facebook vs youtube
Keeping up with trends on social media isn’t just about creating snappy, up to the minute content. It’s also about using digital know-how to get that perfect piece of insight or info seen by the right people, not to mention as many people as possible.
Once upon a time YouTube was the only place worth thinking about when it came to video content online, but it might not be so straightforward anymore thanks to one social media giant – Facebook.
With online video content predicted to grow up to 55% between now and the year 2020, it’s worth getting every element of online video content right from the start, and to keep up with the landscape as it changes. If trends ring true, up to 80% of web traffic will be owed to video content by 2019. Who can afford to miss out on that?
As with all things web, recent changes have been accelerated by the rapid growth of mobile and tablet usage. Far from a passing phase in online behaviours, mobile is on track to exceed desktop usage going forward. So that means brands, and agencies in particular, have got to sit up, take notice and adapt without delay.
Facebook have harnessed their exceptional reach, ability to target audiences, and user research to hone their video offer since its launch into timelines in 2014. From a novelty element on the Facebook timeline, video views on the social media site topped 8 million by the end of 2015, and they continue to grow.
In part thanks to the platform’s in-built sharing ability, the number of eyes on each piece of video content is beginning to outstrip that of YouTube. It’s worth remembering, too, that native uploads to Facebook gain far more traction than a YouTube link posted on a Facebook timeline – and that’s no accident.
For brands already harnessing Facebook’s advertising arm, their targeting to audiences is a tool already paying dividends. Those dividends stretch to video too, letting the right consumers see your visual content, not just the highest numbers.
Recent research has found that Facebook may have been overstating their successes, with grey areas around what counts as a ‘video view’. This is likely due to the autoplay feature of the homepage. But don’t let that discourage – many brands have found that an intriguing autoplay video can translate into a full play from a well-targeted user. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-37449995
But does this mean YouTube should be done away with altogether? Not quite so fast. While short, snappy and viral-ready videos are dominating the Facebook landscape, YouTube is still winning hearts and minds with its native community and their exceptional dedication to quality. Longer videos, niche insights and higher production values still see their best home found on the Google-owned video giant.
So what’s the solution? Simply to use both, for now. Where a long form video that goes in depth on your message will resonate more with audiences on YouTube, don’t be afraid to draw in users of Facebook with a bitesize and cleverly edited version of the same. As always with social media and web content – knowing what you’re talking about is the most sought after skill. Getting it seen? Leave that up to us.
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