Dancing To the Tunes of Educational Content Tik Tok and BigoLive are turning the page with the change in strategy by venturing into education content.
By Nazreen Nazir •
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Short video platforms and live streaming platforms have converted everyone into a celebrity. TikTok and BIGO LIVE are examples of such short video platforms that are trending these days. These short video apps are gaining popularity because of their easy features which make it easy to use for not so tech savvy people. These platforms enjoy wide reach with audience and users from all the classes of society. TikTok has recently made foray into content aimed at education, health, safety and motivation with its EduTok campaign. Bigo Live is another live streaming platform which also ventured into educational content. Let's take a look at how these video content platforms are emerging and influencing the content creation in the country.
Rise of Short Video Content
Video content platforms are giving rise to influencers and entrepreneurs who are using it to creatively showcase their work. Apart from this short video content and live streaming has emerged and has seen a huge rise. Apps like Tik Tok which is a short video content platform became viral with its 15 second long meme friendly content. In last one year tiktok has seen tremendous growth with increasing popularity and user consumption of such content in the country. Bigo Live is more personal in its approach as it's a live streaming platform to interact with the audience. These apps have recently come under scanner for content which skirts dangerously close to violating the law.
Focus on Educational Content
TikTok faced temporary ban in India in April for being "dangerous to children" but was later revoked. This push towards educational content comes at this crucial time when the majority of the content on such platforms leans towards entertainment. To name a few apps Google owned YouTube, tiktok and even bigo live have ventured into educational content. The focus these days has shifted to E-Learning and there are various apps which make and upload videos online with course material and lectures.
Mr Nagesh Banga, deputy country manager of Bigo live said that due to cheaper data prices and availability of better internet infrastructure, there is an evolution in digital content giving rise to e-Learning in India. He further goes on to say that live streaming platforms will narrow down the rural urban divide as these platforms act as bridge between education seekers and providers.
What is the Way Forward in Educational Content
According to Mr Banga of bigo live they have been successful in targeting tier 2 and 3 cities and are penetrating the reach of English training sessions as people in small cities are more inclined towards English but can't due to lack of access to facilities. Many professors and teachers have been approached by the bigo live to curate education content on the platform.
The spokesperson of TikTok commented that EduTok showcases the creative spirit of tik tok creators who are using the platform to share their knowledge with the global community to bring about a change in society. This will help users to connect and share their inspiring stories to impart knowledge with wider set of audience to empower them. Educational content is becoming popular in a country like India because of the lack of access to educational facilities. Such platforms have wider reach and are indeed helping people in remote areas.
