One of the most admirable things about Facebook is its effort to keep pace with the changing times and trends. Seeing the current generation's interaction with video content on its platform, Facebook has unveiled Watch, a new platform for shows, which has the potential of giving the likes of Netflix a run for their money.
To be made available in mobile, on desktop and laptop, and in Facebook's TV applications, the shows on the platform will be made of episodes, which will be either live or recorded. Keeping in line with the busy schedule that most people live nowadays, the tech giant has included a Watchlist feature in the Watch that will ensure that a person never misses out an episode of their favourite show.
Explaining his company's decision to embark on the Watch journey, Facebook's Director of Product, Daniel Danker recently wrote a blog on Facebook's newsroom website and explained that over the years the company has observed that watching videos on Facebook has the incredible power of connecting people, starting conversations, and fostering communities. He also acknowledged that even though people enjoy this experience of discovering videos in their News Feed, they have been longing for a dedicated place where they can straightaway go to watch videos. In order to cater to this demand, Facebook had launched the Video tab on its platform in the U.S. last year. However, they wanted to make it even easier for people to catch up with the shows they love and hence, Watch came into existence.
Facebook's Watch will be personalized to help people discover new, interesting shows, organised according to what their friends and communities are currently binge watching on. The platform will carry tabs such as “What Friends Are Watching,” which will help people connect with friends about shows they too are following, a “Most Talked About" option which lists shows that have sparked a lot of conversations among viewers, and “What’s Making People Laugh" section which highlights shows that have garnered the “Haha” reaction from viewers.
According to Danker, their experience with Facebook Live has taught them that people’s comments and reactions to a video add to the overall experience of the video. That's why they have included a comments section in Watch to encourage conversations and more participation from viewers.
Not only viewers, Facebook's Watch will prove to be a golden opportunity for creators and publishers to cultivate an audience for their content, build a community of passionate fans, and earn reputable money for their work.
Danker is hopeful that Watch will soon become home to a wide range of shows, right from comedy to reality to live sports. In fact, Facebook has itself funded some community-oriented and episodic video series shows so as to encourage creators to create inspiring content and get the whole ecosystem rolling. Mike Rowe's Returning the Favor, where Rowe finds people who are doing something extraordinary for their community and tells the world their story is one such show.
To be made available in mobile, on desktop and laptop, and in Facebook's TV applications, the shows on the platform will be made of episodes, which will be either live or recorded. Keeping in line with the busy schedule that most people live nowadays, the tech giant has included a Watchlist feature in the Watch that will ensure that a person never misses out an episode of their favourite show.
Explaining his company's decision to embark on the Watch journey, Facebook's Director of Product, Daniel Danker recently wrote a blog on Facebook's newsroom website and explained that over the years the company has observed that watching videos on Facebook has the incredible power of connecting people, starting conversations, and fostering communities. He also acknowledged that even though people enjoy this experience of discovering videos in their News Feed, they have been longing for a dedicated place where they can straightaway go to watch videos. In order to cater to this demand, Facebook had launched the Video tab on its platform in the U.S. last year. However, they wanted to make it even easier for people to catch up with the shows they love and hence, Watch came into existence.
Introducing WatchPosted by Facebook on Wednesday, 9 August 2017
Facebook's Watch will be personalized to help people discover new, interesting shows, organised according to what their friends and communities are currently binge watching on. The platform will carry tabs such as “What Friends Are Watching,” which will help people connect with friends about shows they too are following, a “Most Talked About" option which lists shows that have sparked a lot of conversations among viewers, and “What’s Making People Laugh" section which highlights shows that have garnered the “Haha” reaction from viewers.
According to Danker, their experience with Facebook Live has taught them that people’s comments and reactions to a video add to the overall experience of the video. That's why they have included a comments section in Watch to encourage conversations and more participation from viewers.
Not only viewers, Facebook's Watch will prove to be a golden opportunity for creators and publishers to cultivate an audience for their content, build a community of passionate fans, and earn reputable money for their work.
Danker is hopeful that Watch will soon become home to a wide range of shows, right from comedy to reality to live sports. In fact, Facebook has itself funded some community-oriented and episodic video series shows so as to encourage creators to create inspiring content and get the whole ecosystem rolling. Mike Rowe's Returning the Favor, where Rowe finds people who are doing something extraordinary for their community and tells the world their story is one such show.
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