Commentary

Facebook Changing: Enter Video

by Joe Marchese , January 6, 2009

The way people use Facebook is changing. What's more, something very significant is happening in the way people are communicating through social media in general. More and more, folks are sharing videos as a means of personal communication.

What this means is that video is coming to Facebook in a big way, but it will not look like the video we have seen on such social media platforms as YouTube and MySpace. To date video on these and other social sites has fit the paradigm of a small number of content producers, relative to a larger audience of content viewers. Meaning, the goal on YouTube, for a bulk of the content creators, is to get more views of their videos regardless of who is doing the viewing. To date, even with all of the user-generated content out there, on social sites most users' primary role was to either distribute/share other people's (commonly strangers') content, or simply consume that content.

Now users on Facebook are creating videos specifically to communicate with people -- or even a single person to whom the user is already connected. It sounds simple, but the difference is significant. The shift in behavior is being caused by a proliferation of easy-to-use devices that produce easy-to-upload, Flash-based videos (like Flip, and the video camera now built into every phone and computer) and Facebook's support of intuitive video sharing among social graph connections.

As this behavior increases, it creates a whole new class of video content on the Web. The plus side for Facebook is that using the site to store and share videos for communication adds a new layer of utility for Facebook, in a way that is very appropriate for the platform. Still, the trend brings another big issue: if you thought YouTube had a hard time monetizing its video content, imagine trying to monetize someone's personal video message to a friend.

For us, as marketers, video as communication represents people adapting to new technologies and evolving new media habits, even while we are still trying to adjust to the idea of social media at all. There is no guarantee how this will shake out (i.e., Will YouTube and MySpace simply cede this functionality to Facebook?). I am not sure yet what this will mean for the industry as a whole (marketers, social networks or users), but I am interested in your thoughts, as I am convinced this will be one of the major consumer trends over the year.

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13 comments about "Facebook Changing: Enter Video".

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Gordon Vasquez from RealTVfilms.com, January 6, 2009 at 12:18 p.m.
Excellent Article -- RealTVfilms started the Viral Video Social Marketing 1 year ago and the Facebook Communication is insane. Become a buddy on Facebook of RealTVfilms and watch the magic unfold -
Gordon
Gordon@RealTVfilms.com
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Gregory Gotts, January 6, 2009 at 12:35 p.m.

Great article about the video trend toward Facebook - it is far superior to YouTube and MySpace for viral video marketing. We've been using www.Involver.com as a flash-based video campaign platform for Facebook - they've successfully reached literally millions of FB viewers for marketers like AT&T, PUMA, Chiquita, Serena Software, Informatica, etc. Campaign we ran with Involver on Facebook for Serena won the 2008 OMMA Award for best B2B campaign... the Facebook API lets us add all the viral bells and whistles that make a truly sticky campaign.

Gregory Gotts (gottstogo@briefworld.com)

John Bruce, January 6, 2009 at 12:45 p.m.

My wife has over 200 friends on Facebook. I know she would like to share video on occasion but she's not a video editor. She would like to upload video but not be concerned that the video is the wrong format. If Facbook has a way to automatically re-format all video formats (avi, mpeg4, flv, mov, etc.) uploaded to it's site (I believe it does), then it will take off.
Once one person does it, says it's so easy to do, then sit back and watch video messaging on Facebook explode!

Brian Hayashi from ConnectMe 360, January 6, 2009 at 12:50 p.m.

Stock video will explode; and smart marketers will continue to find ways to make their messages "shareable".

What's interesting is Facebook's efforts to create an environment where video is both portable and clickable. Imagine going to a LOST TV show page on Facebook, watching the video with your friends, and being able to participate in a chat with fellow LOST-ies at the same time.

Given that type of service, would ABC find value in a video-gram targeted to potential viewers?

You betcha.

Catherine Ventura from @catherinventura, January 6, 2009 at 1:08 p.m.

Great post, Joe. The Facebook stampede has a lot of momentum and this would be a great way of continuing to enhance the experience. The photo uploading still isn't seamless either -- many user's have to opt for the "easy upload -- but it is very enticing to have website + blogging + email + IM + youtube all in one app and if Facebook is smart, they will run with it...

Rich Reader from WOMbuzz, January 6, 2009 at 1:15 p.m.

This is a stratagem rather than a blunder.

Creating new creators launches a new stage in the strategic evolution of Facebook, as the desire to flip a video at a friend will engender the flip-back. Like cold-fusion, it will create more energy than it consumes.

That surplus energy will faciliate the active landscape for behavioral, dynamic context, and demo-targeted advertising banner space in the messaging platform.

http://richreader.blogspot.com/

d l, January 6, 2009 at 1:46 p.m.

It's great that facebook is adding video capabilities. in my opinion, it does necessarily mean it competes or takes away from youtube or myspace, facebook it's more about "people" and what they do, ie: take pictures, videos, etc and you tube is more about peoples' "videos", much like Myspace it's a place where people share interest for "music". As a marketer depending on the product, you may segment or simply divide efforts to reach a desired audience especially when dealing with social mediums. I don't understand why the confusion about social media. social affinities seem to have always existed, clubs, organizations, etc. To me, what's changed, it's that now social affinities are global and virtual so that it transcends places, locations or cultures. Denisse socialraleigh.com

Tyler Lecompte from MeHype.com, January 6, 2009 at 2:10 p.m.

