Byte, which is essentially a reboot of the old short-form video app Vine, recently launched for iOS and Android. Just like its predecessor, Byte allows people to upload and share six-second videos – very quick clips which put a premium on efficient creativity.
You may remember Vine as an app which exploded in popularity quickly, then disappeared nearly as fast as it rose to the top of the app store charts. Most analysts and pundits point to increased competition from other short-form video services offered by the likes of Instagram Video, which offered users the ability to make 15-second clips, for the rapid demise of Vine.
Whatever the reason for Vine’s decline, Byte plans to differentiate itself from services like TikTok, which is equipped with augmented reality filters and transition effects that Byte currently lacks, by concentrating on helping creators make money.
According to a report from TechCrunch, Byte “plans to soon launch a pilot of its partner program for offering monetization options” to creators who become popular on the app.
Dom Hoffman, the co-founder of Vine behind Byte, told TechCrunch the app is “looking at” the possibility of offering ad revenue sharing and tipping similar to that offered by many webcam platforms, but for now, Byte is “starting with a revenue share + supplementing with our own funds.”
Why should you care about Byte?
Beyond the possibility of making money with Byte directly, the launch of the app presents an opportunity to cam models, clip creators and influencers to market themselves in an SFW context – something that’s increasingly important at a time when many major social media platforms shut down accounts for publishing content deemed too explicit or otherwise objectionable, based on criteria that’s …err… unclear (to say the least).
While some creators might be turned off by the six-second limit on video length, the limitation has its advantages, too. There’s no room for downtime or “filler” in a six-second clip after all, so the limit encourages creators to focus on creating tight, compelling videos.
From a viewer standpoint, we know things like animated GIFs – which are often even shorter than six seconds – enjoy a sizable audience of appreciators, so the short runtime of Byte clips won’t necessarily be a negative on the consumer front either.
Between social media platforms arbitrarily enforcing their vague content policies and elected officials calling for greater scrutiny of adult content, cam performers, clip creators and adult influencers would be wise to look for SFW avenues they can use to promote themselves and maintain visibility. And with Byte adopting an early focus on helping its creators earn money, the app may be an avenue for directly generating revenue, too.
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— byte (@byte_app) January 25, 2020
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Arizona denizen Mila Ryan loves all things internet tech — almost as much as she loves her two rescue kitties, Jordan and Emmett.
Image by Furkan Yavuz via Pexels.
