Trending Topic Project: Buzzfeed’s “Nifty” Facebook Video on Revamping a Basic Table

The “overperforming” post chosen for analysis was “Nifty’s” “7 Creative Ways to Transform a Basic Table” (2018), that spiked nearly a month ago. The six-minute video includes do-it-yourself, or D.I.Y., tutorials for how to transform an ordinary end table into 1) a table with a built-in projector, 2) a table with a built-in mini-garden in the middle, 3) a handmade toy kitchen, 4) an end table with a stained wood top, 5) a table with built-in water and food bowls for pets, 6) a stool and 7) a stacked bar with wheels on the bottom (Nifty, 2018). 

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According to the social media analytics database, CrowdTangle, this video was one of the highest spiking videos on the Nifty Facebook page from early September 2018 to late October 2018 (2018).

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The table transformation video received 1,478, 528 post views and 14, 951, 795 total views (CrowdTangle, 2018). Additionally, the table transformation video received 10,111 reactions, 828 comments and 4,813 shares (CrowdTangle, 2018). 

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In terms of why “Nifty’s” “7 Creative Ways to Transform a Basic Table” (Nifty, 2018) overperformed this fall, there are several reasons which could illustrate its high performance. Particularly, Buzzfeed’s audience, the importance of D.I.Y. culture and the real estate market are all reasons that could explain the virality of the table transformation video. Buzzfeed’s audience across their various channels are over 50% millennial and over 50% of the overall audience demographic self-identifies as women (Sternberg, 2013). Likewise, Buzzfeed’s “Nifty” channel specifically targets those interested in arts and crafts for the home. One reason this particular type of Nifty video may have performed well, is due to its publishing date, September 10, 2018, being during the middle of the “high season”, May- September, for apartment rentals (Schreck, 2013), as well as college students beginning school and needing cheap alternatives for decorating their dorms/ apartments.

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— Alex (@AlexJeanMarie) October 30, 2018

Additionally, various Buzzfeed channels utilize the short-form video style for content delivery that can conveniently be viewed on one’s mobile device, which over 30% of Buzzfeed’s audience uses for visiting their sites (Sternberg, 2013). The combination of using short-form videos on the Nifty Facebook channel is advantageous in order to give the audience what they want. Similarly, using short-form videos on Nifty’s Facebook channel is advantageous because it taps into the popularity of D.I.Y. tutorials, especially as millennials are currently dominating the $29 billion crafting industry (Fromm). Therefore, a D.I.Y. short-form tutorial on how to ‘jazz-up’ a basic end table using an arts and crafts themed Facebook channel with one of the largest millennial audiences went viral because it had all the necessary components for virality. 

In summation, the “Nifty” Facebook video, “7 Creative Ways to Transform a Basic Table” (Nifty, 2018) was analyzed because it overperformed on the channel within the last three months. The video likely overperformed, or spiked, because it taps into a niche market who is overwhelmingly millennial and interested in D.I.Y. projects for furnishing homes. Likewise, this video’s success during this season may be due to the rush of people who are moving to new homes in order to take advantage of the real estate market during the fall. In conclusion, the success of “7 Creative Ways to Transform a Basic Table” indicates a desire to take basic household items and easily transform them according to the various ideas for home décor that millennials have. 

References

CrowdTangle. (2018). [Graph illustration for video views for Nifty September 2018 to October 2018]. CrowdTangle Intelligence: Page Report: Nifty. Retrieved on October 24, 2018 from, https://apps.crowdtangle.com/syracusejournalismfb/reporting/intelligence?accountType=facebook_page&accounts=690729&breakdownType=postType&comparisonType=none&graphType=video_views&interval=week&platform=facebook&postType=all&reportTimeframe=6months&videoViewBreakdownType=ownedVideoViews&videoViewType=total_views

Fromm, J. (n.d.) Generation y has become generation diy. Retrieved from http://www.millennialmarketing.com/2013/12/generation-y-has-become-generation-diy/

Nifty. (2018). 7 creative ways to transform a basic table. [Video]. Nifty. Retrieved on October 24, 2018 from, https://www.facebook.com/buzzfeednifty/posts/2201002250154495

Schreck, N. (2013). The Best Time to Move for Renters. Retrieved from

https://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/my-money/2013/09/11/the-best-time-to-move-for-renters

Sternberg, J. (2013). 13 interesting facts brands should know about BuzzFeed. Retrieved from https://digiday.com/media/13-interesting-facts-brands-should-know-about-buzzfeed/

By, N’dea Drayton & Alexandria Haynes