The Second Coming of Vine: An Insight into Byte

It’s no surprise that after the infamous six-second looping social platform, Vine died, there would be a second coming. Creators and viewers alike have a love for silly, short and relevant content that makes an impression. Famous vines such as “Hurricane Tortilla”, “It’s An Avocado” and “What Are Those?” had to make a comeback. Enter: Byte – the new and improved six-second social video platform with updated features and focus from Vine co-founder, Dom Hofmann.

By now, we’re sure you’ve heard of the internet sensation, “Damn Daniel…back at it again with the white Vans” which skyrocketed in popularity in 2016. It’s viral hits like these that made Vine so popular. Unfortunately, with Vine’s foiled business model, the platform was unable to capitalize on and monetize influencer success, which prevented Vine from being profitable enough to stay afloat.

Although Byte just launched in late January 2020, the company plans to differentiate itself from its predecessor, Vine, and other micro-entertainment apps such as TikTok and Snapchat. By having an early focus on monetizing its efforts through their Paid Partner Program, Byte will have a leg-up on its competitors, such as TikTok, which has yet to implement such a program. Byte’s Partner Program plans to lure in early creators and brands, by creating a shared pooling program, where ad revenue will be shared with influencers and creators alike. 

Now, what does this mean for your brand? 

From a brand’s perspective, this creates an opportunity. Within Byte’s first week alone, the app has been well received with over 1.3 million downloads – a win over its predecessor, Vine, who only had 105,000 downloads within the same period in 2013. 

Similar to TikTok, Byte is a breeding ground for individuals and creators who thrive off of creativity and community. Although the app still has plenty of room for improvement and lacks the remix, AR and additional effects TikTok and Snapchat provide, Byte’s simplistic user interface streamlines the social video experience. In spite of those limitations, new and previous creators and brands are flocking to the “Vine 2.0” (as we’re calling it). By continually pushing through the obstacles already incurred and by anticipating future challenges, Byte will continue to remain relevant.

As you decide whether or not you will be utilizing the newest up and coming platform for either your own personal creative outlet or you are a brand trying to reach a bigger audience, our prediction is this – Byte will become the new TikTok. Millennials who used Vine in its heyday will flock to Byte,  while Gen Zer’s will continue to gravitate towards TikTok. Furthermore, the challenge still persists – will it be enough to overcome the hype of TikTok’s 500 million active users? Works cited:

• https://techcrunch.com/2020/02/03/byte-tops-a-million-downloads-amid-spam-issues-and-content-concerns/
• https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/byte-the-second-coming-of-vine-is-now-available-on-ios-and-android/571091/
• https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/vine-returns-as-byte-but-is-it-too-late-for-a-comeback/553214/
• https://www.distractify.com/p/byte-vs-tiktok
• https://www.techjunkie.com/make-money-tik-tok/
• https://www.engadget.com/2020-01-31-byte-partner-program-details.html
• http://socialbarrel.com/byte-revised-vine/123225/
• https://www.businessinsider.com/byte-app-download-numbers-vine-popularity-tiktok-competitor-2020-1 
• http://socialbarrel.com/byte-revised-vine/123225/