Video marketing is booming, and everyone was taking advantage of it. Now, Facebook has their reply for this burgeoning video market, and that is Facebook Watch.
Here you can find tons of video contents from different industries and creators. You can make use of it by sharing your brand story to your potential market. But you have to know how to use it wisely. Otherwise, it can break your image or business.
Before Facebook Watch was opened to the public, it was first launched to limited users, until it got its big break in 2020. Facebook got 1.25 billion users of their Facebook Watch.
So, is this helpful for businesses and marketers? Let’s find out as we delve deeper on how to use this platform for your benefit.
What are the contents on Facebook Watch?
Facebook is still testing what is the best content for this new platform. Right now, they’re just putting everything they can think of that’s applicable to Facebook Watch as Rick Van Veen has said in an interview.
They are in the testing phase, and once they figure out the best content type applicable, they’re going to narrow down the options of the users. This is also to ensure safe contents are published in their new platform.
So, here are the free main video contents available in Facebook Watch:
Scripted Contents
Here you can find videos similar to the ones you see on Netflix, Hulu, and Apple+. There are bunch of videos with different genres, starting from comedy, drama, suspense, and horror.
Reality talks are also there like Red Table Talk for instance. These contents talk on a variety of topics, mostly sensitive ones since they trigger more engagements from viewers.
Facebook Live Contents
You can also view live contents on Watch. Facebook Live is incorporated in Watch, and to the rest of video contents found on Facebook.
Topics on live video contents range from current events, funny videos, dramas, and more. Marketers use live contents in featuring their businesses, or in promoting a particular brand.
Music Videos
You can also view Facebook Music on Watch. It was launched in August 2020, and you can listen to different music genre there. Right now, this is only available in the US, Thailand, and India.
A lot of artists are using Facebook Music in promoting their songs. Katy Perry for instance, promoted her music video “Smile” on Facebook Watch. Looking at this, you can launch your new music on Facebook Watch with a minimal budget on promotion.
How does Facebook Watch Works?
You need to use the Creator Studio in uploading your live or scripted video content on Facebook Watch. This is the central hub for uploading and scheduling contents on Facebook, and on your different pages. You can upload those contents in group, or schedule them one by one based on your preference.
It also has a built-in analytics where you can monitor specific metrics of your contents. It could be the reach and engagement of your contents. This helps you analyze what contents are best for your page and business.
For all your uploaded video contents, Facebook inserts mid-roll ads to them. In terms of income, Facebook gives 55 percent to you while the rest are for them.
Additional info, videos longer than 3 minutes, they are prioritized by Facebook for ad placement. More if you have more audience views and engagements on your videos. That said, you need to respond to comments and reactions, that way, your video is pin at the top by Facebook.
Advanced Features of Facebook Watch: How can you benefit from it?
You can create a one-minute or three-minute video for your business. Either ways, this can generate more follows and engagement of your page. Let’s share some real examples as to how Watch helped businesses grow.
First will be M6, a national broadcaster in France who created one-minute videos for their page, and doubled their video views in nine months. They also got 6 million new followers by doing this.
Buzzfeed, another example, skyrocketed their income by producing more videos that are longer than three minutes. They posted those videos on their different pages, and it helped them increased their revenue.
That said, longer video contents is the new shorts today. Still, one-minute videos are still effective in getting more engagements and follows. It’s up to you, whether you like to create a 1-minute or a 3-minute video for your page.
Custom Video Contents
Personalized videos is the king in Facebook. They will help you show them to your target audience while categorizing your contents. You heard that right! Facebook now has the #Topics to categorize contents. They have introduced that to mobile users, so viewers can filter and search specific topics they like to watch.
Video topics can be classified into animals, arts and design, books, business, education, fashion, food, and more. You can take advantage of this by producing videos with specific focus for each applicable categories.
Additional resource: Top 10 video types that every business can use
Video engagements
Real-time engagements is a promising feature of Watch. Your viewers can send reactions or comments to your contents instantaneously. You need to respond to them to up your engagement, and so that your videos can be pinned at the top.
