“Ask not what Social Media can do for Video, but what Video can do for Social Media”
Every week there are new statistics coming about the power of video, who is watching videos, who is not watching videos, etc. Every week there is new information about YouTube going up or down, SocialCam or Viddy taking over, how Vimeo and Viddler are coming into the spotlight, etc. And, every week there are new online video production companies changing the way videos are made and watched. So, we get it: Lots going on with video. But how are all of these new technologies changing social media itself.
Well first (and most obvious) is that video is making social media more interactive. With video, it’s no longer pushing simple text at viewers. It’s interacting, sometimes face-to-face, sometimes through video heatmaps, to gain a viewer’s input. Just how interactive are we getting? Check out the latest viral video “A Conversation with my 12 Year Old Self”:
A man has a conversation with his 12 year old self (yes, I just restated the title). Because of video, a man can be more interactive on YouTube. So interactive that he interacts with himself (you follow me?)
Video is also changing social media in the application world. Now not only is there an app for that, but there’s a VIDEO app for that. Not only has video changed the way we use our iPhones and iPads, but it’s changing the dynamic online. News outlets are creating video apps to keep up with the growing trend. There is also a call for more video editing, video shooting and all things video app — keeping app-makers busy.
Video keeps pushing social media to the next level. Now we don’t share our pictures, we share our videos. Now we don’t talk on chat, we talk by video. It’s not just YouTube that has taken off, but Facebook, Twitter, Google, etc all incorporate video into their platforms, because there is a demand to do so. Online video productionis becoming more accessible to everyone as video cameras are on smartphones. Video is forcing social media to adapt to it, rather than the other way around.
