Publishers can put up gigantic Facebook view numbers, thanks to videos automatically playing in the news feed, but the real trick is getting people to watch for 30 seconds or longer.
PopSugar, which made video the centerpiece of its Facebook video strategy beginning in September, found that meant making some simple tweaks: make sure videos have an eye-catching video and on-screen text for silent viewing. Those changes helped the publisher greatly increase “real” views (30 seconds or longer) across its five categories. For instance, just 21 percent of PopSugar’s fashion videos’ views were longer than 30 seconds; now 42 percent stick around. Across the board, 35-50 percent of views now reach 30 seconds, according to PopSugar Studios president David Grant.
“Facebook says we’re doing a gazillion views, but we can say with confidence that — while, yes, by 30 seconds the number of views still goes down — these are not bullshit numbers,” said Grant.
Here’s an example of an early PopSugar Facebook video, which does not lead with a striking image or example that pulls viewers in within the first three seconds:
The video only retained 15.6 percent of viewers after the first 30 seconds. This is in direct contrast to a more recent video, which starts with an image that Grant calls the “money shot” to draw viewers in.
“At the beginning, people were actually so intrigued by the opening image that they went back and replayed the video,” said Grant. “Having your audience on Facebook understand what’s important in the first few seconds is critical to conversion rates.”
While just one example, Grant said PopSugar is seeing similar performance across all of its Facebook videos, as long as the content in the video itself resonates with its audience. According to Tubular Labs, Pop Sugar gets 51 million Facebook video views a month.
“We are in the business of telling stories; if our business was built on a three-second view, there is no business there, whether Facebook counts it or not,” said Grant. “It was about practicing and seeing what works on Facebook — just as we did with YouTube. If we are not engaging with viewers for a longer period of time, then we’re not doing it right, regardless of platform.”
Image via PopSugar and YouTube
More in Media
OpenAI, The New York Times debate copyright infringement of AI tech companies in first trial arguments
The copyright infringement trial between The New York Times and OpenAI kicked off in a federal court hearing on Tuesday. Here’s what both parties argued.
Financial Times, MiQ and Uber Advertising are 2024 Digiday Awards Europe finalists
This year, the companies driving innovation in Europe focused on omnichannel strategies, including leaning on first-party data and AI-driven insights to improve targeting and audience engagement. The Digiday Awards Europe finalists also share a common theme of elevating user experiences to deliver more impactful technology and campaigns. For instance, the Financial Times is a nominee […]
Digiday+ Research: More than half of publishers reported revenue increases in 2024
Publishers said revenues were up last year and media companies had a successful 2024 — but that success didn’t extend to the media industry as a whole.