The more audience engagement you have, the more chance mid-roll ads will be placed on your contents. This gives you revenue from ads.
Facebook Watch Parties
This feature lets you invite friends and colleagues to watch a video together with you. Facebook’s ultimate goal is to let all people meet in their platform and engage there. Facebook Watch Party is a good feature that allows this to happen.
You can also use this function in promoting your contents within your network, especially your followers.
Additional resource: 5 Tips on how to create a shareable Facebook post
Playlists
With this feature, you can group your videos and posts on your pages. By using playlist, you are making your viewer experience hassle-free. This is also good for SEO since you categorize your videos based on topics.
How to Optimize your Facebook Watch Videos
Video production is different from optimizing your Facebook Watch. This method allows you to make your account more visible online. Here are some tips on how to optimize your Facebook Watch:
Only upload original videos
Viewers and Facebook are happier when you upload authentic videos on your profile. If you pull out contents from YouTube, that won’t be too effective since the aspect ratio is different for Facebook Watch.
Also, you will be hit for plagiarism if your videos are not original. This will hurt your SEO and possibly ban your Facebook account.
Additional resource: How to create channel-specific contents for social media
Take note of the right aspect ratio
When it comes to video production, you need to shoot for mobile. For Facebook Watch and in-stream videos, the acceptable aspect ratios are between 9:16 to 16:9, and the latter is most suitable. You can check out the best practices of Facebook video aspect ratio here.
Add Video Captions
Majority, around 85 percent of viewers like Facebook videos without a sound. That said, adding captions would be best.
Add a CTA
When you upload a video on Facebook, you can insert a CTA at the end. You can choose your CTA, it can be directing your audience to watch more videos, buy a product on your website, or to like and follow your page.
What are the advanced usage of Facebook Watch?
ThruPlay
This advanced feature allows your video to be watched by users who are likely to watch an entire video that’s 15 seconds or shorter. Keep your ThruPlay active upon uploading your videos.
Paid Online Events for Small Businesses
If you want to create a paid online event for your business, that can be done through Facebook. They allow you to host an event and collect payments from your possible customers who are interested to watch your event.
Fan Subscriptions
You can foster loyalty from your viewers by allowing them to subscribe to your Facebook Watch page. This promotes engagement and follows on your page, which is good for business.
Stars
This is an amazing feature added to Facebook videos. Your fans can buy stars to support your videos and page. Facebook Stars is another revenue stream for video creators.
That said, you need to engage with your audience to gain loyalty, and eventually, motivate them to support you by sending you stars.
A/B Testing
If you want to know what’s the best video to upload to your page, you can use the A/B Testing tool of Facebook. You can test two to four variations of your videos at the same time to see, which one gets the most engagement. The best video gets posted on your page after the testing duration.
In-stream Ads
These are mid-roll ads placed on your videos. If your video gets high engagement and views, this gets chosen by Facebook for their in-stream ad placement.
How to increase your engagement rate using Facebook Watch?
We’re done talking about the features of Facebook Watch, right? But how do you use that to boost your engagement? Here are some tips below:
Make use of commenting on real-time
The moment your audience reacts or comments on your video, respond to them directly. Whether it’s positive or negative comments, responding to them can lift engagement rate.
If it’s a negative comment, then respond to them politely and positively. This is a good practice to hone your customer service and interaction.
Initiate Conversation
If no one is yet commenting, you can throw a question or a reaction that will spark your viewers’ interest. This is a good practice to initiate a conversation on your videos.
Utilize the subscription function
Create an exclusive space and offer for your loyal customers or subscribers. That way, you’re adding value for their loyalty to your brand. Letting them know of any updates before any one else, that can be one perk. You can also give them the first news for discounts on your events.
Take advantage of analytics
The data inside your Meta Business Suite, that is gold. You can use that data in targeting prospect customers in the market.
You can also improve your video production through analyzing the data inside Facebook’s analytics. After analysis, you can use the A/B testing tool.
