SYDNEY: Twitter Australia is planning to significantly increase its use of video content in 2018, with a particular focus on live streaming, according to its managing director.
Suzy Nicoletti told Mumbrella that the social media platform had established itself in the local market “as the home of live” and reported that rather than having to seek out partners it was now being approached by interested parties.
“We’re getting ambitious, we’re looking at doubling the amount of video content on Twitter,” she said.
“Right now we’re in the middle of planning for the Commonwealth Games,” she added.
And while sporting events are always going to be a draw – Twitter’s first live-streaming deal outside the US was with Victoria Racing Club to stream the 2016 Melbourne Cup – the platform is more likely to focus on niche areas than to spend heavily on mainstream sporting rights.
For example, it has signed a deal to stream seven days of the NSW Carve Pro Surfing competition.
Beyond sports, it is tapping into culture and entertainment, tying up with the ARIA music awards and the Sydney Mardi Gras, where it has announced a deal with broadcaster SBS to stream the 40th Sydney Gay and Lesbian parade.
The arrangement with SBS is designed to be “complementary” to the broadcaster’s offer. “It allows them to expand their reach and [bring in] revenue,” she told the Sydney Morning Herald.
Further, Mardi Gras “gives a lot of different brands an opportunity to align with what they stand for,” Nicoletti observed.
And she sought to reassure brands about any concerns they might have about the risks of using the platform. “Brand safety is absolutely at the top of the mind for 2018,” Nicoletti stated.
As well as deploying technology “to make sure we keep the quality and safety at a premium” there is “manual review against content”.
And, she added, “The last thing is we do put the control in the hand of advertisers so they can control where their adverts can go”.
Suzy Nicoletti told Mumbrella that the social media platform had established itself in the local market “as the home of live” and reported that rather than having to seek out partners it was now being approached by interested parties.
“We’re getting ambitious, we’re looking at doubling the amount of video content on Twitter,” she said.
“Right now we’re in the middle of planning for the Commonwealth Games,” she added.
And while sporting events are always going to be a draw – Twitter’s first live-streaming deal outside the US was with Victoria Racing Club to stream the 2016 Melbourne Cup – the platform is more likely to focus on niche areas than to spend heavily on mainstream sporting rights.
For example, it has signed a deal to stream seven days of the NSW Carve Pro Surfing competition.
Beyond sports, it is tapping into culture and entertainment, tying up with the ARIA music awards and the Sydney Mardi Gras, where it has announced a deal with broadcaster SBS to stream the 40th Sydney Gay and Lesbian parade.
The arrangement with SBS is designed to be “complementary” to the broadcaster’s offer. “It allows them to expand their reach and [bring in] revenue,” she told the Sydney Morning Herald.
Further, Mardi Gras “gives a lot of different brands an opportunity to align with what they stand for,” Nicoletti observed.
And she sought to reassure brands about any concerns they might have about the risks of using the platform. “Brand safety is absolutely at the top of the mind for 2018,” Nicoletti stated.
As well as deploying technology “to make sure we keep the quality and safety at a premium” there is “manual review against content”.
And, she added, “The last thing is we do put the control in the hand of advertisers so they can control where their adverts can go”.
Sourced from Mumbrella, Sydney Morning Herald; additional content by WARC staff
