Facebook launches Watch platform for original video

Facebook has officialy launched its video platform: Watch.The goal is to boost the videos within the social network. This new tab includes the original content that the company is developing with artists and creators.

The new Watch tab will be available across its various apps and offers users a dedicated place to view original video content.

The new platform will be personalized to each user, suggesting shows they might like based on what their friends are watching, with sections like "Most Talked About" and "What's Making People Laugh." Publishers can also share their shows to the News Feed to help people discover them.

A Watchlist feature lets you subscribe to updates on new episodes of your favorite shows. Fans can connect with each other and creators through a new feature that links shows to Groups.

By hosting original programming, Facebook could boost ad revenue and give people a reason to frequently return to the News Feed for content they can’t get anywhere else. 

Some of the initial shows to be featured on Watch include: David Lopez’s reality series My Social Media Life; spiritual teacher Gabby Bernstein’s Gabby Live; master woodworker Tommy Mac’s live furniture-making tutorials; and the international travel vlog Nas Daily. Additionally, Tastemade’s Kitchen Little will see children try to recreate recipes by professional chefs, and Mike Rowe will host Returning The Favor, which will highlight extraordinary people in communities across the country as nominated by Rowe’s Facebook fans.

The “Watch” tab and several dozen original shows will start rolling out to a small group of U.S. users today on mobile, desktop and Facebook’s TV apps.