Will Slideshow ads revolutionize Facebook’s advertising game?

Emerging markets are 3 times larger than the developed markets, contributing up to 60 per cent of the GDP. Fortifying its marketing medium stance further, Facebook launched Slideshow advertising format.

The ad format is aimed to work in sync with Facebook’s building connectivity initiative. The new lightweight video ad format made from a series of still images making it easier and cost effective for advertisers to use and is engaging for people.

The smaller file size helps advertisers reach more people across devices. Also, a 15-second slideshow can be up to 5x smaller in file size than a video of the same length.

The Slideshow format does not have an audio feature for now, but brands and users can expect updates soon. Brands can make Slideshows with basic images that they have or pick images from Facebook’s stock.

Strengthening positing in emerging markets

Presently, only 29 per cent of world’s rural population has access to 3G; there are also instances of loss of network, with one out of every five connections getting lost.

Slideshow is Facebook’s attempt to reach out to the TG massively based on 2G and other slower internet connections. The ad format also works well for increasing video consumption on Facebook.

According to statistics, an average user who logs into Facebook one time a day consumes at least one video.

Kelly MacLean, Product Marketing Manager of ads for emerging markets, Facebook expressed that in spite of weaker internet connections ads are consumed more in these regions. Users are taking screenshots of Facebook ads to share it in their circles; and the trend is only increasing.

The announcement comes close on the heels on Newsfeed update by the social media giant to accommodate better data dissemination for those on slower internet connection. The newsfeed now displays older stories (that the user might have missed earlier) while new stories load as per the internet speed.

Facebook executed a dry run with its existing global partners. Coca Cola in Kenya and Nigeria ran a video ad to raise awareness of the new season of Coke Studio Africa.

To extend the reach of their ad to people within their target audience who were on slow connections or features phones, they took high-resolution screenshots from the video, uploaded them in sequence along with some basic text and ran the story as a slideshow on Facebook.

They reached 2 million people—twice their goal—and raised ad awareness by 10 points in Kenya.

“We recognize that our consumers may have constraints when accessing video content, hence the slideshow option by Facebook is spot on in enabling us to still deliver impactful and quality content,” said Ahmed Rady, Marketing Director, Coca-Cola Central, East and West Africa.

Facebook has been investing all energies in creating seamless experience for users with slower internet connection.

To create an empathy factor amongst engineers and developers at Facebook, the social networking site's office observes 2G Tuesdays. Under this initiative Facebook employees have the option experience Facebook with 2G internet connection for an hour.

The new option is being rolled out to Power Editor and Ads Manager over the coming weeks.