Dive Brief:
- Facebook is testing a dedicated video tab and subscription-based video channels on the Android app version of its platform, according to reporting by MediaPost.
- The report points out the new features bring the Facebook mobile video experience in line with YouTube's.
- News of the tests comes at a time when Facebook’s Q2 earnings report revealed 84% of the social media platform’s ad revenue now comes from mobile.
Dive Insight:
Given the importance of mobile to Facebook’s advertising business and its emphasis on video, the new features showcase Facebook's dedication to providing users with the best possible experience, regardless of medium and device.
The video tab Facebook is testing includes a video-specific search engine, something that will offer marketers with keyword ad targeting. The challenge for Facebook in taking on YouTube directly in its mobile app is that YouTube is already the second most used search engine (behind parent company Google, of course) while Facebook users aren’t accustomed to being able to easily uncover video on the platform via search.
Still, Facebook reported in its quarterly earnings that overall searches on the platform are up to 2 billion this quarter, showing the increasing importance of search on Facebook.