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Why Facebook has Become a Sharing Destination for Video

Posted by Steve Day

facebook-videoYouTube has long been king of the explainer video share, and there’s no question it will continue to be a force, but there’s a new player in the game that’s quickly becoming a star: Facebook. The social media giant is becoming a destination for video sharing, with more users uploading content directly to Facebook as compared to sharing from YouTube. So what’s behind this dramatic shift?

Explainer videos are auto-played on Facebook: It’s a relatively new feature on Facebook, but you’ve probably noticed it if you spend any time on the social media site. As you scroll down the News Feed, you’ll see that videos will auto-play without any interaction from the user. The result is that people are actually seeing at least the first few seconds of the video, whether they want to or not. But sometimes that’s all it takes for a viewer to decide to share the video with their social media followers. Note: videos shared via YouTube, as opposed to Facebook directly, do not feature the auto-play capability.

Facebook explainer videos are higher profile in the News Feed: The world’s most popular social media giant will always put its interests first, and this is certainly true of direct-to-Facebook videos. Explainer videos appear larger and are more eye-catching as a user scrolls down the News Feed, typically drawing more interest.

Sharing on Facebook is easy and natural: This social media platform basically wrote the book on sharing all types of content, and explainer videos are not an exception. One of the primary forms of interaction among users is the “Share” button, which runs neck-and-neck with “Like.” They can even opt to forward content only to certain circles, such as friends, family or co-workers. The simplicity of spreading the word among others within a user’s social media network is another key reason for Facebook’s popularity as a sharing destination.

Facebook shares encourage discussion with friends: When it really comes down to it, there’s one basic goal users are seeking when they forward content, including explainer videos: They want to initiate a conversation with friends and followers and encourage interaction. People like to share their point of view, which may lead to spirited debates. Those within professional circles on Facebook might share explainer videos with their colleagues and peers – sometimes to gain respect, other times just to provide helpful information on a particular topic.

Human nature makes us want to share: Some will call it altruism, others will label it narcissism, but one thing is for sure, we love sharing all types of content, and video is at the top of the list. It furthers our sense of community to be involved in a conversation and get feedback on the material that we post. Both personally and professionally, we get a warm and fuzzy feeling when someone gives us a pat on the back for sharing valuable material.

YouTube is, and will continue to be, dominant in the video platform category, but marketers must keep a close eye on how Facebook is climbing the ladder. We’re already seeing the impact of social media as a destination for video shares and all signs point to Facebook becoming a serious contender for the throne. The takeaway is to realize that this shift is a trend that should be embraced rather than fought or ignored.

 

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