Facebook Throws a Haymaker at YouTube -> YouTube Blocks & Counters!

Facebook Live Video Has a New Mapping System…& it May Overthrow YouTube as King of Video

Facebook’s Live Video punch is so staggering, that it may actually send YouTube on its’ way to the first stages of irrelevance & soon.

How in the $#%#@ could you even propose that? Well, try to read carefully.

1. No. It’s not “over” for YouTube. I’m speaking regarding YouTube’s goals. If they fell to #2 in video, they would feel embarrassed + insignifcant = irrelevant.
2. I’m not suggesting we cry for those who have made millions or billions on the platform. Wah wah.
3. I’m not trying to BS you with an outlandishly amateur claim (TechCrunch style) by crying wolf that YouTube is DOOMED. Please. Stop it. Ugh, TechCrunch.

…skip this mini-rant for the goods…Hyperbolic statements; the superbolous world we live in… I hate it.

I try not to get sucked in. I try not to speak with end all statements. I’m a hypocrite as much as the next person, as most of us find ourselves using terms like always, never, best, worst, ever, etc. far more than we should for an average day.

Rant over… let’s get to the point…

Click Here to View Facebook’s Haymaker: Facebook Live World Map or click to see the Screencast replay below:

Awesome… So What’s the Big Deal?

No. It’s not just another new update. Perhaps discovering this link by myself (with no media influence) thanks to a simple in-app push notification, is what caused me to jump into a double rainbow forecast fit (you nostalgics can thank me later for that link) – anyway – having developed a few successful technologies & now working closely with some of the top video experts in the world – I think you’ll catch the bold vision I see ahead: Facebook’s new, browseable Live Video app has the UX/UI to potentially CRUSH YouTube, Periscope, etc. by delivering CURATED, live content directly to their BILLION DAILY USERS.

Huh? In other words, Facebook’s new LIVE VIDEO around the world is badass.

Facebook Can Still Screw This Up

The likelihood to fail is far greater than the likelihood to succeed. Duh. So it pisses me off when tech companies feel like they’re revealing some great truth by focusing on potential failure. Nonetheless, it deserves a mention that Facebook still has an uphill battle in this near-lightspeed race. Afterall, this has become a world where “head starts” mean very little, especially in terms of features or apps.

This new app could be crappy, copied, stagnant, or simply ignored. In any of these cases, Facebook’s Live Video could fizzle into a short shelf life or simply another second rate YouTube alternative for those that always seem to be on the wrong side of technology (see Blackberry Devices, Windows 8 users, etc.).

The odds may not forever be in their favor – but 1 billion daily users are, so let’s take a look at the global impacts of Live Video.

What are the Ramifications & Impacts of Facebook Live Video Worldwide?

 The word plethora comes to mind…

Facebook Just Put Yet Another Arrow in the Heart of TV.

Yes. There’s More Than 1 Arrow in TV’s Heart Already. YouTube & Netflix have been eating TVs lunch for a few years now. Facebook however, has so much data on user behavior, such great search capabilities & emotional responsive data that finding a live show that is right for you will be easier for them to pull off than any other company, IMHO.

Instant Feed is Faster Than Channel Flipping.

By delivering the live feed nearly instantaneously by scrolling over each video, it’s like browsing TV channels on steroids. This has been a subconcious grumbling point for most of us using other streaming services up until nowT. With no load & wait times, *ahem*… Periscope (sorry Peri… hate to say it, but you’ve got little chance… Mark Cuban said it first, not me… skip to 24:20)… Facebook has a great shot at having people sucked into these channels for hours on end – in large part thanks to curation – delivering relevant content, immediately.

Viewing Content Based on Nearly 1 Billion Live Viewers Means You’ll Know Exactly What to Watch.

Scary. You thought kids became famous fast on YouTube? Just wait. I predict a whole new wave of Superstar Influencers. And well deserved, too. This will give prodigies a real stage to stand on. These aren’t “slow talents” (like myself) that hide behind edits, re-edits, reproduction, voice overs, retakes, etc. This will become the age of the prodigy, as kids & adults alike, will no longer need the technical know-how to upload and edit video. With a simple click of a Live Video button, performers & gifted individuals all around the world will have an instant audience to judge their value. How fun!

