Our guess is you are wondering what Facebook Watch is all about, right? Well, it includes a mixture of content from users and professionally-produced content — something that Facebook pays for its content production. Perse, it’s a little more like YouTube Premium, which includes regular videos and exclusive original programming, but Facebook Watch is free.
It’s the complementary change of Facebook to the Meta platform that brought forth this new toolkit feature. Now that connection is evolving and so is Facebook Meta. Not to mention, Metaverse is the next evolution of social connection. Thus, Facebook’s vision is to help bring the metaverse to life. Hence, the change of name to Meta reflects its future commitment.
For this and other reasons, Facebook is already developing exciting new technologies that will help people connect and explore the metaverse. From virtual reality to augmented reality to smart glasses, and now the Facebook Watch — a future made by all of us. The metaverse is just infinity — a collective project that goes beyond a single company.
What Is Facebook Watch?
Facebook Watch is Facebook’s video-on-demand service that combines aspects of its video-sharing functionality with premium content. On one side, it allows creators to upload their own short- and long-form videos. While, on the other side, it also includes original comedy, drama, and news programming. It’s totally free, but it does require a Facebook account.
Facebook Watch is built into Facebook and can be accessed through the main Facebook website and the Facebook app on mobile platforms and streaming devices. It can be found on its own Watch tab, which is similar to the Marketplace and Messenger tabs. Important to realize, that this isn’t a cable replacement service. It’s more like YouTube than YouTube TV.
Of course, because it doesn’t include live television from networks or cable channels. It also has a lot in common with Instagram TV, which is Instagram’s entry into the YouTube-dominated field of user-generated content. The best thing is that it’s available on the desktop website, smartphones, and other devices such as the Amazon Fire TV and Xbox One.
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As mentioned, to use Facebook Watch, you’ll need to have an active Facebook account. Technically, you can navigate to the page for a Facebook Watch show and play the video without an account. But, it has only one downside; doing so will result in multiple pop-up messages prompting you to sign up for Facebook. You can access it from within the main app.
This is unlike its sister WhatsApp Messenger App — which requires you to download additional web platform files. The only exception here is Microsoft— which has a separate Facebook Watch app file for Windows. In the same fashion, you can also learn more about how to set up the Facebook Watch TV app in detail.
How The Facebook Watch Toolkit Works
First of all, the Facebook Watch Toolkit is just like the Facebook Marketplace or WhatsApp Messenger — in that it’s highly integrated with Meta. But, it exists as an extra thing that’s separate from the main News Feed. Meaning, that it doesn’t have channels. Secondly, it’s very close to YouTube. Each program has a Show Page where you can find all the episodes.
As well as read more about them, see what other people think about the show, and interact with other viewers. As of now, there isn’t an app for your Roku. So, you’ll have to watch via screen mirroring from your mobile phone or tablet. Once both your device and Roku are on the same network, on the Roku, go to Settings > System > Screen Mirroring >
And then, select your device under Allowed devices. Now, launch the Facebook app. By the same token, you can also delete watched videos on Facebook. On Facebook, select your profile picture, then select More > Activity Log > Videos You’ve Watched or Videos Watched, depending on if you’re on the web or the app. Select Clear Video Watch History.
To Watch Facebook Watch Content For Free:
- Navigate to Facebook.com or launch the Facebook app
- In the left menu bar, select the Watch button to initiate the toolkit features
- On mobile, Tap the menu icon (three vertical lines), and then tap on the Watch button
- Last but not least, select a show or video that you’d like to start watching
Generally, it features a variety of content from creators who use it in the same way creators use YouTube and Instagram TV. If you follow creators from those platforms, there’s a chance you’ll also find them on Facebook Watch. In addition to user-generated content, it also finances Facebook Originals in the same vein as Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime.
This exclusive content includes original comedy and drama programming, game shows, talk shows, news programs, etc. Additionally, it also includes live streaming sports content from the MLB, WWE, PGA, and college football, among other sources. Once you’ve opened Facebook Watch, you’ll have a few ways and options to find relevant video content.
Follow the simple steps below:
- Editor’s picks: Some of the most popular Facebook Watch videos are available via a large banner at the top of the main Facebook Watch site. Select the arrow on the right side of the banner to cycle through these options.