Nice post Joe. I had not heard anything about this new video functionality for Facebook, but I am both personally and professionally excited about this. Being professionally active in trying to monetize user-generated video advertising through my site, I have been researching the use/integration of this "new/old" communication, which is basically a virtual extension of word-of-mouth, and how to maximize it in 2009. I will look forward to seeing it in action both personally and professionally soon on Facebook. Thanks again...

Lynne Tierney from Nightly Business Report, January 6, 2009 at 4:21 p.m.

Monetization? Maybe it's time to let users select the ads that appear with the videos they send to their friends. That is in keeping with the user-driven nature of social media, and if agencies kept their creative attractive to the age group using Facebook, might even be considered fun.

Paul Harvey from Market-that, January 6, 2009 at 7:33 p.m.

I can see video messaging take off if the up load and down load is quick enough. I live in the north of Scotland and although I am promised 8Mb it does not get above 2Mb. FB will often freeze when playing Videos, I imagine this is a common problem outside the big cities.

FB it is a fantastic free service, as the video trend catches it will put its bandwidth costs through the roof. If they are relying on their ads to cover the cost then they will need to find a better placement are targeting system. As a married man I am still seeing singles ads.

Ted Rubin from The Rubin Organization / Return on Relationship, January 6, 2009 at 11:47 p.m.

Ok... new features are great, but what are they going to do to limit our usage of this feature. I have recently come up against Facebook desire to limit our ability to communicate usin their messaging to a group. They seemed very concerned with the amount and frequency of the email/messaging usage. I was cut off today and threatened with my account being closed for an active communication with a group of grade school friends who have recently found each other, expnanded our group and started commuicating regularly. Would think this is what Facebook is all about. See communication from them below...

From Facebook:
You are blocked from sending messages due to continued overuse of this feature
Your failure to comply with an earlier warning has resulted in this block.
Continued misuse of Facebook's features may result in your account being permanently disabled.
Which of the following links describes what you were trying to do? Clicking on a link will take you to more information on how to use Facebook's features.

Using Applications <http://www.new.facebook.com/help.php?topic=wusingapplications <http://www.new..facebook.com/help.php?topic=wusingapplications> >
Planning an Event <http://www.new.facebook.com/help.php?topic=wevent>
Sharing your Facebook Group/Event link <http://www.new.facebook.com/help.php?topic=wevent>
Promoting a business, product or service <http://www.new..facebook.com/help.php?topic=wbusiness <http://www.new.facebook.com/help.php?topic=wbusiness> >
Chatting with friends <http://www.new.facebook.com/help.php?topic=winbox>
Help Center

Questions and Answers from Facebook

I was chatting with friends by sending them a lot of Inbox messages, but now I've been warned for misusing site features.
Facebook has several features in place to limit the potential for abusive or annoying behavior on the site. One of these features is a cap on the speed and frequency at which a user sends messages to other users while using the Inbox.
Please note that even if all of your conversations were legitimate interactions with friends, our Inbox message service is not a chat client, and should not be treated as such.
As a recommended alternative, we suggest that you check out the Facebook Chat feature, which allows you to exchange real-time messages with your confirmed Facebook friends.
To start using Facebook Chat, click the Chat icon in the bottom right corner of any Facebook page, and choose the "Go Online" option. You can start a conversation with any confirmed Facebook friend by clicking on their name in the "Online Friends" list. Once you send a message, your friend will receive an alert at the bottom of their screen, and they can reply by typing in the conversation box provided.

Matt Howard from SMBLive, January 7, 2009 at 8:31 a.m.

No doubt the use of asynchronous video is going to be huge in 2009.

The growth will come from advertising (1:few) as millions of SMBs begin to leverage simple tools like the Flip.

I seriously doubt that personal video (1:1) will see huge growth -- at least in 2009. We're still waiting for people to adopt synchronous video in a messaging context.

One thing you (and many others) fail to mention about video is the associated impact upon broadband carriers.

The simple fact is that the rapid proliferation of video poses a huge cost to the carriers. They must figure out ways to deliver new, higher margin, services that work with the tide rather than against it.

I wrote a post about this topic here http://broadbandevolved.com

Kathleen Formidoni from blast! PR, January 9, 2009 at 2:11 p.m.

I also think this will be a major trend and one that will be extremely challenging to wrap our collective arms around. it will be super interesting to see how this video aspect of the facebook platform will be accessed my the masses. Especially since it appears as though Facebook has reached another echelon in recent months. More and more friends and family are just joining / ramping up. Yet, I've almost moved on to Twitter completely! :-)

The video aspect for personal communication is a game changer. I recall thinking of the opportunities when I found myself recording a holiday video from Hawaii for my niece Marie who lives in the Tetons. I love video technology! :-)

Great post, keep them coming.
Peace out,
Kathleen