TURNER Weekly Download: Dancing to the Algorithm

Where digital meets travel + lifestyle … A collection of can’t-miss news from this week. Sign up to get the TURNER Weekly Download in your inbox every Friday.

Double Tap For An Algorithm

They say it’s the age of the algorithm for social media platforms. With Facebook and Twitter already dancing to the algorithm, users are now wondering when Facebook-owned Instagram will follow suit. With over 400 million active users, Instagram is widely considered the most powerful online space for brands – despite decreasing engagement levels and organic reach. Media strategists believe that these drops can be attributed to one thing: Instagram overload. As the platform’s user base grows, the amount of content people can process declines. The solution? You guessed it: an algorithm that serves up content most useful to the user. We’re waiting, Instagram…

The Shorter, The Better

Short-form videos are the next big thing. For starters, broadband providers Verizon and Comcast have developed rivaling short-form video platforms, Go90 and Watchable. YouTube has also thrown its name in the hat with Youtube Red, which challenges platforms from other major enterprises like Hulu and Spotify. With all these new platforms comes a high demand for content – and a high price tag. Verizon has ponied up $200 million for video content, with individual Go90 deals ranging from $2 million to $15 million per show. YouTube, Hulu and Spotify are all following in their competitors’ footsteps, shelling out the big bucks for top content. A clear winner has yet to be declared in this arms race, meaning there’s still time for you to switch careers, become a video content creator, and cash in.

Fresh Off The Runway and Into Your Timeline

Fashion is forever changing, and so are fashion brands’ marketing strategies. In 2014, almost all luxury market growth came from the online sphere, leading marketing consultants to predict that e-commerce will become the world’s third largest luxury market in the next 10 years. This emphasis on the digital world has inspired fashion brands to rethink how they advertise. Modern media enables participation and conversation between consumers and brands, forcing fashion brands to focus on establishing relationships with online users. Brands are also working on creating engaging content across all social media platforms to help push customers down the path of purchasing luxury products. In the words of Project Runway’s Tim Gunn, we’ll see if they can “make it work!”

Job Qualifications: Own an iPhone

You already have everything you need to become a professional photographer, and you’re probably holding it in your hands right now: your smartphone! Bon Appétit Magazine made a dramatic change in its March Culture issue, with photographers switching from professional equipment to the iPhone for the issue’s entire photo content. That’s right: DSLRs and tethers are out, and selfie sticks are in when it comes to capturing magazine-worthy moments. While the Bon Appetit’s photographers were initially shocked, they found that using their smartphones for their projects made things more efficient: lighter equipment bags, easy ways to edit on the go, and a sense of liberation from being behind a bulky camera. Time to dust off your camera lens and call Bon Appétit for your photography debut.

Weekly Moment Of Zen: Adobe X Bob Ross Edition

Let’s all paint some happy trees! Adobe has successfully channeled late TV artist Bob Ross in “Joy of Sketching,” its newest series of advertisements.