Disney+ is joining the trend of short-form, vertical video content with the introduction of “Verts.” This new section offers a curated selection of brief vertical clips, designed to provide quick entertainment and facilitate content discovery for users. Described by the company as a “dynamic feed,” Verts aims to help viewers swiftly identify their next favorite movie or TV show, allowing them to jump directly into the full-length feature from a clip. This move also positions Disney+ to compete more directly with major social media platforms, many of which frequently feature snippets of Disney-owned content.
The addition of vertical video to Disney+’s flagship streaming platform was initially announced in January. The ESPN app, also owned by Disney, launched a similar Verts feature last year. While Disney has stated that the introduction of these vertical clips has driven “additional engagement,” specific metrics were not disclosed. It’s worth noting that Disney is not alone in this strategy; Netflix also revealed plans for a similar initiative earlier this year.
Disney highlights that its recommendation engine utilizes an “advanced algorithm” to ensure the relevance of the presented clips to each individual user. Leveraging its extensive library of content, Disney also suggested that Verts could expand to include “content from creators that reflects our fandoms.” This indicates a potential strategy to attract and feature user-generated content, further intensifying its competition with platforms like YouTube.