Hide Your Kids Tablets, Hide Your Wi-Fi.

Parents will soon understand the effect Live Video will have on their ability to connect with their children. Oh… they’re never getting off by choice now. You thought it was bad before? Yeah… you’re going to have to get involved unless you don’t care about talking to your children or interacting with them in the real world.

Live video will also have positive implications for many children throughout the world, as an educational resource with the ability to introduce a new level of cultural unity & awareness. Meanwhile, most parents will fail to even notice the impact until after it occurs. That’s just the cold hard truth.

What About Our Local World Will Change?

If I ran my own Think Tank, I’d be diving into this with my members right now. There are so many consequences that will come to our world, but even greater are the opportunities that will open to the average (and below average) human being.

Facebook Just Clotheslined Live Entertainment Venues in the Same Way YouTube & Netflix Body-slammed Movie Theatres.

Most movie theatres have been feeling the pain of pirating & online entertainment for a long time now, but it’s an innovators market. Hence, why it’s incredibly important that we DO NOT stifle creativity in the minds of our youth. Live entertainment venues will have the opportunity to scale globally & promote their brands in a way never before possible. Many will simply hem and haw at the new territory but there’s a great chance that this is a win-win for the online & the physical world – even if there is initial backlash from the business sector.

Alas, Many Event Centers Will Close as Live Entertainment Becomes Accessible From Home.

Boohoo. The smartest & most diligent Event Centers & Entertianment Venues will do their due diligence to stay ahead of their market & adopt these technologies to boost their own presence. They’ll diversify & find new revenue opportunities. Most however, will blame the government, or low-standards of today’s generations, or some other external factor while ignoring their own responsibilities to meet the desires of their customers.

It’s just so much easier to blame someone else.

More on the Worldwide Impact of Live Video…

It’s not all going to be peaches & roses, but the good should outweigh the bad – so long as good people are more prevalent than bad people in this world. Wealth distribution should continue to improve. But will new elements of crime arise? Yup. Will America lose a sense of shelter from trials and adversities that many developing countries are forced to face every day? Most likely. Will the media manipulate & exaggerate these problems & events to create drama & scarcity in order to sell more ad space? That’s their job. But again, although good news doesn’t make the news, I believe more benefits will come from Live Video than despair generated.

Street Performers Will Learn to Monetize Their Skills & Reach the Big Stage.

It’s interesting. I was in Vegas just 2 days ago watching a street performance by a small, talented team with a great message. They weren’t blessed with my business talent but preached their message with a heart of gold:

“… on a serious note, we’ve made fun of a lot of racial ethnicities today. We tell racist jokes because we think racism is a joke. There’s one race, and that’s the human race.” – Mosquito

Performers like Mosquito & his gang of good-natured kids trying to live their dream, will have the opportunity to showcase their talents worldwide. They now have a podium where they can be judged by the masses regarding the value of their work.

The route to making money through video just got even easier than it already is. I mean come on… if an 8 year old can already make over $1 million per year by uploading videos, many more under-priviledged individuals will have an even greater chance thanks to even easier mediums. This will bring opportunity to not thousands, but millions of individuals world wide.

Bridging the Income Gap Becomes Even Easier.

Video is playing a key role in helping our world grow closer to income equality – and not by forcing the rich to give up what they work for – by providing the less fortunate with a stage & a microphone. It’s much harder to ignore poverty when it stares you in the face & can speak to you freely. Just ask the guys at Living on $1 a Day.

Multi-lingual Expansion.

I hate to chuckle at this thought – but parents who are too hands off with their children & simply throw a tablet at their kid to keep them out of their hair may soon find their child not only just not talking to them, but refusing to learn their home language. It would not surprise me in extreme cases to hear stories develop about children learning to attend language classes through Live Video in other countries.

Naturally, this can lead to developing friendships & a strong love & connection with their new live peers & teachers. Scenarios like this play out all over the country with our current language where children abandon their roots in appreciation for greater inclusion in a society they simply wished their own family was providing.

Inclusion Could Lead To Healthier Esteem.

Once again, it’s easy to point at the negatives of technology, but on the bright side, Live Video can lead those who live remote lifestyles to feel included and noticed. Staving off loneliness can lead to a reduction in depression & an increase in stimulation, self-worth, healthier relationships, professional guidance, and so much more.

