[Update: Poll results out] Opinion: Twitter rushing to compete with YouTube could be disastrous

New updates are being added to the bottom of this story…

Original story (from November 28, 2022) follows:

When Google started purging YouTube content it deemed hateful, promoting conspiracy theories and gun violence, the likes of DTube and BitChute emerged as alternatives to the popular video streaming platform.

Their major appeal over YouTube was their little to no moderation of content stand that aims to stop Internet censorship and promote free speech. Unless you just came from a cave, this is what Elon Musk’s Twitter 2.0 also stands for.

Since YouTube heavily relies on advertisements to generate revenue, it has to be extremely strict with the kind of content allowed on the platform. No one wants their ads served on videos of subjects that consumers don’t subscribe to.

By applying filters that restrict monetization of controversial videos, some content creators feel that YouTube is engaging in extreme censorship and thus standing in the way of free speech.

Although not everyone’s a fan of YouTube’s censorship and content policing, this way of doing things is what has contributed to the massive success the video platform enjoys today.

However, Twitter has an ambitious plan to take on YouTube by offering an alternative for hosting long-form videos with the ability to monetize them.

Ever since taking over, Elon Musk has not only echoed his desire to free Twitter from the shackles of censorship. But he has also demonstrated it by unsuspending the likes of Donald Trump and Kanye West.

While the free speech card might be cool and all, it seems not everyone’s on board with the idea. In fact, a report by Media Matters suggest Twitter already lost half of its top 100 advertisers ever since Elon Musk took over.

This renders the idea of Twitter improving on how YouTube monetizes videos pretty much DOA. If there are no top-paying advertisers, which is what YouTube relies on, there will be nothing left for Twitter to improve on.

Most YouTube alternatives often fail because they tend to emulate what YouTube does, yet they lack the same financial muscle and reach that Google has. However, Twitter is a different proposition.

Not only does it enjoy significant global reach. But it also boasts the financial backing of the world’s richest man. Granted, Twitter may have a real chance of taking on YouTube, something some believe is possible.

@elonmusk: “My kids were basically educated by Reddit & YouTube; Let’s just get a bunch of content creators that we think are cool on YouTube & say, “Hey, would you consider putting your content on Twitter, & we’ll pay you 10% more than YouTube & see how it goes?” Let’s do that”
Source

And while Elon Musk thinks taking on YouTube with a better offer is feasible, not everyone is convinced.

For some, this idea reminds them of Microsoft’s Mixer, which also failed with its attempts to lure creatives from Twitch by offering to pay them more.

If anything, Mixer’s failure proved that not even offering to pay more doesn’t guarantee a platform’s success, something Elon and co. should be wary of.

Besides bringing back Mixer vibes, Elon’s idea of Twitter competing with YouTube for a share of the massive video streaming market faces several other hurdles.

Having been built for primarily consuming trending topics across the globe in short-form texts, Twitter will have to be redesigned to provide a better video-watching experience.

If anything, Elon Musk would have to build the video consumption experience from the ground up to stand any chance against YouTube. This includes offering support for multiple video formats, something that’s currently a problem.

It would take a good chunk of capital to get Twitter to a place where it could be able to host up to 4K videos. But judging by how rapid the company is trying to shed costs, this capital is unlikely available at this point.

YouTube, on the other hand, already has up to 8K content. It is also financially backed by Alphabet (Google) and its enormous flow of revenue.

The YouTube app even comes pre-loaded on Android phones and can be used on basically any gadget that has a screen and access to internet, boasting a reach that Twitter simply can’t match.

If Twitter’s video streaming service launches before it’s ready, it would leave a bad impression and people will likely gravitate back to YouTube after the initial hype dies off. This certainly isn’t what Elon wants for Twitter.

With everything happening around Twitter at the moment, perhaps this ambitious idea of taking on YouTube may take a while to materialize, which is exactly what it needs — time.

There are some who wish to see Elon fail at Twitter. But there’s also plenty of us who wish him well because we enjoy the platform. However long it takes, it’ll be interesting to see what plans Elon has in store for Twitter.

Do let us know your thoughts in the comments section. Your vote on the poll below is also welcome, with the results to be shared after a week.

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Update (December 5, 2022)

Looking at the results, some are quite convinced that Twitter is dying, while others think that Elon should be more focused on fixing Twitter.

Featured image: Sky

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