Social media platforms: A nucleus of content creation in 2021
Remember the days when Facebook was a way to connect with distant family members, long lost friends, or for playing FarmVille? And, Instagram was merely a photo sharing app? With the unprecedented ascension of social media giants over the years, it opened a new avenue for content creation to flourish; one unlike ever thought, and/or heard of before. With the chasm between the ‘virtual’ and ‘reality’ world lessening, owing to social media’s domineering influence, whatever this ‘virality’ world we are residing in now has become globally connected in a web of viral trends, solidarity, and entertainment. With this new global connect, content creators have an unlimited space, and audience, to spread their art and skills without any geographical limitations.?
Social media platforms recognized the aforementioned fact much before most of us could, and delved straight into transforming themselves into a content creators hub; a place for creators to share, enhance, and monetise their talent. With each update, the likes of Facebook continue being content inclusive and constantly provides tools to aggrandise a creator’s engagement, profit, and creativity. This frequent addition (s)? to the creator's toolkit works towards ensuring social media platforms continue reigning the ‘new’ world as a one-stop to global affairs, policy making, entertainment, and marketing. Moreover, with each update, these apps reinstate the belief of them being a hub, a haven, for content creators to gain success, validation, and recognition.?
Now imagine if something as influential as these social networking sites ceases to function. This hypothetical scenario transcended into reality just recently. On October 4th, 2021, Facebook and its subsidiaries (Messenger, WhatsApp, and Instagram) faced a massive global outage that rendered these platforms ‘offline’ for six hours. Keeping aside the losses Mark Zuckerberg ($6 dollars!), and the likes of him, incurred; content creators, brands,? and influencers were left stranded as their workspace was hijacked by a foe that they weren’t prepared for. Was that one particular scene from ‘The Social Network’ an ironic foreshadow?! Well, whatever the case may be, meme makers surely were keeping themselves busy by creating knee-slapping memes that the iconic blue bird kept chirping with glee.?
However, it seems like these social giants are attempting to redeem and restore themselves as the nucleus of content creation. With three upcoming updates, social media is now buzzing with anticipated elation to see how one can utilize these updates to maximize their reach and grow their social presence.?
Instagram is persistently working towards turning itself into a platform for content creators. With each update, this social network is churning out features that would aid creators in turning around their creation game. So, what has Instagram come up with this time? Not one but two exciting updates, let’s delve straight into befriending them.
With Instagram introducing ‘Instagram Video’, Instagram is taking another step toward its larger goal of making video a more central part of the Instagram experience with news that it will now combine IGTV’s long-form video and Instagram Feed videos into a new format called simply “Instagram Video.” These videos, both longer and shorter, will be found on users’ profiles in a new “Video” tab.
This will make it simpler to create and discover videos on Instagram. When users encounter videos on Instagram, they’ll be able to tap anywhere on the video to enter into a full screen viewing mode. After watching, they can then choose to keep scrolling to discover more video content from creators or tap the back button to exit. However, “Instagram Video” will not include Reels. With this update, you will still be able to upload your videos in the same way as before — by clicking on the plus sign (+) in the top-right corner of the Instagram home page and selecting “Post.” Videos can be up to 60 minutes in length now.?
Instagram is also adding new features like trimming, filters, and people and location tagging as part of the updated upload experience. A quick run-down of what remains the same:?
The changes have started to roll out, globally, since October 5th.?
Even though the next Instagram update is still a prototype, Instagram did confirm the release of ‘Favorites’ to hit the platform in the foreseeable future. With Instagram’s algorithm deciding which posts would appear first in the feed, as opposed to the earlier chronological pattern, several content creators and influencers were displeased, and intimidated, by it since it was inevitable for their reach and visibility to dwindle down. But, with Instagram’s ‘Favorites’ launching soon, a sigh of relief can be heard from creators. What exactly is this new update??
With ‘Favorites’, users would be allowed to select certain accounts whose posts they would like to see higher in their feed. By doing this, Instagram is presenting content creators with yet another handy tool to further their reach. Should a user select your, the content creator, post to be added in ‘Favorites’, your content will be shown at the top of the user’s feed. Thereby, prioritizing your profile and ensuring users do not miss your post. This will aid in furthering your visibility and reach.?
How does it work??
Users will be able to search across the Instagram accounts they are currently following to create a list of Favorites. While browsing through the social media platform, users see a lot of posts or content that they did not want to see, or are interested in. Since the algorithm learns from user interactions with other posts, such as likes, comments, sharing and saving the post, the feed might not always show posts that a user actually wants to see. With ‘Favorites’, the users, and not Instagram’s algorithm, will be in control of creating the feed and seeing the kind of posts from the content creators that they like higher in their feed.?
Instagram notes that users would not be notified when they’re added to someone’s Favorites; offering a similar level of privacy as Instagram’s “Close Friends” feature.?
However, Favorites is only a prototype that is still in development as we discussed. A launch date is still unclear. But, this feature could help content creators gain visibility and traction tenfold.?
Now to talk about the nearly fallen star of the week: Facebook. We aren’t unbeknownst to the significance of Reels and the power this video format yields in turning a content viral and augmenting engagement. Knowing the influence of Reels, it isn’t surprising that it has now found a new home—Facebook in the form of Facebook Reels.?
What are Facebook reels??
Facebook Reels will give Facebook users the ability to create and share short-form video content directly within the News Feed or within Facebook Groups.?
How does it work??
To create a Reel on Facebook, you can either tap on the “Create” button from the Reels section that appears as you scroll the News Feed, or by tapping on “Reels” at the top of your News Feed. From here, you will gain access to a standard set of creation tools, including those for video capture, music selection, camera roll import, timed text and more. You can also share reels from Instagram by enabling the ‘Recommend on Facebook’ option found in the settings.
What are the benefits??
However, Facebook will only repost reels with audio that is uploaded by Instagram. Facebook is not accepting voice overs or funny audio as of right now.?
With each update, these social media giants are working towards conceptualizing features, and updates, that will complement with the content creator’s aim of attaining wider reach, elevating engagement, and aggrandizing their social presence. With three exhilarating, and stimulating, updates, Facebook—and its subsidiary— has surely pleased the insatiable mood of creators and reinstated the belief that they are a content creators hub.?
Author
Shefalika Manocha