Facebook is one of the most popular social media platforms, with over 2.8 billion monthly active users as of Q3 2021. With such a massive user base, Facebook offers an immense opportunity for businesses and content creators to reach and engage their target audience.
One of the most effective ways to connect with audiences on Facebook is through video content. According to Facebook, there are over 8 billion video views on Facebook every day. But what is the average video retention rate on the platform? In other words, how long do viewers actually watch Facebook videos on average?
What is video retention rate?
Video retention rate refers to the percentage of a video that viewers have watched. It provides insight into how captivating and interesting your video content is to your target audience.
Video retention rate is calculated by comparing the total number of completed views for a video to its total number of impressions. Here is the formula:
Video Retention Rate = (Number of Completed Views / Total Impressions) x 100
For example, if a video received 1,000 impressions and 500 of those viewers watched the video till the end, then the video retention rate would be:
(500 Completed Views / 1000 Total Impressions) x 100 = 50% Video Retention Rate
A higher video retention rate indicates that a video has been able to keep viewers interested and engaged throughout its duration. This signals that the video was successful in resonating with the target audience.
Average Facebook video retention benchmarks
According to Facebook, the average video retention rate on Facebook is only about 20 seconds. This means viewers are only watching 20 seconds of video on average before dropping off.
Here are some other key Facebook video retention benchmarks to be aware of:
- After 10 seconds, 40% of viewers will drop off
- After 20 seconds, 60% of viewers will drop off
- After 30 seconds, 80% of viewers will drop off
These benchmarks highlight just how difficult it is to keep viewers’ attention on Facebook. You only have a very short window to capture their interest before they disengage and keep scrolling.
Factors impacting Facebook video retention rate
There are several key factors that can influence how long viewers are watching your Facebook videos:
Video length
The ideal length for Facebook videos is 10-120 seconds long. Videos longer than 120 seconds see a significant dropoff in retention.
Thumbnail design
An eye-catching thumbnail can capture attention and motivate viewers to click and watch your video. Ensure your thumbnail has vibrant colors, an interesting visual, and compelling text.
Relevance to audience
Videos need to align closely with your target audience’s interests and preferences. Viewers will quickly disengage from content that does not resonate with them.
Quality of content
High-quality video content that educates, entertains, inspires or impacts your audience will have higher retention rates. Poor quality videos see quicker dropoffs.
Captions
Adding captions to your video can improve watch time, as it caters to viewers who prefer to consume content without sound.
How to improve Facebook video retention rate
Here are some proven tactics to help increase retention rate for your Facebook videos:
Hook viewers in the first 5 seconds
You need to capture attention right away, so ensure those crucial first 5 seconds are impactful. For example, start with an interesting statistic, powerful quote, or shocking visual.
Tell a compelling story
Storytelling hooks viewers and makes them more likely to watch through to the end. Build your video around a cohesive narrative arc.
Include a strong call to action
Insert a clear CTA 20 seconds into your video to motivate your desired viewer action, such as clicking a link or subscribing.
Ask questions to spark curiosity
Posing an interesting question and promising to reveal the answer later can entice viewers to keep watching.
Use dynamic editing techniques
Incorporate b-roll footage, graphics, and text overlays to maintain visual interest throughout your video.
Leverage the “sound on” visual cue
The “sound on” icon displayed on silent Facebook videos can prompt viewers to unmute and watch with sound.
Best practices for creating engaging Facebook videos
Here is a summary of key best practices to follow when creating videos for Facebook:
- Optimal length is 30-90 seconds
- Use high-quality recordings, at least 720p resolution
- Choose landscape orientation
- Add captions and visual cues when audio is critical
- Insert relevant hashtags in description to improve discoverability
- Include a strong, clickable call-to-action
- Monitor analytics to identify highest performing video content
- Test different video styles, lengths and formats
- Promote your videos through Facebook Ads for maximum reach
Tools to analyze Facebook video metrics
To assess the performance and retention of your Facebook videos, utilize these analytics tools:
Facebook Insights
Facebook’s built-in analytics tool provides data on views, completion rate, average watch time and demographics.
Facebook Creator Studio
This free platform from Facebook offers detailed metrics on videos published to Facebook Pages.
TubeBuddy
TubeBuddy is a popular third-party tool that integrates with Facebook to provide advanced video analytics.
Facebook Analytics
Facebook’s Analytics tool for ad campaigns reports retention metrics for videos promoted through Facebook Ads.
Google Analytics
Connecting your website to Google Analytics allows you to view retention data for videos driving traffic from Facebook.
Conclusion
Driving strong video retention on Facebook is critical for engaging your target audience. While the average retention rate is only about 20 seconds, focus on creating captivating video content optimized specifically for the Facebook platform. Test different video styles and leverage analytics to uncover what resonates most with your viewers. With compelling video content that provides value, you can maintain high retention rates and achieve your Facebook marketing objectives.