May TikTok be seeking to get creators extra aligned with the horizontal show format?

The platform that popularized full-screen vertical movies is now seemingly pushing some creators in the direction of horizontally shot content material as a substitute, in accordance with screenshots posted by some customers.

As you may see on this instance, posted by Jules Terpak (and shared by Matt Navarra), TikTok is providing some creators “elevated views” on content material shot in panorama format.

As per TikTok:

“Panorama movies, the place the width is bigger than the peak and are over 1 minute in size, are the one ones eligible to obtain elevated views.”

Any movies that meet the acknowledged necessities will probably be boosted within the app for 72 hours, which may very well be a big posting incentive for TikTok creators searching for extra publicity within the app.

But it surely’s an fascinating swap in TikTok’s conventional focus.

As famous, vertical video is TikTok’s core providing, and the recognition of that format within the app has prompted nearly each different social app to observe the identical pattern, and at the least experiment with their very own vertical, full-screen video show choices. Which has led to important development in video engagement in different apps, so why TikTok would now be seeking to transfer away from it does appear unusual.

However then once more, that is unlikely to be TikTok shifting away from its core format, as such, however extra of a push to broaden its content material sorts, which it’s additionally been making an attempt to do through its Creativity Program, in encouraging creators to submit longer movies, in several kinds and codecs, with the intention to broaden its content material pool.

(Value noting too that TikTok added a point out of “panorama format” to its “Finest Content material Codecs” itemizing on the Creativity Program overview web page late final yr.)

TikTok’s additionally experimenting with 30-minute clips as one other factor, and possibly, on this context, panorama movies are simply one other ingredient in its broader development combine, because it appears to enchantment to extra customers, and preserve issues fascinating.  

It simply appears odd that it might be seeking to get customers to show their machine. As a result of presumably, you’d additionally then have to show your telephone again round once more as you scroll.

Or possibly, if TikTok can get sufficient panorama clips within the app, it might provide a devoted stream of panorama solely content material, which might then result in new developments and alternatives.

Possibly, too, TikTok is seeking to put together for the arrival of viewing in headsets, the place panorama content material could be a greater match.

We’ve requested TikTok for extra data on this experiment, and we’ll replace this submit if/once we hear again.