Facebook is working to be the biggest platform in online video, with views increasing to 4 billion a day from just 1 billion in September 2014. So, to be more like YouTube, and to give publishers more video customization options, the social networker has unveiled new tools.
Facebook needs professional content
It will not be an easy task to overtake YouTube as it enjoys a large user base and rich content. Facebook‘s offering lacks high-end content, which is prepared by professional creators.
At present, many users are using the social network site like an advertising tool only to redirect viewers to their YouTube pages. In order to change this, Facebook is working towards making the platform more engaging to the content creator, as well as motivate them to upload videos natively, says a report from Business Insider.
To accomplish this, Facebook launched new publisher tools to give video uploaders more control, says The Verge. The new tools enable blocking embeds the third-party sites, along with assigning a video as “secret” to make it accessible only via a direct URL, notes a blog post.
Along with the new tools, the social networker also released a Video Library feature, “A new place for Page owners to organize and update their videos.” Though these feature have been available on YouTube for years, Facebook is now initiating its own effort to grab market share.
YouTube’s biggest strengths
YouTube’s cash advantage is one of its biggest weapons, which is invincible even by the best publishers’ tool in the world, says Business Insider. The Google-owned site offers revenue to uploaders, running adverts alongside their videos, and gives them a share of the proceeds.
Following this model, Facebook is also working to share ad revenues with the content makers, but it’s still in initial stages. For now, Fox, NBA and Funny or Die are some of the established uploaders that Facebook is working with.
The social networker is also facing issues relating to persistent copyright infringement. Some of the postings by the largest accounts on the network have been found to be violating copyright. Previously, George Strompolo, CEO of multi-channel network FullScreen, said: “frankly, I’m shocked that a rights holder with deep pockets has not sued yet,” but, added that with the right tools, Facebook video “can truly eclipse [YouTube] over time.”
