Brief:

• Facebook announced two new features for content creators who want to develop a following among the social network's more than two billion users worldwide, according to a blog post.
• The Facebook Creator app is a "one-stop shop" where people can shoot and edit videos, broadcast live with custom stickers, graphics and camera effects, view analytics about their Page and engagement levels and easily cross-post content between social platforms. The app also gives creators a streamlined inbox that centralizes comments from Facebook and Facebook-owned Instagram, as well as Messenger chats. The new app is available on iOS and will hit Android in the coming months.
• Users can also access a new website dedicated to providing resources and tips on how to create videos, engage fans and grow their community on the social network.

Insight:

In its latest move, Facebook appears to be competing more directly with Google's YouTube with enhanced resources for influencers, as the video platform already has a Studio section to help people create videos on their mobile devices. The news comes at a time when interest in influencer content is growing from both brands and consumers, with YouTube, Facebook's Instagram, Snapchat and others all jockeying for a bigger role in the space. 

Facebook’s biggest strength is its ability to keep users coming back to check in with friends, and that can be parlayed into growing the audience for video and social influencer content. The social network’s large user base has significant potential for influencers who seek to grow their following.

At the same time, Facebook Creator doesn't offer new ways for influencers to monetize their content or their following on social media. Creators can’t sell subscriptions, accept tips or insert revenue-sharing ads into videos.

Facebook promised this Creator app at the VidCon conference in June, but it's actually a rebrand of the Mentions app that was only available to public figures and Pages, according to TechCrunch. This time around, Creator tools are open to everyone.

Now, users have a centralized hub to view all of their comments and conversations on Facebook-owned platforms so they don't have to constantly hop between apps. This seems to be an appeal to influencers looking to grow their fan base, as it's now much easier to chat with fans online instead of being a more traditional one-way broadcaster. The new tools also let users easily cross-post content, another move to reduce friction and keep users from leaving Facebook.