Live Training Programs Expand

I’m sure video bloggers around the world have already begun streaming live 24/7. Who knows… maybe some day I’ll even just film my entire workday. Sounds creepy. Maybe that nightmare comes true & I really do get stuck in the Truman Show (see Phobia).

Don’t underestimate YouTube’s power to counter punch.

YouTube Must Correct Course & Tighten Up Their Game Plan

There are several loose ends that could trip up YouTube. Most people know Google is making a ton of money on Ads, but what they don’t know is that they aren’t as far ahead as you would think… or in some cases… they’re not ahead at all:

Google’s AdWords Platform Is a Dinosaur.

Google AdWords is fancy, but it’s not user-friendly. Some of the smartest tech marketers I know are intimidated by all the options. This creates a problem for the average business owner. How do you expect to make money from Average Joe if Joe can’t figure out how to use it? Sir-Mix-a-Lot once metaphorically chimed in about Google’s AdWords problem:Oh my gosh, Becky.Look at that button. It’s so big. It looks like one of those tech guys’ glasses. They only use it because it looks like a total monopoly. I mean, that button. It’s just so big.I can’t believe it’s so old.It’s just out there still.I mean, it’s gross.Look, it’s just so… ancient.

Ancient. Yes. Unfortunately, this isn’t hyperbole or a buzzword: In 2016, if you don’t stay ahead of your competitor as a large business, the smaller company generally gets enough momentum to pass you up. And they won’t look back. Facebook Ads are already easier to launch & understand than Google & YouTube. This is NOT a happy sign for Alphabet.

Look at Groupon a few years back. In 2011, hundreds of similar businesses launched agressively on Groupon’s tail in order to beat them to the top (the founder of my start-up at the time did the same & it made for a very happy ROI).

YouTube Is Plagued by AdWords Platform Limitations.

I feel like I need a GPS when I look at AdWords & our Video Power Lab Members express similar issues with the AdWords interface problem. Yes, it’s great how many crazy features the program has, but as an average user – I don’t need a map of New York. I just need to know how to get to Starbucks. Hope you’re picking up what I’m throwing down here. It’s time for AdWords to restructure and simplify for the most helpless of users (me).

In addition, advertisers are very frustrated with the YouTube/AdWords situation because YouTube FORCES advertisers to allow tablets to see their ads. Once again boohoo, right? No, not exactly. Small businesses have a very hard time getting their name out today – and YouTube ads has proven to be ultra-successful (at least for us), BUT people who use tablets simply do not click on ads & purchase, where as desktop users do. This is YouTube’s fault, not the user. This means, advertisers are eager for YouTube to hurry up & fix the problem or they may have to take their money to new video platforms… *Ahem*

UPDATE:1. Google AdWords just made our YouTube campaigns go from BOOM to ERMERGERSH (we can now escape tablet users)!!!
2. YouTube just launched beta-access to Annotations that are mobile-friendly. #HappyDance3. And many of you may know that YouTube Live also launched & is in its infancy stages as well – while they don’t have the user-engagement Facebook does, they definitely have the video analytics.

Keeping Content Producers Happy Will Be More Challenging.

As more live entertainers adopt Live Video & steal away audiences & as other publishing technologies get faster & easier to utilize, YouTube’s current content producers will begin to get fed up with seeing the results of newbies on Facebook Live Video & articles that brag about their successes. Doubts in the platform could spread like wildfire, depending on the success stories.

Nerd Formula:IF Feather < Pen < Type Writer < Email < SMSTHEN Film < TV < Uploaded Videos < Live Video < Live Targeted Video < Live Targeted Relevant Video

Live-Targeted-Relevant Video is the new Golden Standard. It’s a pure cash cow.

Many YouTube Influencers Are Bound to Leave to Seek Greater Growth Potential.

As YouTube influencers run towards the next California Gold Rush (trust me, we’ve all been doing it with the invention of Live Video as it is) they’ll begin to spend less & less time on the platform if they find greater, easier value elsewhere. It will be really interesting to see if Influencers find tangible value from Facebook Live Video in regards to a monetization standpoint. However, some key influencers, that are not money driven, may be more prone to switch quickly, simply for the ease-of-use factor. If they’re already Facebook users, it’s pretty simple. One platform is easier to maintain for the lean operator.

