Saturday, August 12, 2017

Can Facebook's 'Watch' Take On YouTube?

Facebook has announced the launch of Watch, a tab for TV-like content where users can watch and organize videos. Facebook intends for Watch to overtake YouTube as the go-to video consumption hub. This article analyzes whether Facebook can really rival YouTube and capture digital ad spend from TV advertising.

YouTube has already mastered the separation between creator-driven content and professional content with their Red strategy, but Facebook has yet to announce how they’ll distinguish between the two. There’s a huge opportunity with Facebook’s newsfeed and 2 billion daily active users that actively engage with video content regularly. The general consensus here is that it’s too early to tell what kind of impact Facebook Watch will have on media agencies and advertisers since the platform caters to user engagement rather than advertisers at this time.


I agree with the article that it’s too soon to speculate. However, YouTube started in 2005 as a video platform for users to upload their own content, and it didn’t really cater to advertisers until after the Google acquisition. Facebook Watch is starting with a robust built-in audience. Although it has less brand recognition than YouTube as the go-to for video content, over time I don’t see why it can’t surpass YouTube altogether. 

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