Summary ‘Extremely Online’: Inside the secret meeting that put Vine on the ropes - The Washington Post www.washingtonpost.com
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One Line
The text discusses Vine's trajectory as a reflection of the impact online creators have on social media platforms and the obstacles they present.
Slides
Slide Presentation (10 slides)
Key Points
- Vine was a popular social platform in the 2010s that saw rapid growth and established itself as a cultural tastemaker.
- Vine's demise was due to its contentious relationship with its power users and the lack of monetization tools for creators.
- Vine stars circumvented the platform and began doing sponsored content deals directly with brands.
- The top Vine stars practically controlled what was popular on the app, leading to monopolization and limited discoverability for new talent.
- Vine's relationship with its creators was strained, with conflicts over features, content removal, and lack of support.
- A meeting between Vine creators and company representatives highlighted the creators' frustrations and demands for better treatment.
- Twitter, the parent company of Vine, rejected the creators' demand for $1 million annually each, leading to a decline in content production and an exodus of creators to other platforms.
- Vine was eventually shut down by Twitter in 2016 due to declining user numbers and financial struggles.
Summaries
19 word summary
Vine's rise and fall showed the influence of online creators and the challenges social media platforms face with them.
67 word summary
Vine's rise and fall demonstrated the power of online creators. The app's lack of monetization tools led to creators doing sponsored content deals. The most successful creators lived together and controlled what was popular on the app, causing strain with Vine. In a meeting, creators demanded better treatment and compensation, but Vine couldn't meet their demands. This highlights the challenges social media platforms face with influential creators.
135 word summary
Vine, the popular video app, experienced a rise and fall that showcased the influence of online creators. Despite its initial success, Vine failed due to its contentious relationship with power users. The app lacked monetization tools, leading creators to do sponsored content deals with brands. The most successful creators lived in an apartment complex called 1600 Vine and had significant control over what was popular on the app. However, this allowed for monopolization and strained relations with Vine. Creators expressed grievances in a meeting, demanding better treatment and financial compensation. Vine was unable to meet their demands, causing resentment and creators to post content on other platforms. Twitter eventually shut down Vine in 2016. This highlights the challenges social media platforms face when dealing with influential creators and the need for effective support and engagement.
410 word summary
Vine, the once popular video app, experienced a rise and fall that demonstrated the power of online creators. While it saw rapid growth and became a cultural tastemaker, Vine ultimately failed due to its contentious relationship with its power users. The app's demise offers important lessons for social platforms trying to engage with influential users and highlights the issue of who ultimately controls a social product.
Vine was founded in 2012 and quickly established itself as the first mainstream mobile video social platform. It allowed users to create short, unfiltered videos on their phones and gained popularity for its funny stunts and pranks. However, Vine's success relied on its creators' ability to monetize their content outside of the app, as Vine itself lacked monetization tools and support for creators. Vine stars began doing sponsored content deals directly with brands, earning significant amounts of money.
The most successful Vine stars moved to Hollywood and lived in an apartment complex called 1600 Vine, which became the nexus of the Vine world. Each day, creators would wake up, strategize about what to post, and discuss distribution. The top Vine stars had significant control over what was popular on the app, using the revine feature to dominate the platform's Popular page. However, this dynamic created vulnerability and allowed for monopolization by the top creators.
Vine's relationship with its creators was strained, with the company resented their influence and creative direction. There were conflicts over features and lack of support, leading to frustration among creators. The company also faced criticism for not curbing abuse and harassment directed at creators, particularly women. The creators held a meeting with Vine employees to express their grievances and demand better treatment, including financial compensation.
However, Vine was unable to meet the creators' demands for $1 million each year for three Vines per week. Twitter executives believed that paying creators could set a bad precedent and were against the deal. News about the potential deal spread, causing further resentment among creators who were not included. The creators began posting content on other platforms, and Vine's usage declined rapidly. In 2016, Twitter announced the shutdown of Vine, and the app was discontinued in 2017.
Vine's downfall highlights the challenges social media platforms face when dealing with influential creators and the need to support and engage with them effectively. The app's failure also raises questions about who controls a social product and the importance of maintaining a positive relationship with power users.