too generic to try and reach everyone,” she explained.
“If you speak specifically to your target clients, you will reach them, and I believe that’s the way that you’re going to be more successful.
Watch the video for more of Sandra Parker’s biggest lessons.
SOCIAL
Instagram Tests Live-Stream Games to Enhance Engagement
Instagram’s testing out some new options to help spice up your live-streams in the app, with some live broadcasters now able to select a game that they can play with viewers in-stream.
As you can see in these example screens, posted by Ahmed Ghanem, some creators now have the option to play either “This or That”, a question and answer prompt that you can share with your viewers, or “Trivia”, to generate more engagement within your IG live-streams.
That could be a simple way to spark more conversation and interaction, which could then lead into further engagement opportunities from your live audience.
Meta’s been exploring more ways to make live-streaming a bigger consideration for IG creators, with a view to live-streams potentially catching on with more users.
That includes the gradual expansion of its “Stars” live-stream donation program, giving more creators in more regions a means to accept donations from live-stream viewers, while back in December, Instagram also added some new options to make it easier to go live using third-party tools via desktop PCs.
Live streaming has been a major shift in China, where shopping live-streams, in particular, have led to massive opportunities for streaming platforms. They haven’t caught on in the same way in Western regions, but as TikTok and YouTube look to push live-stream adoption, there is still a chance that they will become a much bigger element in future.
Which is why IG is also trying to stay in touch, and add more ways for its creators to engage via streams. Live-stream games is another element within this, which could make this a better community-building, and potentially sales-driving option.
We’ve asked Instagram for more information on this test, and we’ll update this post if/when we hear back.
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