Do Re-watching Facebook Videos Count as Multiple Views?
When it comes to Facebook video views, the answer to whether re-watching a video counts as multiple views depends on both the internal workings of Facebook and the type of video being watched. However, in the vast majority of cases, each time a video is played, it is counted as a separate view.
Understanding Facebook's View Counting Method
Facebook's view count is based on the number of times a video is played, regardless of the user who initiates the play. This means that if a person watches the same video twice, it will typically be counted as two separate views. This approach is designed to provide an accurate representation of how many times a video has been viewed, rather than focusing on unique viewers.
Factors Influencing the View Count
However, there are some nuanced factors that can influence how views are counted:
User Accounts and Multiple Views
Facebook tracks one view per Facebook account. This means that even if a user re-watches a video multiple times, they will not be counted as additional views. To ensure accurate distribution, Facebook will only record the initial view and subsequent views by the same user will not be counted towards the view total. However, if a user logs out and another user logs in using the same device, this new user will count as a separate view.
Shorts and View Counting
Shorts, or stories/reels videos, tend to have a different view counting behavior. Since the audience for these videos is often younger and more active, re-watching videos is a common occurrence. This re-watching behavior can help feed the algorithm, leading to more distribution for the video. Therefore, users may re-watch a Shorts video multiple times, all of which will be counted as separate views, at least until the 3-second view threshold is understood more clearly.
3-Second View Standard
Facebook has a 3-second view standard, which means that a single play must last at least three seconds to be counted as a view. Some confusion arises when users experiment with watching a video multiple times in quick succession, only for a short period. In such cases, the total number of views will be counted based on the cumulative threshold of three seconds.
Insights and View Counting
When you look at the post insights in Creator Studio, you will see that the view count reflects both the total views and unique views. The total view count includes all views, even those from the same user, while the unique views count only accounts for views from different Facebook accounts. This duality helps creators understand both the overall reach and the number of unique viewers for their content.
Experimenting with View Counting
For a practical test, try watching a video on your Facebook page multiple times, just as you might want to observe the view count. You can setup an experiment by watching an old, inactive video on your page a few times and compare the view count in the insights panel. If the view count increases, it confirms that each re-watch is considered a separate view.
Conclusion
In summary, unless you are using a particular type of video that is designed to be re-watched (like Shorts), re-watching a video on Facebook will typically count as multiple views. This ensures that the content is visible to a broader audience, which can help boost your video's visibility and engagement.