Explore & Settle: Why brands should consider being Pioneers of new social platforms.
Social Media is a landscape that is constantly evolving. With the seemingly-daily introduction of new features, trends, and platforms, there is still much to be explored. As these new elements of social media make themselves known, brands have a tendency to hesitate before traversing a new platform. Though it can be scary, and there are some risks involved, being the pioneers of a new social platform, trend, or feature is in the best interest of any social account.
Before launching your brand into a new social platform, it is important to remember that focusing on one platform alone is not constructive, so it is crucial to continue with your existing platforms such as Facebook and Instagram. Take Vine, for example, a platform that spearheaded the short-looping-video movement that lived a short life. Though the platform ceased to exist, the content is alive and well. From YouTube compilations, to Viners moving to new platforms, the influence of Vine continues to play a role in Social Media. This is a testament to the long-lasting influence and effects different social media platforms have to offer, even in the event of their demise. Take TikTok, for instance, even though the future of the app is unknown, many brands and creators have been able to utilize the platform to further their brand as a whole, leading to new followers on their other social accounts. This is why it is important to lead your followers to your other social accounts as well. This promotes reach and brand awareness, and is as simple as linking your different accounts in your bio or captions.
We talked about Vine and TikTok, so let’s take a look at another short-looping-video platform that is up-and-coming. Byte is an emerging social media platform that promotes creativity and individuality. From the creator of Vine, Dom Hofmann, Byte is a platform that brings nostalgia into a rapidly developing video community. At the release of the app, Byte jumped to #1 in the Apple App Store in just two days, and achieved over 1 million downloads in one week. With any new app, there was a decrease in engagement as Byte continued to compete with TikTok, Thriller, and Clash. With the unknown future of TikTok, Byte has great potential to grow, and it is ultimately up to the community whether or not it will stick around, especially against the over-saturated short video industry. Since this platform is still very new, brands have great potential to utilize the new platform to reach a new audience. Here’s a breakdown of some of the pros of being an early adopter of a new platform.
- Claim your handle
- Build your audience
- Build your brand awareness
- Bring audience to other platforms
- Low-cost content creation and promotion
- Platform sponsorships
Brands should utilize any and all avenues of social media if they have the resources. With many new and developing apps, costs are low, and content creation and platform management requires a low percentage (if any at all) of the marketing budget. When being the pioneer of a new app, brands hold the opportunity and potential to grow with the app, and promote it forward. Not to mention, there is always a possibility of being rewarded by a platform for being an early adopter through sponsorships, advertising discounts, and spotlight features.
Nike utilized Byte at the ground-level, receiving their own spotlight feature, and custom like button. In the weeks following, there was an increase in byte users purchasing and promoting Nike products on their own accord. This shows how entering an app, even before it is proven successful, can bear fruit on multiple levels.
