Instagram, Twitch Announce Plans for Short Video Content in Wake of TikTok Ban
By Movieguide® Contributor
Instagram and Twitch have recently unveiled plans for new features that will amplify short-form video content on their platforms following the news that TikTok’s parent company must sell the app to avoid a U.S. ban.
“Instagram announced Tuesday a tweak in its discovery algorithm that would amplify smaller creators through recommendations, which show users posts and reels from accounts they do not already follow through an algorithm that tracks and predicts their interests,” NBC reported.
This feature is reminiscent of TikTok’s For You Page algorithm, which shows users videos that the app thinks they will be interested in, based on their recorded interest in previous videos.
Instagram head Adam Mosseri spoke about the new feature in an Instagram Reel, saying, “This way we can try and help small creators reach a broad audience that might be much larger than the number of people who actually follow their account.”
Twitch, a popular streaming website, also announced the launch of a Discovery Feed, which will let users scroll through both livestreams and shorter video clips.
“Since content in the Discovery Feed is sourced from clips created by streamers and their communities and not from uploaded content, viewers see personalized content that’s based on their watch history and interactions on Twitch,” a spokesperson for Twitch stated. “We’ll be experimenting and improving the Discovery Feed over time, including new ways to filter and personalize the feed experience.”
Social media sites aren’t the only ones looking to fill the hole a potential TikTok ban would create. LinkedIn is “testing a new TikTok-like short-form video feed,” per TechCrunch.
“The new addition is similar to the vertical short-form video feeds you see in other apps, but while those feeds include a variety of content ranging from comedy to cooking videos, LinkedIn’s feed is obviously focused on careers and professionalism,” TechCrunch continued, adding that LinkedIn says videos are “one of its users’ desired formats for learning from professionals and experts.”
Movieguide® previously reported on YouTube’s efforts to compete with TikTok:
As competition in short-form content heats up, YouTube Shorts has released new features that create an experience similar to TikTok and Instagram Reels.
Released only two years ago, YouTube Shorts has quickly become a major competitor in short-form content. Last month, Google revealed that 2 billion logged-in users watch Shorts every month, and the company is only getting started.
To further enable creators on their platform, YouTube is adding new tools for remixing, adding effects and stickers and improving the vertical live stream experience.
One of TikTok’s most popular features is the “duet” ability which allows creators to film a video next to another TikTok. YouTube now features this tool on its site as a “collab.”
The collab feature will allow creators to record a Short alongside other YouTube or Shorts videos. This feature will include editing tools like Green Screen, which uses another video or Short as the background, and Cut, which lets a creator snip a one to five-second clip from another video or Short and place it in their own.
YouTube is also taking inspiration from Instagram Reels with a new Q&A sticker that lets creators ask their audience questions and get responses in the comments. The feature allows users to create a video response to comments and continue the conversation.
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