Facebook adds in-stream, in-article video ads to Facebook Audience Network

Facebook Audience Network will now feature video ads, in both in-stream and in-article formats.

The social network announced in a Facebook for Business post that in-stream video ads on Facebook Audience Network would run before, during or after (pre-roll, mid-roll or post-roll) video content on third-party applications and sites across mobile and desktop.

In-article video ads on Facebook Audience Network would appear between text and auto-play when at least one-half of the pixels were available, but users would need to opt in for sound. According to Facebook, its Instant Articles would be the first place where these ads would be available.

Advertisers could take advantage of the new feature by leaving Audience Network checked in the placement section when creating or editing their ads, and according to the social network,  the new options would be available to advertisers everywhere over the next few weeks.

Facebook said in the Facebook for Business post, "Advertisers want their videos to reach more of the right people in more places. That's why today we're extending Audience Network to include videos from advertisers looking to drive brand outcomes. Now, in addition to watching these videos on Facebook and Instagram, people will view them on the other apps and sites where they spend their time."

Introduced two years ago, the Audience Network is a collection of apps and sites that advertisers can use to extend the reach of their Facebook and Instagram ads. These third-party apps and sites have a wide reach and account for nearly 6 percent of time spent on U.S. mobile apps (comScore, September 2015). The Audience Network has historically focused on direct-response ads, both image and video, but now, it offers a solution that optimizes results for marketers focused on brand awareness and recall.

With more places to deliver content, we can better maximise value for advertisers that want more brand exposure through video. Globally, advertisers that opt in to the Audience Network can generate approximately 10 per cent more incremental reach than using mobile News Feed alone (Facebook internal data, May 2016).

Plus, we increase our ability to show the most relevant ads to each viewer. If your targeted audience spends more time in a particular app than on Facebook or Instagram, your video will be shown in that app more often.

Early tests indicate that advertisers gain lower cost per view by enabling all their videos to show on Facebook, Instagram and the Audience Network. This added value to both businesses and people aligns with our philosophy for building advertising solutions.

With Facebook selling video ads on behalf of other companies, the move could prove lucrative for the technology giant and intensify competition with Google,The Wall Street Journal reported.

Facebook said yesterday, it would help marketers sell and place ''in-stream'' and ''in-article'' video advertisements across third-party websites and applications, including those operated by Daily Mail, Mashable and USA Today Sports Media Group.

Facebook would take a cut of the revenue, the company took a roughly 30 per cent share of revenue in its audience network - where it also sold display advertising - and gave the rest to publishers, according to people familiar with the matter, The Wall Street Journal reported.