Original, high-quality video content is here, there, everywhere. We’ve hit peak video. It’s not just publishers focusing on building up their video content. It’s platforms as well.

Snapchat has lined up deals with content creators, including the NFL, ABC, ESPN, Vice, A&E, Discovery and more to create content ranging from TV-quality dramas to shorter, off-the-cuff content. This won’t be content taken from somewhere else. It will be created exclusively for Snapchat.
Of course, Facebook is on this as well with about two dozen shows that will be exclusive to the social network launching in just a few weeks. This content will include longer-form content with a TV-quality feel and shorter five to 10 minute, less-expensive content.
Twitter’s taken a different approach. It’s made deals with publishers, including Bloomberg and the NFL to live stream content on a regular basis. Twitter’s set its sights on being a source for live streaming content, which is a different play from Facebook and Twitter in that it's both high-quality and live.

The Battle for Attention

Friends and connections don’t seem to be enough to attract and keep users anymore as these social platforms look for more ways to create ad inventory, while engaging their users. Accomplishing both objectives, despite the content being premium, will be difficult. Facebook has struggled time and time again with producing exclusive content from Instant Articles to Oculus Studio. Premium video won’t be any easier because of the content glut we find ourselves in and premium content being available everywhere.

Attention is at a premium and screen time is essentially maxed out with the average US adult spending twelve hours seven minutes per day consuming media. Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat need to find some way to steal share of attention, and they’re not the only ones.

There’s no shortage of original content being produced from everyone like Netflix and HBO to publishers like NowThis and Vice. But beyond a content surplus, it’s never been more fragmented. Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat not only need people to fall in love with their content but get them to keep coming back for it time and time again as well.

Different Motivations for Different Platforms

It’s arguable each platform gets something different from this emphasis on original content. For Facebook, it creates more ad inventory, which is in short supply on the News Feed these days. For Snapchat and Twitter, it creates an avenue to attract users to their platforms and keep them coming back. Despite their different challenges, it seems these platforms have the same solution… premium video.