- Top picks: Facebook Watch has an algorithm that attempts to find videos you’ll be interested in based on your location, interests, hobbies, and videos you’ve watched in the past. The rest of the Facebook Watch main site is populated by these automatically chosen videos.
- Search: Select the Search Video field and type the name of a show you’re looking for. For instance, typing “Sorry For Your Loss” would bring up the Facebook Watch exclusive show of the same name.
- Watchlist: If you select Follow on any video or show, it’s added to your watchlist. You can select Latest Videos or Saved Videos in the Watchlist section of Facebook Watch to access these shows whenever you want.
- Facebook Watch News: The News tab contains live and previously recorded news videos from local and national sources. If you want to check out some quick news videos, this is the place to look.
- Facebook Watch Shows: This is where you’ll find the shows that make up the bulk of Facebook Watch content. You can scroll through the editor’s picks, look through all of the shows to see if anything is interesting, or search for specifics.
- Gaming: This section is a little more specialized since it represents Facebook’s alternative to Twitch and Youtube Gaming. This is the section where you’ll find both live game streams and previously recorded videos.
That’s it! You are now good to start watching relevant Facebook Watch videos from some of your favorite streamers.
The Audience Network And Ad Breaks
Facebook Watch has two different ways creators can monetize their videos: the Audience Network and the Ad Break methods. Both of these methods involve inserting ads or short commercials into videos. With that in mind, if you watch a video on Facebook Watch, and the creator has monetized it, you’ll watch commercials during the video.
- Audience Network: This is geared toward larger publishers and creators of apps and games. It can be used to show ads from Facebook advertisers in apps, on websites, in Facebook Instant Articles, and in games, not just videos.
- Ad Break: This is geared specifically toward creators who upload videos to Facebook Watch. To monetize your videos with Ad Break, your Facebook page needs to meet a number of metrics, including a minimum number of fans and a minimum number of minutes watched per video over a specific amount of time.
Anyone can upload videos to Facebook, but not all of those videos end up on Facebook Watch. If you want your videos to show up on Facebook Watch, you need to upload them using a Facebook Page, not a Facebook profile or Group.
While Facebook Watch does share some similarities with YouTube and Instagram TV, you can’t just sign up to Facebook. Or rather, create a Page for your show, and then expect your videos to show up in the service.
Some tips to help your videos show up on Facebook Watch:
- Start a Facebook Page: If you don’t already have a Facebook Page, you need one. This is different from your personal account, even if you name the page after yourself. The more followers your page has, and the more engagement you have with your fans, the more likely your show is to be picked up by Facebook Watch.
- Don’t use an excessive promotion: Don’t upload videos that play like direct advertisements for your business or products. If you have a business, and your Facebook Page promotes that business, your videos can be related to the same field, but they should be informational or entertaining.
- Create professional-looking videos: Facebook Watch videos aren’t all going to win Emmy awards, but they do need to have a higher production quality than the average YouTube video.
In addition to the above tips, you should also try and produce several videos for your Facebook Watch. If you have a series of videos ready to go, Facebook Watch is more likely to include your videos. They’re also two very unique features that you’ll also need to consider. Including the Facebook Watch Parties and the Facebook Watch Together options.
(a) The Facebook Watch Parties
When you host a Facebook Watch Party, group members can watch the same video, or an entire watchlist of videos, together. The video is synced up, so everyone watches at the same time, and you can also discuss what’s happening in real-time by typing into a chat field in the Facebook Watch party window.
(b) The Facebook Watch Together
Similar to a Watch Party, Watch Together lets friends watch Facebook videos via Messenger video chat and Facebook Messenger Rooms. This feature is available in the Messenger and Messenger Rooms mobile apps for iOS and Android. To use Watch Together, start a Messenger video call or create a Messenger Room.
And then, swipe up to access the menu and select Watch Together. Choose a video from a category like TV & Movies or Uploaded. Facebook also offers suggestions based on your activities. In a Messenger video call, you can watch with up to eight people, while Messenger Rooms allow up to 50.
Introducing We The Culture Segment
Among its many accolades, Facebook Watch is now giving a chance to all content creators — by Introducing the We The Culture segment — that goes with the #WeTheCulture hashtag. And, as you’ll learn more in the We The Culture guide, their mission is to help creators, publishers, and communities reach audiences and build their businesses on the platform.
