Are Facebook Watch and IGTV Worth the Marketing Energy?

Zach WelchNovember 06, 2019Tips

Video continues to be one of the most effective forms of digital marketing. It’s engaging, memorable, and tells a story more easily than static content. On social media, video averages 48% more views and 1200% more shares than images and Cisco estimates that by 2022, online videos will make up more than 82% of all consumer internet traffic. Pretty crazy!

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With this explosive growth has come new video hosting capabilities on social media platforms—most notably Facebook Watch and Instagram TV (otherwise known as IGTV). While these features had a bit of a slow start, ongoing upgrades continue to push them more into the limelight. Facebook has released original programming with big name actors, and Instagram has seen IGTV usage grow after supporting horizontal video . Of course, the bulk of each platform’s traffic and activity is still consumed via the main newsfeed but some brands are getting ahead of the competition by investing in these features specifically.

If you’ve been thinking about adding Facebook Watch or IGTV to your marketing mix, consider these questions before jumping on the bandwagon.

Does video content come easily for my brand?

Some brands just lend themselves to video content more easily than others. Typically, a brand with a more playful tone and style has an easier time creating video content. Topics can seem more “off the cuff” and high quality equipment isn’t always needed. But brands with strict guidelines can absolutely have strong video content as well. The key is just choosing the right content themes. Both Facebook Watch and IGTV videos have a longer shelf-life than newsfeed content, and are consumed in more of a “series” format so it’s important to plan multiple episodes vs. just one piece of content.

Do I have the resources?

I’m a firm believer in doing fewer things well than doing more things but at sub-par. In social media, there’s nothing worse than a campaign or platform that has been abandoned—it’s typically better to have never started in the first place. Good video marketing takes a lot of time and energy, and a social channel should be producing strong content for the newsfeed before considering adding on other placements. Will you be able to adhere to a regular posting schedule? Do you have editing capability to optimize the video specifically for Facebook Watch or IGTV? Are all other areas of your social media strategy buttoned-up?

Do I have leeway on ROI?

If generating leads or web traffic is your key goal, you’re better off putting your budget into social media ads. Brands that invest in good content marketing are in it for the long game. They truly want to build relationships with their followers, foster bonding, and turn them into brand advocates. These things go beyond being quantified and measured.

If you answered “yes” to all three questions above, then congrats! You’re ahead of the majority of other brands when it comes to social media. I wish you the best of luck in your video marketing efforts , wherever they may take you!

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