Facebook is to bring its Facebook Watch video service into Europe.
Launched 12 months ago, the intention was to capitalise on the shift in video habits away from traditional media, and towards subscription services such as Netflix and the user generated content found on YouTube.
“We designed the product not just in a mindless consumption but in order to get people engaged,” Fidji Simo, Facebook’s vice president for video, said Tuesday.
Since its debut in the United States, Facebook has increased its video offer with original shows and in the past few days has announced new interactive game shows and quizzes.
Facebook sees its own productions as just a small proportion of what Facebook Watch has to offer and is looking to user generated content to fill the gap.
However, its support remains muted. Earlier this month, a report from The Diffusion Group (TDG), found that half of adult Facebook users have never heard of the free Watch video service, while 24% have heard of it but never used it, despite the fact that Watch is featured on the social network’s navigation bar and marketed heavily within the Facebook app.
