Facebook launched Watch Party — a feature that lets users watch videos simultaneously together and interact with each other — inside Groups earlier this year. Now the feature is expanding to every page and profile around the world.
Facebook Watch Party is the ultimate social experience: you watch videos with your friends, simultaneously, no matter where you are. Not only that, but Watch party also lets you interact with other viewers while watching. In fact, Watch Parties generate 8 times more comments than non-live videos in Groups.
Watch Party has actually been a very successful feature for Facebook. Since they were introduced in Groups in January 2018, there have been more than 12 million Watch Parties.
With the latest release, Watch Parties are also getting some cool new features. For example, threaded comments will allow viewers to have more meaningful conversations. Watch Parties can now also be scheduled ahead of time and the host gains the ability to go live and comment aloud while videos play.
Fidji Simo, VP of product at Facebook, explained: “As we think about video on Facebook, we’re focused on creating experiences that bring people closer together and inspire human connection instead of passive consumption.” – is this not what social is all about? It should be.
[box]Read next: Why Did YouTube Stream ‘The Lego Movie’ Free On Black Friday?[/box]