From next year, Facebook users will no longer be able to watch certain videos without having to sit through an advertisement first.
The company announced that it will be testing six-seconds adverts at the beginning of some videos. However, users will not see the ads on their newsfeed, but will instead run across a “pre-roll” advert when they view something in the “Watch” section.
Watch was launched by Facebook in August this year, and features live and recorded show episodes. It is a separate area, used just for videos.
Facebook is also making changes to the adverts that appear in the middle of videos. Starting next month, adverts will only appear in videos that are at least three minutes long, and will not appear until at least one minute in. Previously, videos were eligible for adverts if they were at least 90 seconds long, and the first ad was able to run at 20 seconds.
The company said:
“Our consumer research showed that moving from 90 second to three minute videos with Ad Breaks improved overall satisfaction. Furthermore, across initial testing, satisfaction increased 18% when we delayed the first Ad Break placement. Viewer satisfaction numbers are typically difficult to lift, so this indicates a positive shift — increasing the likelihood people will continue watching the content through the break.”
The social network is also making changes to its news feed formula. It is updating its news feed ranking to improve the distribution of videos that people actually want to watch. Creators that put out regular content will now rank better in the news feed.
Facebook is not the only company trying to monetise by playing with its video offerings. Snapchat is now allowing users to add branded animations to its existing arsenal of augmented reality lenses.
The post Facebook to Introduce Ads at Start of Videos appeared first on The Market Mogul.
