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 strategy, declaring that video can be its primary development focus, on condition that video drives probably the most engagement within the app, and is already part of 80% of person classes.

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

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

And it’s an attention-grabbing addition, when it comes to area of interest sports activities content material, and given more moderen rankings traits for the Massive 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.

In response to The Supply, Massive 3 broadcasts outperformed Premier League Soccer, WNBA, and Premier Lacrosse League video games in common viewer numbers within the U.S. final yr. And whereas it’s not going to herald wherever close to NBA or NFL broadcast numbers, it’s nonetheless driving spectacular viewership stats in its place main league providing.

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

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

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

Again in 2016, Twitter made an enormous push on video content material, and reside 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 reside sports activities already within the app, Twitter would have the ability 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 turning 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 reside sports activities occasions, the precise engagement numbers have been nowhere near the reside TV rankings for every occasion. And given the premium pricing for sports activities content material rights, Twitter ultimately determined that there was no important value-add in internet hosting the broadcasts themselves, after they have been benefiting from the associated engagement both method.  

Curiously, Twitter then appeared to host extra area of interest sports activities streams, in an effort to develop into 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 beneficial properties weren’t well worth the charges and associated internet hosting prices.

However now, beneath 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 possibly it’ll work out higher this time, particularly given the rising video engagement charges within the app (as famous above), and the efforts that the X staff goes to to push vertical video viewing as a brand new leisure and promoting possibility.

Perhaps there’s alternative there. And whereas it’s early days, X can be progressively constructing out a various slate of exhibits, primarily aimed toward U.S. audiences.

• Paris Hilton is about to host a but to be introduced undertaking (although the connection between X and Hilton has seemingly soured of late)
• Tucker Carlson’s X program has been an early success, often producing tens of millions of views within the app
• Don Lemon will launch his new “Don Lemon Present” quickly
• Tulsi Gabbard is growing a sequence of documentary-style applications targeted on U.S. politics
• Jim Rome’s “The Jungle” will quickly be airing 5 occasions every week
• WWE lately introduced “WWE Velocity”, 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 individuals 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 understand that they’ll make much more cash by airing their unique content material in different apps and platforms (notice: Tucker Carlson is already constructing his personal broadcast house base).

Over time, what occurred on Twitter previous was that either side realized that there was no actual strategic alignment that they couldn’t already facilitate with out such partnerships, however there’s 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 attention-grabbing to see the X staff treading primarily the identical floor, and touting it as a brand new imaginative and prescient for the app’s future.