Facebook tests topic targeting for in-stream video ads

Everson said Facebook is aiming to be “very specific” with its numbers. She also noted that the company only places in-stream ads in videos that ... FacebookisannouncingsomenewcapabilitiesforvideoadvertisersonFacebookandInstagram,aswellasnewnumbersaboutthepotentialaudiencethatthoseadsmightreach. Numbersfirst:Thecompanysaystherearenow2billionpeopleeachmonthwhowatchvideosthatareeligibleforin-streamads.Italsosaysthat70%ofin-streamadsarewatchedtocompletion,withitsstudiesshowingthatbyaddingaFacebookIn-StreamcampaigntoadpurchasesthatalreadyincludeNewsFeedandStories,advertiserssawamedian1.5xincreaseinadrecall. WhendiscussingthenewswithCarolynEverson,thevicepresidentofFacebook’sglobalbusinessgroup,Iwonderedwhethertraditionaladvertisersarecomfortablewiththecompany’smetrics.(Backin2016,thecompanyhadtoadmitthatduetoanerror,ithadbeeninflatingvideoviewtimes,andisstillfacingcriticismabouthowithandledthesituation.) EversonsaidFacebookisaimingtobe“veryspecific”withitsnumbers.Shealsonotedthatthecompanyonlyplacesin-streamadsinvideosthatarethreeminutesorlonger,withtheadonlyplayingafteraviewerhaswatchedatleast45seconds(ormore,dependingonthevideo). “Idobelievethatwearegoingtobeverycompetitiveandconsistentwiththemarketplace,”shesaid.“Everyonemeasuresthesethingsalittlebitdifferently,butthesearenumbersthatpeoplearegoingtobeveryexcitedabout.” ImageCredits:Facebook Ontheproductside,thecompanyisstartingaglobaltestofIn-StreamVideoTopics,whichwillallowadvertiserstotargettheiradsnotjustbyaudience,butalsobasedonthetopicofagivenvideo.Inablogpost,Facebooksaystheinitialtargetingwillinclude“over20VideoTopics,likeSports,andover700hundredsub-topicssuchasBaseball,Basketball,Golf,orSwimming.” Eversonsaidthecompanywillusemachinelearningtechnologytoclassifyeligiblevideos,aswellastoensurethattheymeetFacebook’sbrandsafetyguidelines. Buildingcustomer-firstrelationshipsinaprivacy-firstworldiscritical Inaddition,Facebookisannouncingthatitwillstarttestingadsinitsshort-formInstagramReelsformat,initiallyinIndia,Brazil,GermanyandAustralia.Theseadscanbeupto30secondslong,anduserscaninteractwiththeminthesamewaystheyinteractwithorganicReelscontent(liking,sharing,skipping). Facebookstickerads AndFacebookistestingthestickeradsthatitannouncedlastmonth,whichwillallowbrandstocreatecustomstickers,whichcreatorscanthenincludeintheirFacebookStories. Lookingatalltheannouncementstogether,Everson(whojoinedFacebookin2011)said,“Frankly,forthelast10years,I’vebeensoexcitedforthemomentwhereweareabsolutelyreadyforprimetimeinourdiscussionsofonlinevideosolutionsformarketers.Withournewsthatweareannouncingtoday,wehavemorethanarrived.” FacebookisbringingadstoshortervideosandStories