Villains are made, not born. Will Zeacon change the social media game?

Whether you’re a social media content creator or content consumer, I’m afraid to tell you, you’re being lied to.

Social media and transparency are oil and water.

They tell you it's free. Necessary. What really is free, dear reader, is the precious data you are volunteering, perhaps unknowingly. Data these social media companies sell to corporations for a pretty penny, for them to advertise right back at you.

The top end of the bargain for you?

1. The entertainment
2. The intuitively designed vanity metrics to keep you engaged

The social media game

The top platforms all entered the game long ago promising to “connect the world” and “create community”. Today, it looks more like a global street market. Visit the YouTube stand for 15 ads on a 10-minute video. Go to the TikTok tent for ads with an “organic feel” from your favorite brands (whatever that means?). And if that's not to your taste, go to Linkedin for the commodification of common sense.

However, the creator, the consumer, and the market they interact in are rapidly wising up. Time is up. This era of distrust is driving demand for greater transparency from social media platforms, brands, and influencers. New communication standards are being set, and new-era platforms are surfacing.

The new wave

In this new wave, there is one social media platform setting off alarm bells in the US. The idea came to its co-founder Kris, in the midst of a major heart attack. Laying face-up with barely a pulse on an operating table, Zeacon was born.

Zeacon is a community-based video platform.

And yes, their founding story sounds like a movie. Their mission to “connect communities intelligently” is altruistic. Their brand ambassadors (Demetrius Johnson, Bobby Wagner, Cliff Avril, Eric Hadley) and mentions on the Joe Rogan Experience are certainly generating some hype.  But, folklore aside, it's some of its features I think are potentially game-changing. Let me give you the run-down.

1. Real-time editing. Creators can add clickable images and edit videos within the platform. No post-production or editing software necessary. In one platform, creators have complete control over their content from ideation to post. You can even edit your content AFTER you’ve posted.
2. The end of ad interruptions. Creators can place clickable images and ads within their videos, which can easily be tracked and analyzed. This sounds simple, but it's huge. As a creator, you no longer have to rely on your value to advertisers to make a living. The power shifts to you. You can promote your work, products, or services within your content. As a consumer, this will finally mean the end of ad interruptions.
3. Transparent data for better content: The data the platform exposes to the creator is next-level. Beyond the basic views, clicks, messages, and video duration you can find on other platforms, etc. Zeacon equips the creator with: Views, Clicks, Messages, Duration, Viewer ID, Viewer city, Unique clicks, Unique views, View date and time, Average view duration, View destination e.g. where the view comes from

This level of data transparency gives creators valuable insights into how their audience is engaging with their videos. Empowered with this data, creators can analyze and adjust the performance of their content in real time. For the consumer, this means they will have higher-quality content geared towards them, not the lowest common denominator.

Our hot take

If we look closely, the problems Zeacon addresses are what make platforms such as YouTube an increasingly unfulfilling experience for the creator and the consumer. The end of ad interruptions, real-time editing, and transparent data for better content are ingredients for a revolutionary recipe. At best, they create a fair relationship between the creator, the consumer, and the platform that connects them. At worst, they empower the content creator.

To change the game, Zeacon must proceed with the intentions with which it began. It's got the bright idea and the right people behind it.

But it must always remember. Villains are made, not born.

Sign up to gain early access at zeacon.com.

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