With a sole responsibility to ensure they’re supporting equal outcomes for historically underrepresented communities. In early 2020, they established a dedicated team to lead this effort across the company. These initiatives have included a focus on growing and strengthening our day-to-day partnership support. More so, with content creator’s engagement.
Particularly, those who are focused on serving Black and LatinX communities. Whilst, helping creators, public figures, and media entities harness the superpower of their voices as agents of change. As well as driving social justice, and finding an investment in Black creators to help elevate their vision for the world, called ‘We The Culture.’
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For this reason, Facebook has committed $25 Million to launch the first Black creator program — We The Culture — at Meta. In nutshell, We The Culture elevates Black creators to share their vision with the world, spark community, and empower them to build successful, entertaining, and sustainable networks across all the Facebook Meta apps.
But, this is just the beginning of their effort on these fronts — they have much more to do. Eventually, they aspire to achieve this goal on behalf of many diverse communities around the world. Whereby, they began with an initial focus on Black communities in the US. And now, moving forward, they’ll continue to look for opportunities.
To leverage the power of various social networking communities and media platforms on behalf of racial and social justice. So that, in the end, they can amplify a wider spectrum of voices on the Facebook community and Meta platforms.
Using Facebook To Support Each Other
Realistically, when people are connected (social impact), they can achieve extraordinary things. We’ve seen how a post on Facebook can get someone life-saving help. Or rather, how a video challenge can raise record amounts for ALS research. And, how a hashtag can become a global Call to Action (CTA) for people to show up for each other in need.
After crises, people can use such app platforms for free. Particularly, to let their friends and family know they’re safe. And, as such, that’s why the Facebook team created a Safety Check Toolkit to make this easier. Overall, the main goal is to give people the tools they need to support each other. And to raise awareness and funds for causes they care about.
Many are using Facebook to support each other from all over. What’s more, every hour, someone in the world needs blood, and one donation can potentially save three lives. Lately, lots of businesses are struggling to keep the lights on — every dollar counts. And, when a natural disaster or crisis strikes, support from friends and neighbors helps us get through.
It’s these acts of kindness and community that inspire Meta to build new tools and features to enable the best of what people can do together. As an example, they saw how people post in need of blood transfusions. And, as a result, they built a Blood Donations Toolkit to help people easily and quickly register as donors and find local blood banks fast.
Surprisingly, people have now raised over $5 billion for nonprofits and personal causes through fundraisers on Facebook and Instagram. That said, see for yourself how people are using Facebook to support each other around the world. From Fundraisers, Crisis Response, Blood Donations, Voter Empowerment, Community Help, Amber Alerts, Mentorship, etc.
Related Resource Topics:
- Unlock your creativity with Reels on Facebook
- Understanding Facebook And Instagram Verification
- New ways to engage your audience and build your community
- Helping creators earn more and diversify their revenue on Facebook
- Build your virtual stage with paid online events
Creators of all shapes and sizes just like you, build vibrant communities across Facebook and our suite of apps. The main goal of Facebook is to ensure that you have the tools and support that you need to earn money and thrive – there are many exciting free updates about this progress. Plus tools to take advantage of right now, and where Meta is so far.
That’s why Meta is taking this opportunity to share more ways that you can use to monetize your content on Facebook. While using the Monetization Tools Application to make more money out of your overall Facebook content.
Consider the following:
- Earn revenue from the short-form video: Making it possible for creators to monetize all video types and testing sticker ads in Stories.
- Opening monetization to more creators: Updating the in-stream ad eligibility so that more video creators can access the program. Whilst, opening access to in-stream ads for Livestreams. And expanding paid online events and fan subscriptions to more countries.
- Accelerating fan support: Making it easier for creators to get access to fan support while growing consumer adoption through Free Facebook Stars and giveaways to viewers.
Bear in mind, that from 2019 to 2020, the number of creators earning the equivalent of $10k per month grew by 88% in revenue. While content creators earning $1k per month grew by 94% in revenue. Especially, on the basis of purchasing power parity adjustment according to the World Bank conversion factor. There’s great progress, but still, work to do.
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Finally, what’s your take on Facebook Watch guide below? Any more suggestions, opinions, thoughts, contributions, recommendations, or even questions? Well, feel free to share them in our comments section. And, if you’ll need more help, you can always Consult Us and let us know how we can sort you out. We wish all content creators the best of luck!
