dis-rup-tion
Disruption.
noun - disturbance or problems that interrupt an event, activity, or process.
I was planning on doing a post this week about giraffes. Mostly because they are awesome and because June 21st is World Giraffe Day. But in the middle of the week there was a disruption and we have Instagram (aka Facebook) to thank for that.
On Wednesday, Facebook, owner of Instagram, strategically launched Instagram TV, affectionately nicknamed, IGTV. It was strategic because it was in the middle of VidCon, a massive
conference for on-line video creators and vloggers, or in other words, YouTubers. The disruption? Instagram did its own event for IGTV on opening day of VidCon, but not at VidCon. Thus quickly causing a lot of buzz about their new long-form video option that is a separate app, but also part of the Instagram app. They have not come out and said it directly, but it is clear that this an attempt to compete with YouTube. IGTV is offering up a new way to have creators place longer-form content on Instagram and this should keep people on Instagram longer. And it will theoretically keep viewers from having to click-a-link, leaving Instagram to go over to YouTube to watch videos.
So why, or how, did this disruption impact me? Well as many of you know, I am on social media quite a lot. In fact, Instagram has become the main place for engagement for me in the last 6 months. And in the last month I have been trying to restart things over on YouTube. Then BOOM! A YouTube like experience becomes available right where I already have the most engagement. Thus, my curiosity is spiked and I started to tinker.
It was the middle of my day when I received news of IGTV via Twitter - I know, the irony is not lost on me. But let's be honest, Twitter has become the go-to place to get breaking news. But I digress. The point being, I was excited, curious and wanting to do something right away to try IGTV out for myself.
Of course, none of this was what I had planned for the next few days. This was a big add-on to an already busy schedule. But I jumped in to trying to figure things out. By the early evening I had made, edited and posted my first IGTV video, all from on my phone. Let that sink in for second. I mean, I know I am not the first to do that. And it happens on YouTube and Facebook a lot. But YouTube wasn't initially built as something that favored creating and uploading from your phone. And even today, although you can, most people don't recommend it. In fact, I know a few people that when they do shoot video on their phone, they load it to their computer to edit and then upload to YouTube or Facebook.
All of that YouTube and FB stuff aside... What the heck can we do with IGTV? I don't know yet. As of right now, for me at least, I see it as an extension of what I already use social media for, wildlife education, inspiring others to care about animals and highlighting conservation. And having fun. Always gotta have fun. There's too much un-fun stuff on social media already... #makemorefun.
Right now, as I write this I have created and posted three videos specifically for IGTV. I took a break from it today, mostly because... laundry and other chores. But I should be back at it tomorrow. Oh, and I'll still be doing the YouTube thing, too.
See you on the inter-webs my friends!