Facebook is shifting its primary performance metric to “views,” aligning its approach with how Instagram measures content success. This change applies not only to video content but also to photos, text posts, and other formats. The goal, as explained by Instagram head Adam Mosseri earlier this year, is to create a unified metric that simplifies performance tracking for creators.
For videos, a “view” counts each time the video is played. For other types of content, such as photos or text posts, a view is recorded whenever the content appears on a user’s screen. If the same user views the content multiple times, each instance will count as a separate view.
Meta is also incorporating view counts into its Threads platform, aiming to provide creators with greater transparency about their content’s reach. While these insights might be valuable for brands and influencers, they may offer less utility to the average user. Knowing how many screens your posts have appeared on is one thing, but Meta has yet to clarify the reasons behind these numbers or the implications for users.
This move reflects broader trends in social media, where view counts and similar metrics have become focal points for measuring content performance. Elon Musk, for instance, has prioritized views since acquiring Twitter, now called X. However, like other metrics used by tech platforms—such as impressions or engagements—views are inherently arbitrary. These metrics are often subject to sudden changes based on what platforms deem most beneficial for their business models.
For creators, such shifts highlight the fluid nature of online platforms. Metrics evolve based on what drives user activity and keeps people scrolling, and Meta’s emphasis on views is the latest iteration of this trend.