What You Need to Know about Facebook Watch

In early September 2017, Facebook opened the flood gates for users to access original video content on its Watch tab. Available through the mobile app, desktop site, and TV apps, this new feature enables Facebook users to subscribe to a video series and watch on their own time.

If you’re interested in being a content contributor, an Atlanta digital marketing agency can help you craft your unique videos. However, Facebook doesn’t plan on letting anyone contribute just yet as it’s still a new concept. Eventually, they’ll let all users submit shows and receive 55% of ad revenue.

Here’s everything you need to know about the social media king’s new feature.

How to Find It and What to Expect

Once you open your mobile app, you’ll notice the second icon from the left resembles a television with a play button. This is where you’ll access Watch.

Once you’re on the Watch tab, the “Discover” tab is organized into a grid of recommendations of both live and recorded shows. You’ll also see a “Watchlist” tab that keeps your previously viewed episodes and ones you’ve saved, so you don’t have to hunt them down later.

The Shared Content Viewing Experience

If you don’t know where to start, Facebook knows you better than you think. The app will make suggestions based on what’s “Most Talked About,” “What’s Making People Laugh,” and even “Shows Your Friends are Watching.” You’re bound to find something you like.

Once you find and watch content that interests you, Facebook connects you to other users who like similar content through “Groups”. As one of the main selling points of Watch, this sub-feature organizes users in to niche groups based on shows viewed.

CEO Mark Zuckerberg sees Watch as the future of video viewing, stating, “Watching a show doesn’t have to be passive. It can be a chance to share an experience and bring people together who care about the same things.”

It’s More Unique than You Think

Watch has been discussed as a threat to the video powerhouse, YouTube. However, due to Facebook’s unique algorithms, the app’s videos (pre-Watch era) were already a threat to YouTube’s content.

When scrolling through your newsfeed, Facebook decides what videos will go viral on a level that YouTube videos will struggle to ever achieve.  The architects behind Watch are hoping that creators will view this space as more desirable than traditional newsfeeds have been in years’ past. Because it’s imbedded into a social media platform, Watch has the power to connect you to your friends’ interests—an advantage that YouTube has yet to acquire.

Still yet, Facebook has a long way to go if they think people will completely abandon YouTube for video viewing. Social media research shows that users prefer to stay within the app’s main feed, rather than toggle between different tabs—something Watch currently requires.

Whether you want to get ahead of the game and create a mini-series, or you want to produce a commercial, working with a digital marketing agency in Atlanta will set you apart. At Blueprint, we’ve got a video team that works with you from script to screen. Contact us today to see some of our sample work or learn more about our video services.