Will Vine 2 Kill Tik Tok?

Tik Tok has been all the rage with younger audiences. But now that Vine 2, better known as Byte, has been launched, will Tik Tok survive?

Beside the fact that its developers are calling this new video looping service Byte, a lot of people are still using the name Vine 2. It became known by this name because it is the product of the original vine co-creator Dom Hofmann and because of the video looping of course. The app is now available for free to download on IOS and Android devices.

Vine 2 Finally Released

Like its predecessor, Byte allows users to creatively make looping videos. The main difference is that instead of seven seconds like in Vine, the Byte app uses 6-second videos. It comes with features you’d expect from a social media platform including a content feed, an explore page, and user profiles.

Users can either record videos with the Byte app or upload the videos directly from their devices. This means that videos can be edited using third-party apps before being uploaded to the Byte platform.

A Byte partner program is also planned for the future meaning that users will get paid for generating content. This program may in fact lure content creators away from Tik Tok and other established apps. That platform currently offers no payment for video content.

Another thing that makes Byte different is that it features a community forum that prioritizes communication with creators. Byte gives users the opportunity to gain popularity on the platform and it offers compensation through a monetization program. The community forum and monetization offers are what the Byte creator hopes will differentiate the platform from its competitors including Snapchat and Tik Tok.

Hofman says that Byte is considering a number of monetization options including ad revenue-sharing, tipping, or other options to their partners. It looks like they will be starting with a revenue-share plus supplementing with their own funds. They will have more details about exactly how the pilot program will work soon.

Many creators who found their popularity on apps such a Snapchat and TikTok that do not have direct monetization have tried to pull their audiences over to YouTube where they can earn a steady ad share. By getting started paying early, Byte hopes to lure some of those personalities over to its app and be able to retain them from the long-term. Former Vine Stars turned Tik Tok stars like Chris Melberger, Joshdarnit, and Lance Stewart already have a presence on Byte.

The official community guidelines read, “Byte is dedicated to building tools and communities around the possibility of new experiences that’s why it’s our mission to put creativity first in all that we do. As humans living among other humans in a complicated world, we believe that creative, playful contact with others helps us tap into our collective potential.”

Things to Know

At this time, there is no private account option for Byte so anyone can add anyone else to follow. It is possible to block accounts but you’ll need to monitor who is deciding to follow you. There is no location sharing.  It lacks live video options as well as the disappearing content that made Snapchat famous.

Users cannot direct message to each other, but comments are allowed on Bytes. At this time there are no ads or in-app purchases, but as the app tries to establish their revenue model we could see these appear later.

At this time, Byte lacks remix ability, augmented reality features, transition effects, and other features you would find in apps like Tik Tok and Snapchat.

A Vine Refresher

Hoffman co-founded Vine in June 2012 with Colin Kroll and Rus Yusupov. Hoffman actively ran a beta tester forum since the original announcement for Byte was made in early 2018. Twitter acquired Vine prior to its launch in January 2013 after Hoffman left the company.

At the time, Vine was an effective way for small businesses to make an impression on their target audience because it helped them beef up their content. Using Vine, small businesses could respond to customer feedback to provide them with personal interaction. They could also work Vine videos into there larger content strategy making their marketing efforts more effective. By blogging about the day to day function of their organization, small businesses could increase transparency and provide their followers with real insight into what it’s like to be behind the scenes.

In December 2016,  Twitter announced that the vine mobile app would remain operational as a standalone service so that users could publish videos directly to Twitter rather than buying. In January 2017, the vine Community website shut down and Vine became Vine Camera in a name change.

With the release of Byte aka Vine 2, small businesses once again had the opportunity to benefit from the many marketing and Communication features created by the original vine. But, Byte adds the additional benefits of monetization for content along with a user forum. In this sense, Byte may be able to revive the excitement Vine once had and by doing so, it could mark the beginning of the end for Tik Tok.