Kinomap indexes scenic videos according to criteria of quality and interest for our users in the application. See the article detailing information about the quality of videos published on Kinomap.
As with video quality, interest is characterized according to four levels—unsuitable, Medium, good, and excellentwhich have an impact on how videos published on Kinomap can be promoted.
Unlike quality, which is based exclusively on objective criteria, interest remains primarily contextual, influenced by the videos already available on the platform.
The Kinomap content moderation team is responsible for evaluating these criteria, which may be supplemented, waived, or surpassed by opportunities related to public figures, event, news, or special promotions often linked to partnerships or current events.
Ultimately, it is a matter of assessing how much a piece of content stands out from the average.
To fully understand Kinomap's content promotion policy, you can read the dedicated release available here.
Environment
The geographical environment of a video is perhaps the most obvious criterion. Filming in an environment that allows users to escape or be amazed should be a key concern for Kinomap content creators.
Although this may be relative, since not everyone has the same sensibilities to a type of landscape or feels the same way about a natural environment or a city, it is important to try to present a place in its best light.
While the weather is an essential criterion, directly impacting the quality of the images, it is not the only one. Pay particular attention to the views you can offer of natural and urban spaces and monuments, their variety (from one video to another, and within a single video), but also the renown or uniqueness of the places you will be filming. It is important to really think about what you want to show and under what conditions you want to show it.
Events
We consider an event to be anything that can happen (expected or unexpected) in a video. It can be a sporting or cultural competition or gathering, or something related to human activity, but also a natural or weather event.
Thus, phenomena such as blooms, special lighting conditions (unique sunsets, midnight sun within the Arctic Circle, etc.), environmental conditions or consequences, encounters with wildlife, or other special features can also contribute to your audience's sense of escape and surprise, and help your content stand out.
Geographic density
Interest is based on a notion of exclusivity, which means that the number of videos already available on Kinomap in a given geographic area is evaluated. This evaluation makes it possible to determine whether content stands out in terms of discovering a new region or environment, and to avoid covering an area that is already widely covered, unless a new approach and setting can be provided, or if exceptional conditions are encountered
This geographic density is assessed separately for each activity category: cycling, walking & running, or water sports. A destination, however exotic it may be, will lose its appeal if it is offered very often.
Similar landscapes, even if geographically distant, can contribute to this impression of banality.
We therefore strongly encourage content creators to regularly browse what is available on Kinomap, not only to get a clear idea of what is on offer, but also to update their references and seek inspiration.
Crowd
Filming on a busy road or in a crowded location limits the immersive experience if the composition of what you want to show is altered by too many people or vehicles that are too close, obstructive, or noisy.
While exceptions related to events may be considered, in general, less frequented areas are preferable. Planning the shoot (schedules, seasonality) can therefore be a determining factor and must be taken into account. Often, this will involve compromises that the content creator will have to adjust, such as low light in the early morning vs. low traffic at a tourist site.
Sometimes opportunities to film locations arise in unconventional ways, aboard motorized vehicles or public transportation. It is therefore important to keep in mind that there are limitations related to the relevance and suitability of the content for indoor training on a human-powered activity.
Suited Vehicle
Kinomap does not reflect journeys by ferry, sailboat, bus/train, or car, but rather activities performed by pedestrians (walking and running), cyclists, or rowers, and more generally, human-powered activities.
Within certain limits, videos may be shot on board other vehicles, but only intentionally for Kinomap. The aim is to get as close as possible to the immersion expected by users on their training device.
Thus, a video shot from a motor vehicle may be considered suitable if the speed, the point of view (orientation, height), image composition (absence of vehicle elements that break immersion, such as a car hood), and even sound (if the video is played at original speed) are as close as possible to the targeted activity, but this is only conceivable if the content creator can control these parameters.
We therefore advise against filming journeys during which the content creator is a mere passenger with limited influence and control over the movement and placement of the camera.
Please note that in the most extreme cases, failure to comply with this criterion may result in a video being excluded from publication.
Video difficulty
The choice of terrain and speed while filming can have a significant impact on the audience you can reach on Kinomap. Here, we go a little further than the previous point and only consider human-powered activities.
The choice of speed for cycling (performance road cycling vs. leisure cycling), walking or running, or kayaking & rowing (drifting slowly along a calm river or paddling actively) can lead to completely different experiences for users.
It is also a question of differentiating oneself in areas where the available content follows the same trend.
For example, many mountain passes are filmed by experienced cyclists, who display a level of power far superior to that which most of our users seeking to get in shape can sustain.
This difference leads to a mixed experience for the latter if they choose to do their training at variable speeds: they will find themselves following a video that is playing in slow motion.
Thus, the same location covered by a content creator who has chosen to film at a more appropriate speed (closer to the power of most users) will be able to reach more people on Kinomap, under equivalent additional conditions.
Our example introduces the concept of difficulty: the characteristics of the terrain (slopes and elevation), the speed adopted, as well as the duration and distance covered by the geolocated video will have a direct impact on its difficulty for users.
These parameters therefore define relative interest, and it is necessary to consider whether a video will be suitable for a wide audience or a limited audience on Kinomap. While it is more up to the content creator to target a particular audience, we still encourage them to offer enough variety so that all Kinomap users can find content that suits them.
We have discussed here the main components that define the care taken during filming (apart from the technical criteria that determine image quality, which are covered in a separate article). Taking these into account can therefore be crucial in determining the appeal of a video and its success with Kinomap users.
It is important to plan ahead and ask yourself questions about the choice of filming location and points of interest it will include, how to plan to avoid crowds or ensure the best conditions, target specific opportunities, or even the speed to adopt and the duration to propose. While this list is not exhaustive, it will help you get started on a process that will surely allow you to get the most out of your Kinomap filming sessions, develop good habits, and target the features that will produce the most interesting content.
Reminder of the criteria influencing the interest of videos published on Kinomap
Environment
Events
Geographic density
Crowd
Suited Vehicle
Video difficulty
Establishing the interest index
As the interest of a video is relative to the available offer, the criteria may be adjusted without notice and remain subject to evaluation by Kinomap's moderation teams. Nevertheless, the following guide provides an overview of the procedure used to determine the interest of a video.
Interest is therefore judged as:
Excellent if it meets at least 5 of the 6 criteria listed here
Good if it fully meets 3 to 4 criteria
Medium if it fully meets 2 to 3 criteria
Unsuitable if it fully meets fewer than 2 criteria, or presents grounds for exclusion, or cannot be used on indoor training equipment (unsuitable speed, vehicle not matching the simulated activity), etc.
Implications related to the level of interest
Videos deemed unsuitable may not be published on the Kinomap app.
Videos of average interest are published on Kinomap, but cannot be promoted by Kinomap in weekly selections, playlists edited by Kinomap, multiplayer event sessions, new releases sections, challenges, etc.
Videos rated as good or excellent interest are eligible for promotion in all sections or selections of the app, such as challenges, multiplayer sessions, various automatic and personalized suggestions, or selections by Kinomap.