The vertical video takeover is here
The rise of vertical video on social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube has transformed the way we consume content. This format, which originated on Snapchat, has become a staple of modern social media, with platforms copying each other's features to stay…
Intelligence analysis by Llama

The vertical video takeover is a phenomenon that has swept the social media landscape, with platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube adopting this format to engage users. The rise of vertical video has transformed the way we consume content, making it easier to create and share short-form videos.
Imagine you're watching a video on your phone. Instead of holding it horizontally, you hold it vertically, so the video fills the whole screen. This is called vertical video. It's like a special way of watching videos that makes them look really cool and fun to watch. Social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube are using vertical video to make their videos look more exciting and engaging.
Analysis
How it started
For a while, every social and media platform had its own identity. YouTube was for clips of TV shows and movies, and the home of so many members of a burgeoning creator community. Instagram was mostly pictures. Netflix was trying to be the on-demand HBO. Facebook was about friends. Twitter was about news. Snapchat was a messaging app. All these apps did have one important thing in common, though: They were growing up alongside the smartphone. Billions of new people were coming online for the first time, and they began to make content that made sense for the tall, skinny new devices in their hands.
The rise of vertical video
As has been true so many times, Snap figured this out before anyone. It launched Stories in late 2013 as a slightly more relaxed way to see what your friends are up to. CEO Evan Spiegel called it a “totally new way to share your day with friends — or everyone.” It took off in a massive way, and by the middle of 2014 was the most popular feature on Snapchat. That’s the kind of virality that Mark Zuckerberg tends to notice, and by August of 2016, the feature had been copied more or less exactly into Instagram. Kevin Systrom, then the CEO of Instagram, said of Spiegel and Snapchat that “they deserve all the credit” for Stories. The implication? That this was no longer a proprietary feature of a single social network; it was just in the air. Stories were for everyone.
The impact of vertical video
The rise of vertical video has transformed the way we consume content. This format, which originated on Snapchat, has become a staple of modern social media, with platforms copying each other's features to stay competitive. The vertical video takeover has significant implications for the future of social media, as it changes the way we interact with content and each other. It also raises questions about the role of algorithms in shaping our online experiences.
Key points
- The rise of vertical video has transformed the way we consume content on social media platforms.
- Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube have adopted this format to engage users and increase video views.
- The vertical video takeover has significant implications for the future of social media, changing the way we interact with content and each other.
- The rise of vertical video raises questions about the role of algorithms in shaping our online experiences.
The rise of vertical video has the potential to revolutionize the way we consume content, making it more engaging and interactive. As platforms continue to adopt this format, we can expect to see even more innovative and creative uses of vertical video in the future.
The vertical video takeover also raises concerns about the impact on traditional forms of content, such as TV shows and movies. As more people turn to vertical video, it's possible that traditional content may become less relevant and less popular.


