Driving Engagement on Facebook Watch

According to a recent survey conducted by Morgan Stanley, 40 per cent of U.S. Facebook users say that they use Watch weekly, which is a huge chunk of the two-billion-plus users the social media giant currently has.

What’s really interesting is that 40 per cent of those who access Facebook Watch daily are between the ages of 16 and 34. This shows that Facebook, which tends to have a slightly more mature audience compared to other social media platforms, is still able to access that highly desirable younger demographic too.

Not only that, but Facebook is also really pushing to make video on Facebook truly interactive, which is the best way to capture and engage the millennial audience. According to them: “Watching video doesn’t have to be a passive, one-way broadcast. We believe that many traditional formats — from game shows to reality TV and even scripted content — can be reinvented to be more participatory and community-centric.”

Here are three examples of how we helped content creators to stand out on Facebook watch with highly engaging videos.

Giving A Spotlight for Viewer Comments

The Tough Mudder live stream  on Facebook Watch included many exciting features such as lower third graphics. However, the ‘comments to air’ element was what truly drove interactivity and overall participation up. During the event real-time comments were pushed to air as racers were sprinting throughout the course.

Giving Viewers the Ultimate Power

Make Up or Break Up  let viewers make the critical decision of whether couples stayed together or parted ways, for the pairs featured on the show. Using various interactive elements such as polling and featured comments on screen, viewers interacted directly with the host and couple, before ultimately voting live on the pair’s future with the hashtags #MakeUp or #BreakUp.

Incorporating Real-Time Polling

Take a look at our  Spartan Race case study  and see how we made viewers part of the overall experience. From comments to air to captivating graphics, this live stream on Facebook Watch truly put viewer engagement at the centre of the race organizer’s video strategy.

Real-time polling also allowed viewers to state their opinion by simply typing one of the hashtag options into the comments section. Not only did fans get to be a part of the live stream; they also got the chance to compare their vote to the rest of those watching, giving it a community feel too.