Engaged Reading Time - Issue #44

I suspect we're still under-estimating the power of the phone. I've been following a discussion today about social video, and people are talking about reverting to the classic 16:9 format.

My hunch is that this is short-sighted.

The mobile phone is now the dominant consumption device, and people do not turn is sideways unless they really have to. It's a symptom of being old at this point — you're habituated to horizontal screens, not vertical ones. The younger generation, well, they not watching news on the TV, are they?

As Bill Gates once, said, we tend to over-estimate the short-term change and under-estimate the long-term impact. And I suspect that's where we are with vertical video. The TV die-hards are pushing back towards 16:9, but the vertical revolution marches on.

And the Stories format that's driving it? There's growing evidence that it's changing article design as well…

It's a vertical world out there, folks.

Chinese vertical dramas made for phone viewing show the future of mobile video

Chinese vertical dramas made for phone viewing show the future of mobile video

One of the best skills you can develop — or bring into your team — is the vision for creating ever-better vertical content. It is the format of the future.

The Story Format Leaps from Instagram to Big Media

Like Kottke, I've noticed this. The big ticket instructive stories are becoming vertical — one might say they're AMPing up…

(Sorry. It's been a long week and I like a pun when I'm tired.)

Instagram starts to fight malicious behaviour

Inside Instagram's Ambitious Plan to Fight Bullying

Inside Instagram's Ambitious Plan to Fight Bullying

Oh, Lordy. Every time — every time — big companies hit problems with community management, they try for a technological fix.

You can't fix human interaction problems solely with technology - you need structures and people to make it work.

Instagram will now ask you to think twice before posting profanities

Instagram will now ask you to think twice before posting profanities

Instagram today released two new features with a view to curb bullying on the platform - but it remains to be seen how effective they are.

Platform news

Dogs on treadmills: Publishers are finding LinkedIn isn't just for business and careers news

Dogs on treadmills: Publishers are finding LinkedIn isn't just for business and careers news

LinkedIn is slowly and surely becoming a place to discuss matters round your work and areas of professional expertise, away from the cesspits the rest of social media can easily become. Keep watching this.

Snapchat users up 8% in a year to 203 million, company says

Looks like you're going to need that Snapchat strategy after all.