Facebook Rolls Out Enhanced Video Features With YouTube-Like Capabilities

While mobile users are worrying about their monthly data allowance, with Facebook’s auto-play feature eating it up, Facebook is focusing its efforts on videos. The social media site announced that it would be rolling out some YouTube-like features as well as showing related video suggestions when a user is done watching a video.

Facebook product management director, video Fidji Simo provided some interesting statistics when it comes to videos. Simo revealed that the amount of videos viewed exceeded 50 percent from May through July this year. In addition, there have been more than 1 billion video views on the social media platform every day with 65 percent of those video views being on mobile devices.

According to Simo, an update is expected to come out this week that will let users see how many views a video has received on Facebook. The view count will be shown on public videos from people and pages. Meanwhile, on mobile, Facebook is testing another feature that will bring up related suggestions to videos that have been watched just like it does when a user clicks on an article.

However, Facebook is not only focusing on its users but publishers and public figures as well. Publishers will be provided with more detailed metrics and better tools for reaching audiences. One tool, called Call to action, will allow video content creators to invite people to visit a destination after a video ends.

“The goal of News Feed is to deliver the right stories to the right people at the right time, from the people and things you care about,” said Simo.” And more people than ever before are seeing, sharing and expressing themselves with video on Facebook. We’re committed to making Facebook the best place to share, discover and watch videos, and we’ll keep listening to feedback to improve video on Facebook.”