From the archive. First published in December 2015. Rewritten for clarity, with a note on what happened afterwards.
In late 2015 Facebook began factoring in how long people spent reading a post, viewing comments or looking at photos, rather than relying only on clicks and likes. If you lingered on something, you would see more like it.
Why this was a bigger change than it looked
It moved the platform from measuring actions to measuring attention. An action can be prompted. A like can be requested, a comment can be baited, a click can be tricked out of someone with a misleading headline. Time spent is much harder to manufacture, because it requires the content to actually hold someone.
Every major ranking change since has pushed further in this direction. Video distribution now runs substantially on watch time and completion. Meta’s own disclosures about ranking improvements are stated in terms of watch time lifts rather than engagement lifts.
What this means for how you post
- Hold attention rather than capture it. A headline that tricks someone into clicking and then loses them performs worse than one that promises less and delivers.
- Length is not the enemy on Facebook. Analysis of 5.6 million Facebook Reels found engagement and views both rising with length, peaking at two to three minutes. On Instagram the curve collapses after a minute. Same clip, different platforms, opposite optimum.
- Finish strongly. Completion is a signal, so content that trails off costs you twice.
What it means for valuing a page
Watch time is one of the few metrics that is difficult to fake. A page with genuine video retention is demonstrating an attentive audience in a way that follower counts, likes and even reach cannot. If you are buying, ask for watch time figures rather than view counts.
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We give free valuations with no obligation. Send us the page URL and a representative replies with a figure, usually within one business day. Looking to buy instead? Register as a buyer.
