Facebook is working to boost video monetization options on its platform with the introduction of two new ad formats: In-Stream Reserve and ThruPlay.
In-Stream ads are surfacing as mid-roll in News Feed videos, and either pre-roll or mid-roll in other sections of Facebook including Watch. The company said that In-Stream ads only appear in videos that meet the Content Guidelines for Monetization.
But to give advertisers more options on placing their video ads, Facebook has introduced In-Stream Reserve, which the company said allows advertisers to reach people watching video from “a selection of the most engaging, highest quality publishers and creators.” The ad placements are bought in advance and delivered to in-target audiences verified by Nielsen. In-Stream Reserve categories and content packages include sports, fashion/beauty and entertainment, bought in the same way as In-stream Reserve.
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“In-Stream Reserve is a great option for premium online video and TV buyers, especially for campaigns aimed at younger, harder-to-reach demographics and light TV viewers,” wrote Facebook in a blog post.
Right now, In-Stream Reserve is only available for select advertisers targeting US audiences.
Facebook is also introducing ThruPlay, which allows advertisers to pay only for ads that are watched to completion, or for at least 15 seconds. The program also helps advertisers tailor their ads to help meet that criteria. ThruPlay is available for all video placements in Facebook, Instagram and Audience Network, which includes in-stream, stories and feed. ThruPlay is rolling out in Ads Manager now for both auction and reach and frequency buying, and will be available to all advertisers globally in the coming weeks.