Yeah, I’m not sure that X’s “video first” technique goes to work out, primarily based on Twitter’s previous efforts alongside the very same traces.

Final month, X outlined its new video content material method, declaring that video can be its important progress focus, on condition that video drives essentially the most engagement within the app, and is already part of 80% of person periods.

As a way to construct on this, X has since introduced numerous new unique video content material partnerships, with its newest, unveiled as we speak, being a new take care of The Large 3, the three-on-three basketball league for retired NBA gamers.

As a part of the brand new association, X will host “dwell video games, groundbreaking entry, and unique content material”, because it turns into the brand new residence for Large 3 basketball on the internet.

And it’s an fascinating addition, by way of area of interest sports activities content material, and given more moderen rankings traits for the Large 3, it may additionally assist to drive considerably extra engagement amongst X’s rusted-on sports activities communities, who stay extremely energetic within the app.

Based on The Supply, Large 3 broadcasts outperformed Premier League Soccer, WNBA, and Premier Lacrosse League video games in common viewer numbers within the U.S. final 12 months. And whereas it’s not going to herald wherever close to NBA or NFL broadcast numbers, it’s nonetheless driving spectacular viewership stats instead main league providing.

The Large 3 has additionally been helped by more moderen appearances from on-line basketball influencers, who’ve constructed big followings on TikTok and Instagram, and are actually bringing these audiences throughout to the league.

So there may be potential there, and it’s a logical and certain useful pairing for X as a part of its expanded video content material imaginative and prescient.

However as famous, the corporate previously often known as Twitter has walked this path earlier than, and it didn’t ship as hoped.

Again in 2016, Twitter made a giant push on video content material, and dwell sports activities specifically, by signing unique contracts with the MLB, NFL, and NBA to broadcast video games immediately within the app. The thought was that with so many individuals participating with dwell sports activities already within the app, Twitter would be capable to merge the 2, and profit not solely from the real-time engagement, but additionally the content material itself, in its first steps to ideally changing into a sports activities internet hosting powerhouse.

Nevertheless it didn’t work.

Whereas tens of millions of followers did tune in for a few of Twitter’s dwell sports activities occasions, the precise engagement numbers have been nowhere near the dwell TV rankings for every occasion. And given the premium pricing for sports activities content material rights, Twitter ultimately determined that there was no vital value-add in internet hosting the broadcasts themselves, once they have been benefiting from the associated engagement both means.  

Apparently, Twitter then appeared to host extra area of interest sports activities streams, in an effort to turn out to be extra of a broad-ranging hub for non-mainstream sports activities content material. However ultimately, it misplaced curiosity in that as nicely, presumably as a result of the engagement good points weren’t definitely worth the charges and associated internet hosting prices.

However now, underneath its new X branding, the platform’s making an attempt out the identical technique once more, in an effort to drive extra video content material engagement.

And perhaps it would work out higher this time, particularly given the rising video engagement charges within the app (as famous above), and the efforts that the X workforce goes to to push vertical video viewing as a brand new leisure and promoting choice.

Possibly there may be alternative there. And whereas it’s early days, X can be progressively constructing out a various slate of reveals, primarily geared toward U.S. audiences.

• Paris Hilton is about to host a but to be introduced mission (although the connection between X and Hilton has seemingly soured of late)
• Tucker Carlson’s X program has been an early success, recurrently producing tens of millions of views within the app
• Don Lemon will launch his new “Don Lemon Present” quickly
• Tulsi Gabbard is creating a collection of documentary-style packages targeted on U.S. politics
• Jim Rome’s “The Jungle” will quickly be airing 5 occasions every week
• WWE not too long ago introduced “WWE Pace”, a weekly present solely on X

Given that almost all of X customers are exterior of America, it could make sense for X to be making comparable pushes in different areas, as nicely. However once more, it’s early days, and it’ll take time to get extra folks viewing X as an leisure different, versus a complementary app.

So will it work?

Look, previous historical past would counsel that this received’t be a long-term strategic driver for the app, as viewer numbers stagnate, and creators notice that they’ll make much more cash by airing their unique content material in different apps and platforms (observe: Tucker Carlson is already constructing his personal broadcast residence base).

Over time, what occurred on Twitter previous was that each side realized that there was no actual strategic alignment that they couldn’t already facilitate with out such partnerships, however there may be additionally an opportunity that the more moderen shift in treating social apps as leisure sources in their very own proper may result in expanded potential on this entrance.

Time will inform, however it’s fascinating to see the X workforce treading primarily the identical floor, and touting it as a brand new imaginative and prescient for the app’s future.