Facebook has adopted a new approach to measuring content performance, making “views” metrics the primary metric. This change has been extended to include both video content as well as photos, text, and other post types. In this way, it is tried to make it easier for content producers to evaluate and understand their performance. This can be considered as Meta’s effort to provide a consistent measurement system across content types.
In a statement he made last summer, Instagram President Adam Mosseri stated that using a single metric across platforms would provide a more transparent structure for content creators. For example, for a Reels video, views refer to the number of times the video has been played; For other content, a view refers to the number of times the content appears on users’ screens. If the same user sees the same content more than once, each view is recorded separately. This reveals the reach potential of the content more concretely.
Meta’s other platforms are taking similar steps
However, Meta has also launched a similar app on the Threads platform, adding view counters to posts. Although this step was taken to provide content creators with more transparency regarding performance data, how meaningful it is for the average user is open to debate. As a matter of fact, although it may seem like an advantage to know how many screens your posts appear on, learning why this is the case is a more complex issue.
By the way, the “views” metric has long been a topic that Elon Musk has been focusing on on the X (formerly Twitter) platform. Measurement methods such as “views” or “impressions” developed by technology companies are generally shaped according to the strategic goals of the companies and may vary. Platforms’ efforts to direct user habits are frequently observed in such metrics. Meta’s current goal may be to get users to spend more time in front of the screen.
In addition to all this, these developments open the doors of a new era for content producers and brands. Viewership-focused measurement systems require rethinking content strategies and more detailed analysis of user behavior. Thus, how the competition between platforms will take shape will be closely monitored.