As easy as can be said, Facebook Watch is the on-demand video service that is owned and run by Facebook. It is similar in some ways to YouTube as it allows for videos to be uploaded and accessed for free by different individuals.
You, just like everyone else using social media platforms are more drawn to pictures and videos than to text or any form of content. As such, it is not surprising that every tech giant is introducing its own video-on-demand service modeling after video sharing platforms like YouTube. Facebook’s own is Facebook Watch.
While the platform allows users to create videos of any length and share, it also has original content that covers everything from news programming to comedy, drama, sports, and much more. Inasmuch as accessing the content is all free, you will need to first have a Facebook account.
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What is Facebook Watch?
As already stated, Facebook Watch is a free video-on-demand service. It contains both user-generated video contents as well as original content created by the giant social media platform.
While anyone can upload videos on Facebook, not all these videos get to make it to Watch. This is one of the things that make it different from YouTube which allows anyone to simply add videos once you create a channel using your Gmail account.
Among the most original shows on the platform are the 2018 dark comedy, Sorry for Your Loss, Limetown (2019), and The Birch (2019) among many others.
To get your videos to make it on the Facebook video-on-demand service, here are things you will need to do:
1. Create a Facebook Page
Before anything else, you will need to create a Facebook page. It can carry any name you want but it is not the same thing as your personal account although it may still carry your name. The more content you upload and engagement you get, the higher your chances of making it to Watch.
2. Create and upload videos that are professional
You do not need to make videos that are too formal or business-like but they still need to be professional. That doesn’t mean you need to spend too much to produce videos.
3. Keep producing videos
Producing a single video or only a couple may not get your videos to make it to Facebook Watch. Hence, you will need to keep producing and uploading videos. The more good videos you produce, the better your chances.
4. Avoid videos that seem too much like advertisements
If you have a page for either a product or service, you will do good to avoid creating videos that look like ads or those that are promotional.
As much as possible, you will want your videos to be entertaining and not so much formal. When it looks so much like ads, it suggests that you are trying to promote something for free.
Is Facebook Watch Free?
Modeling after YouTube, Facebook Watch is all free to access. As pointed out, however, you will need to first of all, have a Facebook account. Both the regular contents and original content created by the platform are accessed for free.
While it is free, you will not escape the ads that continue to riddle videos as you watch.
How Do You Use It?
You can access Facebook Watch from both your computer and mobile devices; any device that allows you to access Facebook. You can also tune to the service on Samsung smart TVs, Amazon Fire TV, and Android TV. On any device that you cannot access Facebook directly, you may, first of all, have to download the Facebook Watch client.
Once you are signed in, simply head to the Watch and you are set to go!
If you are using the Facebook app on any mobile device, the first thing you want to do to access the service is to launch the app and then tap the three vertical dots at the top right side to open the menu. Next, select Watch and then select what you want to watch.
You can also decide to create your own show on for the platform. If you are doing this, you want to have each episode at less than 60 minutes while the file size can be as large e as 2 GB or even more.
You can select any of the following sections:
- Watchlist: The service gives more prominence to this. It is made of all the pages and shows you follow. It is also populated by the kind of content Facebook believes will be interesting to you.
- News: Here, you get both previously recorded news and live broadcasts from both local and national sources.
- Shows: These various shows make most of what you get on the service. The section compiles different shows from which you can select.
How creators can make money from their videos
To monetize your videos, there are two ways that you can do that; audience network and Ad break. With both, having to do with putting in short commercials and ads in videos. Because of this, when you watch a video on Facebook, you may end up seeing an ad or commercial inserted somewhere in the video time you watch a video.
- Ad Break: This form of monetization is only made available to only creators whose videos make it to FB Watch. Before one can be eligible for this, you have to meet some specified metrics such as engagements, the number of views, as well as the minutes each of your videos, get to be watched over a period of time.
- Audience Network: This mostly targets creators and publishers of games and apps. If you are using apps, you may get these forms of Facebook ads. They also appear in games and Facebook Instant Articles and not only videos.
Quick Questions
1. Can I watch Facebook watch on TV?
Yes, it is possible to watch videos on TV. However, you will need to make sure that your TV is connected to a streaming device which may be Samsun TV, Apple TV, or something else.
Also, the mobile device you are using or the computer has to be on the same Wi-Fi network with your streaming device. Once you find the video you want to stream, expand your video to full-screen mode.
Next, go to the top right corner of the video and then select the TV you want the video to play.
See Also: What is Dailymotion Site, and How Safe Is It To Use?
2. How do I download Facebook Watch app?
Downloading the FB Watch app and logging in is pretty much a straightforward process. The first thing to do is to check the platforms the app supports. If your device is there, follow the steps below:
- Go to the app store for your TV
- Next, you will need to download the TV FB Watch TV app
- Launch the app and then click Continue with Facebook
- A code will appear which you will need to confirm on your Facebook account.
