As the fate of TikTok hangs in the balance in the United States, social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, is seizing the opportunity to attract users with a new feature: a dedicated vertical video feed.
The company announced on Sunday that it is rolling out a video tab in the app’s bottom bar for users in the U.S., providing a centralized hub for video content on the platform. This move comes as TikTok, owned by Chinese company ByteDance, faces regulatory uncertainty and a potential ban in the country.
X’s decision to prioritize video content is a strategic response to the evolving social media landscape. With TikTok’s future in the US uncertain, X is aiming to capture a share of the growing market for short-form vertical videos.
The new video tab offers a dedicated space for users to discover and engage with video content on X. While users could previously access videos by tapping and scrolling through their timelines, the dedicated tab provides a more streamlined and immersive experience.
Competition Heats Up
X is not alone in its pursuit of video-oriented users. Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, recently launched a video editing app called Edits to compete with ByteDance’s popular CapCut app. Meanwhile, X rival Bluesky has also introduced a custom feed for vertical videos.
These moves highlight the intensifying competition among social media platforms to capture user attention and engagement in the wake of TikTok’s potential ban.
X’s Video Focus
X’s emphasis on video is not new. Last year, the company launched a standalone TV app to showcase videos from various organizations and creators. The addition of a dedicated video tab further solidifies X’s commitment to providing a robust video experience for its users.
The company is betting that a dedicated video feed will attract users seeking an alternative to TikTok and other ByteDance apps, which are currently unavailable for download in major US app stores due to the ongoing regulatory situation.
An Uncertain Future
While TikTok remains accessible to users who previously downloaded the app, the uncertainty surrounding its future has created an opportunity for competitors like X to attract new users and expand their reach.
Whether X’s dedicated video feed will be successful in capturing a significant share of the vertical video market remains to be seen. However, the company’s move reflects a broader trend in the social media landscape, where video content is increasingly becoming a key driver of user engagement and platform growth.