Twitter is Dying, and Other Social Media Rumors

Social media gets a bad reputation for promoting the spread of fake news, but even the sites themselves get rumors spread about them. “Twitter is dying” has been a phrase that has been tossed around for years. The social media superpower has over 300 million active users, and more than 30 offices, so it certainly doesn’t seem like it’s dead. Find out what’s true and what’s false in the list ahead.

TWITTER

Twitter boasts a huge global reach and influence, but the reason people say it’s dying is because there have been numerous problems that have come up over the last few years. From issues with abusive users to leadership that makes decisions users dislike there seems to be a large disconnect between corporate decision makers and the users on the site. From a move to an algorithmic timeline (which introduced #RIPTwitter) to the potential introduction of a 10,000 character limit from the original 140 characters, taking away the core of what Twitter started out as, there is a general agreement that there is an inherent issue with how the platform works with those using it.  Twitter isn’t dead yet, but there have definitely been moves made that could cause a decline in use and eventual exodus from the microblogging platform.

VINE

The 6 second video sharing app and twitter go hand in hand. Twitter purchased Vine in October of 2012.  The short videos matched the short text posts perfectly, and the creativity began almost instantly. But the magic couldn’t last forever. In October of 2016, Vine announced that it would be phasing out its mobile app. This decision made users not only question Vine, but the longevity of Twitter as well.

FACEBOOK

No stranger to the rumor mill, Facebook and CEO Mark Zuckerberg are under constant scrutiny.  There have been numerous claims that the platform will start charging for having a profile (untrue, but continues to come up), or that privacy and ownership of content rules will be changing (the site released a statement in 2012 saying that their policies have been and will continue to remain the same as they have always been), and most recently the rumor that Zuckerberg will run for president in the next election (which he denies).

SNAPCHAT

Snapchat is one of the most popular photo sharing apps, and as such has been in the news for all sorts of reasons, good and bad. New features, the whispers that the introduction of Instagram Stories has hurt the quick sharing app, an IPO which many are calling a flop, and the rumor that the apartment spaces the company was using as offices in LA were not being lived in, not complying with regulations. Snapchat is known for secrecy, but when the entire world is online, no one is immune from rumors.

What social media rumors have you heard over the last year?

   Like this post? Read more at http://steverenner.com/blog-2/

The eSports Revolution

eSports are taking the world by storm, and it’s great for gamers, fans and marketers. But what are eSports and why do we need to be paying attention to the growth of this emerging market?

What are eSports?

eSports refers to competitive videogame play. There are tournaments, live streams, big name players with sponsorships, teams and crowds of fans. Everything you would expect from a “real” or “normal” sport, with major differences in not only just activity level, but the fact that multiple games are played during the tournament. For instance: you don’t see a baseball game being played at the World Cup, but you may see players on League of Legends and on Call of Duty during the same eSports tournament.

The growth of eSports

Compared to most major sports, eSports are still in their infancy; but the rate of growth is so rapid that eSports will likely be able to catch up to major league basketball, baseball and football within the next few years. A big issue that eSports faces is making sure that the audience has a full understanding of what is happening on the screen. The changes of individual games and tactics is much faster than changing of decades, sometimes centuries old rules of other sports.

But this isn’t dissuading colleges and universities from moving into the future; in fact, the University of Utah recently announced that the school will sponsor a varsity eSports program, complete with scholarships. And the University of California, Irvine, opened an “eSports arena” that includes gaming computers and webcasting services.

eSports are currently poised to become a hugely influential financial market as well, in 2016, Goldman Sachs valued them at $500 million, growing into a $1 billion industry over the next 3 years. Even eSports platforms are benefitting. Twitch, an eSports streaming community was purchased by Amazon in 2014 for $970 million, and top gamers earning over $300,000 last year.

Marketing and eSports

Twitch streams were watched by over 2 million people in 2015, and the number has continued to grow, which makes this huge audience very appealing to marketers. However, marketing in this space is different than many other markets. Gamers want to see brands that do work to “benefit the space and not just the brand”, says Nathan Lindberg of Twitch. Brands that are loyal will receive loyalty in return. The majority of eSports advertising will also need to be digitally focused, as eSports haven’t majorly broken into TV yet. Marketing that feels natural and organic will do the best. See what eSports sponsor Coca-Cola has done for some excellent examples.

Get Involved With eSports

Want to see the eSports phenomenon for yourself? Check out Twitch, YouTube, and the all new FantasEsports to stream or play in a tournament.

Like this post? Read more at http://steverenner.com/blog-2/