Since its inception in 2010, VidCon has predominantly catered to the communities on YouTube and TikTok. In recent years, however, it’s become easier for creators to move between platforms, and Meta is trying that agnosticism into a recruitment tool. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Meta’s presence at VidCon 2022 will be substantial. The social media giant will use the annual gathering to hawk its TikTok-style Reels format and its initiatives in the metaverse.
Meta’s VidCon presence will be centered around five sessions. Dane Glasgow, Meta’s VP of entertainment, will hype up the metaverse and sit down for a “fireside chat.” Jackie Pimentel, who heads creator product marketing for Meta, will lead a discussion on monetization.
Way back in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic derailed two straight years of VidCons, the company then known as Facebook traveled to the London edition of the convention to dangle financial incentives in front of creators. Meanwhile, in Anaheim, the company has slowly been ramping up its in-person presence by working with agencies to open branded spaces at VidCon.
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In 2022, there will be even more spaces — such as installations and lounges — that will bear the names of Meta, Facebook, and Instagram. At the Anaheim Convention Center, a Reels lounge will promote Meta’s micro-video offering. That format will also be the star of the Meta installation at the nearby Hyatt hotel, where a Reels-friendly background will be erected. Visitors to the Hyatt pool will also get to try out Meta Quest 2 VR headsets and attend a number of live events, including a June 24 happy hour that will celebrate the Black creators in the We The Culture program.
As in previous years, Meta’s goal isn’t to poach creative talent from YouTube and TikTok. Rather, the company is looking to convince videomakers that they can have a presence on Facebook and Instagram while still connecting with followers on other platforms. Since the Reels algorithm has been adjusted to promote original content, it’s imperative for Meta to recruit top talent to its shores.
“Nowadays, creators are less talking about the competition because [they’re] becoming much more platform agnostic,” Meta director of creator partnerships Justin Antony told The Hollywood Reporter. “They use TikTok, they use Instagram, they use YouTube. It’s no longer the days that creators are only on one platform — they’re very much using every platform to reach their audience. So I think all of the competition actually makes us, makes creators stronger because all of these platforms are supporting creators in a meaningful way.”
VidCon 2022 begins on June 22 and runs through June 25. Tickets for the convention are still available through its website.
