Twitter updates include longer, easier-to-discover videos, and a new app for influencers
One day after announcing the acquisition of Magic Pony Technology, a machine learning company that will presumably help boost video, image, and live sharing capabilities, Twitter today announced that people will now be able to share longer videos on both Twitter and Vine.
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Playing off of the 140 character length of tweets, Twitter is now allowing users to upload 140-second videos. Previously, users were limited to sharing 30-second videos. On Vine, beginning with a small group of users, creators will be able to add longer, corresponding videos to their Vines. This, in turn, will open up more monetization opportunities and any creator in the Amplify Open program will be able to monetize Vine as they can now do with native Twitter videos.
Monetization will be front and center this year at VidCon, the yearly gathering of social creators, platforms, and brands, which kicks off this Thursday. YouTube and Vine especially have been trying to fend off linear TV networks, platforms like VHX, and a host of other players, who have been luring talent away with promises off better monetization opportunities.
Updates like these will help Twitter and Vine retain talent and, they hope, attract more.
Now, everyone can post videos up to 140 seconds long! We can’t wait to see the amazing videos you create and share.https://t.co/DFsuvnXkuL
— Twitter Video (@video) June 21, 2016
Twitter also rolled out today another tool for creators, Twitter Engage, a standalone app meant for high-profile users to better track follows and mentions from influencers and fans, along with better analytics.