COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
The Herald
ABC News
TikTok
We analyzed both video belts and vertical video players across a wide variety of news and social media. We noticed not very many examples of vertical videos, but opted to explore this innovation as our differentiator. We also sought to align the dimensions across user journey touch-points between the homepage belt and the subsequent video player experiences. Unfortunately, we had to shelve an Instagram or TikTok-similar video player experience due to Brightcove limitations, and therefore launch a quick and introductory alternative. We also observed the hierarchy of metadata between competitors, and noted many similarities especially between Instagram and TikTok reels, among others.
IDEATIONS
SOCIAL VIDEO
We designed an interactive belt on the 1News homepage featuring vertical social videos that highlight top breaking stories and live updates. These reels rotated horizontally via navigation arrows on the belt. We developed strategized labeling for the categorized badges. Through a series of user testing, we identified which interactive features are the most valuable to drive engagement. This research determined placements for the duration component and other metadata.
We explored various placements for the badges, headlines, durations and descriptions. These metadata fields presented strategic opportunities to offer value for users and clarity of information. In testing and synthesizing user needs and behaviors, we refined these designs to create a dynamic belt that showcases captivating vertical video. We modeled these featured news stories after social media reels to develop an engaging interactive experience for users, as well as a sense of community.
HOVER EFFECT
FEATURES
