by samHow would you feel if your Facebook newsfeed suddenly became inundated with video adverts? What if you had no control over them? This is the reality facing Facebook users since the site announced a new initiative, using video functionality to create the social media equivalent of TV advertising spots.
What?
Facebook intend to place 15 second video adverts on users’ newsfeeds. The desktop ads are believed to expand out of the newsfeed into the siderails making them impossible to ignore. There will most likely be a similar standout feature for mobile and tablet apps, though specifics aren’t yet known. The ads can target a user up to 3 times per day across various devices.
When?
The product is thought to be rolled out early next year as industry insiders insist the ads will be in place by April at the latest.
Why?
Video is very popular, consistently outperforming other forms of advertising. People respond to video – it’s difficult to ignore, easy to understand and far more engaging than having to read text.
Facebook has always maintained “it’s free and always will be”; it says so on the front page.
The site makes money from advertising, and this initiative is their biggest and boldest attempt yet to secure plenty of TV advertising capital. It offers huge opportunities for digital marketers to target a vast new audience, particularly regarding PPC campaigns.
How?
It is not known exactly how video advertisers will target users, or how widely. Here’s how Facebook ads work now:
However, renewed concern overwhether private information will remain confidential has erupted in the wake of this announcement. Facebook’s current stance on ad privacy is:
This product is obviously far more valuable if advertisers have access to personal user information to tailor their ads more effectively. Users fear Facebook will change its policy to ensure increased revenue.
Controversy
Ads will feature auto-play, meaning users won’t have the choice to turn them on – they will simply begin playing. It is thought that Facebook are still debating whether to also include automatic audio. Facebook currently insist:
It’s a great sentiment but will it last? It’s all too easy to imagine how irritating unwanted motion and sound will be, and industry experts have predicted “serious outrage” from users.
OpinionSo far, industry opinion appears to be largely negative. The general consensus labels this a blatant attempt to get a large juicy cut of TV budget money. There is no definitive word on what Facebook will charge, though video ads are always more expensive than other mediums.
Although the ads will allow brands to target demographics and measure the size of any specific audience, some consider such advertising fraudulent – auto-play means viewers may not even be watching.
The Cost
Advertisers have long waited for this kind of chance, but how will users react? The idea of auto-play adverts, potentially based on private information is incredibly intrusive, particularly on a site that has built its reputation on a safe and fun online environment where user privacy is always emphasised.
Facebook could be set to rake in big money with this product, but the wrath of their users may be the price they have to pay.