Facebook is about to become more ‘immersive’, company bosses have revealed – by making vertical videos more obvious on feeds.
The social network says it has tested with users and found that people really love vertically formatted videos, including adverts and live broadcasts.
A spokesman told Marketing Land: ‘We know that people enjoy more immersive experiences on Facebook, so we’re starting to display a larger portion of each vertical video in News Feed on mobile.’
Snapchat has made vertical video popular, and research suggests people are more likely to watch upright footage for longer and with the sound on when it appears on their feed.
Jason Stein, chief executive at digital agency Laundry Service and media firm Cycle, said: ‘If this is rolling out wide, it’s because Facebook has tested it at scale and data shows that people prefer to engage with vertical video.
‘If that is the case, it is in line with many other trends on mobile, including what Snapchat has pioneered and Instagram now also has in its feed. Of course, for advertisers and publishers, the more real estate per video the better.’
