Is video, video, video… and they are right to have this as priority #1. YouTube is so powerful. How to compete? Zuckerberg said this week that the biggest question on Facebook executives’ minds these days is whether it can pull off its ambitious video strategy, which includes rolling out TV-style programs as well as shorter videos on a new section of the app known as “video home.”
The challenge IMHO isn’t just how to get me to spend more time in the Facebook feed watching video, but how to break Facebook free of the constraints of the Browser and Facebook Mobile Interface. YouTube does this well – especially for offline viewing. How would I enjoy Facebook video on my TV or iPad Pro? In offline mode? This is why Facebook is launching apps for Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and Samsung Smart TV. And no doubt some serious marketing dollars will follow to drive downloads.
Then there is the grim reality that the video game is lower margin with players like Netflix and Amazon investing big (so much bigger than Facebook’s $25m per episode for Nitro Circus. Both facts leave less room for mis-steps.
Going to be exciting to see you Facebook plays its cards in the new Video tab coming soon.