Yesterday, Twitter announced that it had acquired Niche, a social media talent marketing agency. Twitter has been criticized in the past for not courting its Vine stars, and that void was made all the more apparent this year as social media companies like Tumblr created in-house talent agencies. Twitter says that the acquisition is a way to connect to talent:
As more users and creators use different products as a way to share what’s happening in their world, brands are also looking to partner with those individuals in hopes of generating moments that resonate with the people they are trying to reach. The talent and creativity across the entire media landscape is incredible, and we hope this acquisition continues to inspire people to create great content.
The acquisition, Peter Kafka over at Recode posits that while Twitter didn’t disclose a number, the deal probably cost them around $30 million, though with “earn-outs and employment contracts” it could reach around $60 million.
Niche currently matches social media stars with brands, who then pay for them for promoting the ads around the web. Already, networks like Showtime have used the service for marketing TV.
With Niche, Twitter can hone in on its Vine community and keep them from hopping around to other social networks. But it doesn’t have to be just about marketing. Don’t blow off those short, looping videos — they’ve already worked with Niche on full length commercials. With the launch of AT&T’s web series on Snapchat, there’s always the possibility to use Niche’s talent pool for something similar on Vine and Twitter.
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