Let’s Not Forget Who the Boss Is.

At the end of the day, this isn’t about a battle between Facebook & YouTube. It’s a war between Facebook & Google. Facebook thew a haymaker, or perhaps a leg kick, attempting to take out a major asset of Google’s operation, but if not executed perfectly, there’s no telling what Google will throw back or utilize to defend their position a-top the world.

Anderson Silva’s kick (Facebook Live Video) at Chris Weidman’s leg (YouTube). Who will win this fight – Google or Facebook?

4 Reasons Facebook is a More Legitimate Threat to Google Than Ever… Live Video Could Be the Trump Card

1. Facebook’s Ad Platform Is Beyond Easy – It’s Almost Fun.

And that’s BEFORE getting results. Facebook ads are so easy to setup, that I have normal, everyday friends who have used them to send birthday announcements out, class reunion invitations, & to get their cat video noticed. (see Attention Deficit Disorder)

2. Facebook Introduced a CRM side of Page Management.

Well hello there! A few months back I noticed that Facebook messenger started providing one of my pages with actual CRM organization tools! Uh… woah. Most businesses spend at least $15/month on CRMs such as Nutshell or upwords of $300/month for more sophisticated options including Marketing Automation + CRM Service, Infusionsoft. This is just another foundational step in the preparation process for Facebook to round out their business solutions in efforts to say, “Hey Google… anything you can do/integrate with, I can make simpler”.

3. Facebook Live Video Will Incorporate Advertising.

Within a Facebook Ad Management framework that is already far ahead of AdWords, YouTube will have a tough time keeping up with monetizing Live Video as effectively as Facebook Live Video. They may beat Facebook to market for live video ads, but user experience will likely be more important to Facebook than rushing the ad platform. I also predict that the informal nature of Live Video, will lead to users tolerating more casual and genuine ad techniques due to the casual nature of the content they’re consuming. This further decreases production costs for the business & allows for more genuine & relevant advertising, which improves the overall experience for the user.

This mom raked in the sponsored goodies from Kohl’s! Freaking hilarious!

4. Facebook Live Video Creates Unparralleled Live Sponsorship Opportunities. And the Scary Part Is -> You Will Be Able to TRACK Engagement.

This only touches upon one of the many creative ways now outside of Facebook that Live Entertainers will be able to make money & find value in the platform. Looking for a musician to play at your restaurant? Find a Facebook Live Video musician, pay them, give them free meals for a month, and let them go on Facebook Live Video for their entire show & invite their local followers to come & join them at the venue. Endless applications.

My Best Guess? Facebook’s Got a 50/50 Chance at Landing a Staggering Punch

I won’t lie… I’m impressed with Facebook. Since it’s creation I’ve been surprised at how many people bet against the platform (bwahaha!). I’ve always felt a need and place for Facebook in my life, even if just as an online scrapbook or journal initially. Alas, Facebook proved long ago to me that it would have a worldwide impact.

On the flip side, I usually thought, “It’s highly unlikely they’ll ever be as big as Google, but who knows”. Folks… this Live Video competition is a key sign (amongst several others) that demonstrates how Facebook & Google are almost equals in a head-to-head matchup. We’re witnessing Facebook take the offensive stance, bringing the fight to Google. The last time Google made an offensive advance at Facebook was Google+ & they’ve been running with their tail tucked between their legs ever since.

Alas, tomorrow, Google could just as easily launch something even better. Let’s hope so, for the sake of fair trade & competition.

But lately, it feels like Facebook is ready to take down the defending world champ of the online wolrd – and as you & I know… they’re just barely getting started. 

H. Jackson Calame provides strategic planning, client management, & business developement to Video Power Marketing, the agency of YouTube Ambassador Jake Larsen. As a start-up growth & SMB specialist, Jackson specializes in business development & social media strategies out of Austin, Texas. Formerly a partner at RestaurantConnect & enterprise sales manager at OwnLocal. If you’re looking for start-up growth advice, or help with video strategy, email him at jackson@jcaldigital.com.