Users will see a new “Watch” tab appear on their feeds and will be able to add shows to their ‘Watchlist’
Facebook – the leading social giant has announced to introduce a new platform named ‘Watch’ which is a redesigned tab for video shows.
Facebook will compete with the likes of YouTube and Netflix with its own video platform set to appear within the social network itself.
The company said today that Watch, is a redesigned video platform, will begin rolling out to a small percentage of users tomorrow.
‘Watch’ features original programming financed by Facebook, alongside videos from other creators, in a tab that will become personalized to your interests over time.
Users will see a new “Watch” tab appear on their feeds, which when clicked will take them to a range of shows being offered by Facebook.
Users will be able to add shows to their ‘Watchlist’, with the platform designed to showcase new shows, organised around what user’s friends and communities are watching.
Sections include “Most Talked About,” and “What’s Making People Laugh,” which includes shows where numerous people have used the “Haha” reaction.
Users will also be able to see what their friends are watching, with comments viewable while the videos play.
According to a statement from their official blog, it said “Our goal is for Watch to be a platform for all creators and publishers to find an audience, build a community of passionate fans, and earn money for their work”.
Initially, Watch will be available to a limited group of people on mobile, desktop, and our TV apps in the U.S.
It will begin replacing the current video tab for users tomorrow in Facebook’s apps for Android, iOS, the web, and television.
If successful, Facebook’s push into video programming could represent a major new source of revenue for the company, which has begun running out of room to place new ads in in the News Feed.
It could also pose a strategic threat to other big video purveyors, including YouTube, Amazon, and Netflix.