The amount of video being consumed across Facebook has increased dramatically over the past couple of years. Facebook has reported that the number of videos posted per person increased by users increased by 75% in 2016. Video posts now have a 135% greater organic reach than photo posts, generating around 8 billion video views on average per day. Facebook has seen this need and created a new video platform for its users.
Facebook has introduced a hub for original video content called 'Watch'. According to Techcrunch, Watch will allow you to view personalized recommendations of live and recorded shows. You will also have access to your own 'Watchlist' where you can subscribe to updates on new episodes of your favorite shows.
Facebook believes that people’s comments and reactions to a video are often as much a part of the experience as the video itself. So, when users watch shows they will be able to comment and connect with friends and other viewers. You can even participate in a dedicated Facebook Group discussion for the show.There will also be a list of categories of shows to view. When you choose an episode to watch you’ll see all the details about it, with the option to join the live comment reel.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg writes:
“We believe it’s possible to rethink a lot of experiences through the lens of building community — including watching video. Watching a show doesn’t have to be passive . . . You’ll be able to chat and connect with people during an episode, and join groups with people who like the same shows afterwards to build community.”
This opens up many new opportunities for brands to feature their own shows and generate real time engagement from their fans as they watch. 'Watch' will not only help generate revenue for Facebook but encourage users to return to their feed more often.
Facebook's competitors such as Snapchat and YouTube have already trialed original content shows and videos. For example, YouTubes 'Red' now has its own original series, and has started introducing some bigger names into their content. Snapchat's focus has mainly been on signing deals with partners like TV studios for their Discover section.
This feature will only be available for partners and will roll out to a small group of US users on mobile, desktop and Facebook’s TV apps. Once fully tested this feature will be rolled out to everyone.
By Jessica Wade
I was previously the Social Media Executive for Smart Insights and managed all of Smart Insights social media channels and social strategy. I love all things social, most of the time you will find me endlessly scrolling through Instagram. You can follow me on Twitter or connect on LinkedIn.
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