Facebook’s video comments could draw in younger users
Bob Baldwin, an engineer at Facebook, announced in a blog post on Thursday that the company is letting users post video in their comments on other peoples' posts.
The new feature is available worldwide immediately.
To try it, click the camera icon next to the comment field.
"This adds to the suite of multimedia features within comments including: links, photos, stickers, emoji, and starting today video," Baldwin wrote in his post. "This was no small feat to add support across interfaces and within two heavy traffic services, like comments and videos."
Considering how popular video is in the social media world right now, this was a smart move -- one that even could draw in younger users, who have been so important but elusive for Facebook.
"I think this will have huge appeal with the younger audience," said Zeus Kerravala, an analyst with ZK Research. "I think it could help attract younger users. People love video, so being able to do more with it will have appeal."
Patrick Moorhead, an analyst with Moor Insights & Strategy, also said this could be a move that helps draw younger users to the site or -- at least keep current younger users from straying. Younger people are drawn to video services like Periscope and Meerkat, analysts said.
"Young users are more comfortable with video interaction and given the enhanced interaction with this feature, this is attractive to them," he added. "I think it's not a feature that many consumers are asking for, but I believe when some try it, it could be a preferred mechanism... Video is that appealing."
Facebook's Baldwin noted that the feature was first prototyped at the company's 50th Hackathon held earlier this year.
"At the hackathon, we coded as quickly as we could all day, and by the evening we could feel the pieces starting to come together," wrote Baldwin. "A little past midnight, we had the feature mostly working on both desktop and mobile apps... Over the past few months, we continued to refine and stabilize it, as a side project we all were eager to ship."
Videos in replies and comments can be uploaded to both people you've friended and pages you've liked, as well as within groups and events.
It's also supported on desktop web, iOS and Android versions of Facebook.