Over the past few years, X has launched several features to make its platform a better place for influencers. Now, to attract more social media talent, the platform has introduced a built-in video clipping tool.
Announced on Monday, this straightforward feature allows users to cut short clips from longer videos, add their thoughts, and share them directly on their timelines.Clipping is a highly popular social media trick. People cut long videos into short, TikTok-style clips to grab attention and increase ad revenue.
Many influencers and large companies even hire special firms to run clipping for marketing and political campaigns. Now, X is bringing this power directly to everyday users on iOS and Android, with web support coming later.How the new clipping tool worksThe new feature is very simple to use.
Instead of downloading a video and using a separate editing app, users can tap a button to clip videos right inside X.However, there are strict rules. You can only clip pre-recorded videos that are at least two minutes long.
The clips must be between 5 and 60 seconds and cannot take up more than 30 per cent of the original video's total length. Currently, livestreams cannot be clipped, though X plans to add that ability soon.
X also makes sure the original creator gets full credit. Every shared clip includes a "Clip from" label.
When viewers tap this label, it takes them right to the exact moment in the original video, helping users discover the creator's page.Earning money from short clipsThe biggest attraction here is the money. For the first time, both the user who makes the clip and the original creator can earn cash.
The money comes through X's Original Content Rewards program. To qualify and get paid, users need an X Premium subscription, at least 500 verified followers, and 500,000 verified impressions over 90 days.Right now, original creators do not have an opt-out button to stop people from clipping their videos, but X is working on one.
If a creator deletes their original video, all clips made from it will disappear automatically.Part of a bigger planThis clipping tool is just the latest step in X's plan to compete with other platforms by expanding the types of content it supports.To rival YouTube, X added long-form videos in 2022, which have become very popular on the platform. To compete with Substack, it removed traditional character limits for premium users so they can write long blog posts.In March, it added exclusive threads that let creators put content behind a paywall.
Then, in July, it launched a livestreaming studio and set aside a large cash fund to reward creators who go live.X is not the only platform trying to keep users watching. Just like YouTube, Instagram is also working to bring long-form videos to its platform.
The app is currently testing a new format called Features, which allows users to upload horizontal videos up to 90 minutes long.- Ends