Snapchat recently revealed a new curated short-form video feed in a stepped up challenge to social media rivals like TikTok. The new format, also known as Spotlight will allow Snapchat users to see content from influencers and other members of the network popular with young smartphone users.
Spolight is aiming at broadening the connections among Snapchat users by enabling anyone to create a video that gets distributed on the platform. It also aims to encourage more users to create short-form video “snaps” which can be embellished with filters and augmented reality effects.
Parent firm Snap has described Spotlight as a anew consumption experience for the social platform with an estimated 249 million active users at the end of September. The company said that the new offering will enable anyone to have their videos viewed by millions of users and potentially earn money from them. Snap also said that all videos on Spotlight will be reviewed by human moderators before being shown on the platform, in contrast with rivals which use automated systems and in many cases, respond to inappropriate content after the fact.
One more difference will be the lack of public comments on Spotlight which eliminates the need for moderation of abusive or unwelcome content. Spotlight also aims to become a personalized feed that will be curated by algorithm based on users’ viewing habits, a move following the lead of TikTok that has been sizzling growth in the last few months. The launch comes amid increasing competition between social networks and rivals copying Snapchat’s disappearing messages.
The core social network of Facebook has been losing ground between younger audiences to rivals like Snapchat and TikTok, even as Facebook-owned Instagram continues to grow in that demographic group. A Pippar Jaffay survey of US teens last moth showed that Snapchat is their favorite social media platform and TikTok overtook Instagram at the second place.